Inflammation - Blood Test

[Ms.Yvette 96]

Has anyone ever been told they have Inflammation with a blood exam? If so, has it gone away after vsg? My blood work shows Inflammation and they don't know where its coming from. One of my doctors told me to cut out all simple carbs. Just curious if anyone else has had this problem. (I'm pre op)

[1SuperBonBon 221]

Yes there is a blood test that can detect inflammation. It is called Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate. Here is some reading for you.

What Is It?

The Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) is a blood test that measures inflammation or abnormal Proteins in the body. While the ESR is not an indication of any one disease, it commonly increases with any condition that causes inflammation, such as infection, arthritis, or cancer. However, up to 10% of normal, healthy people have a mildly elevated ESR and it tends to increase with age. The higher the level of ESR, the more likely the person is to have a condition known to be associated with it (see below).

Diseases Associated with Elevated ESR

Of the arthritic diseases, an elevated ESR is most closely associated with polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) and giant cell arteritis (GCA). If disease is active, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, vasculitic disease and almost any other inflammatory condition may be associated with an elevated ESR. Other well-established causes included subacute bacterial endocarditis (SBE), myeloma, abscess, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and osteomyelitis. However, almost any condition that causes sudden or significant inflammation in the body can be associated with an elevated ESR.

An elevated ESR cannot establish any diagnosis by itself. Similarly, a normal ESR does not rule out an arthritic condition since many people with arthritis have a normal or only mildly elevated ESR. A normal ESR does reduce the likelihood of GCA, PMR and SBE. Thus, the ability of this test to predict presence or absence of disease is far from perfect. To rule in or rule out a condition associated with an elevated ESR, your health care provider will review your symptoms, physical examination (with special attention to the joints) and other test results.

Why Is It Ordered?

Health care providers order the ESR as a diagnostic test to help determine the cause of symptoms. For example, if you were over the age of 55 and had a new headache with shoulder and hip stiffness in the morning your symptoms and examination might suggest GCA to your doctor—checking your ESR would be appropriate. The test can also be helpful to follow the progress of disease, as a monitoring test, though the usefulness of using this test alone has not been established.

What Does the Result Mean?

How ESR is Reported

The ESR is reported as normal or high; if it is high, the amount of elevation (a great deal, only a little or something in between) is also reported.

Interpreting the Result

The meaning of an elevated ESR relies on the rest of the “big picture”—if markedly elevated in the setting of symptoms and an examination suggestive of GCA or PMR, it probably indicates one of these diagnoses. On the other hand, even a moderately elevated result in someone who lacks symptoms or examination findings may have no detectable illness. In fact, the ESR may be misleading – it may suggest disease when none is present.

What Are the Next Steps?

The next step depends in large part on why the test was ordered. If normal, it may provide some measure of reassurance. If elevated, your doctors must integrate this information with your overall health, symptoms and examination results to tell whether it has any meaning. If it is only slightly elevated, there is a good chance that it is meaningless—as above, false-positive results are common, especially among older patients. It will be important over time to keep track of your symptoms over time and report any change to your doctors.

So, if you have an elevated ESR, don’t panic—keep in mind that even diseases associated with an elevated ESR cannot be diagnosed by the ESR alone. How you are feeling and what your doctors find when they examine you are much more important.

[Ms.Yvette 96]

Yes there is a blood test that can detect

My Dr. told me it was high. I just hope that my weight may be a factor so that after vsg it can go back to normal. All these different issues coming up right before my last surgeon visit. I guess it's better now than later. Thank you for your post. Very informative. I guess I have a lot more reading and research to do.

[gamergirl 4,609]

I have had elevated CRPs which are also indicative of inflammation. In my case, I have an inflammatory disease so it won't go away. But if yours is not because I'd that, the tried and true ways to reduce inflammation are:

1. Reduce simple carbs and grains from diet

2. Consume more fish and fish oil

3. Increase fruits and vegetables

4. Exercise

5. Lose weight

Apart from (3), all the other things should happen with being sleeved. The weight loss alone will help in that regard.

[Ms.Yvette 96]

I have had

Thank you gamergirl. This is very interesting. Do you get bad affects from yours?

[gamergirl 4,609]

Thank you gamergirl. This is very interesting. Do you get bad affects from yours?

Elevated CRPs are associated with increased of heart attacks. So they're not good obviously. But I also have read a lot of stuff that suggests that if your body is inflamed, it is almost impossible to lose weight. First you have to calm the inflammation, and only then can you start to lose weight.

Your sleeve will do wonders for your body I suspect.