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11-05-2013, 06:00 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 362
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Does anyone know much about reading blood results?
So I am completely freaking out right now. I went in yesterday for my three month blood draw and asked if I could get a copy of my last blood draw results. I like to keep a file and have collected results for about a year now. I won't know what the results from yesterday's draw are until tomorrow when I see my oncologist.
But I was alarmed at my results from September. My AST, ALT, Alkaline Phosophate and Bilirubin levels have been pretty constant for the most part. They fluctuate a tiny bit my Alt did drop from 27 to 18. But in September my ALT changed from 18 to 27, my AST dropped from 23 to 21, my Bilirubin went from 0.3 to 0.7 and my Alkaline Phosphate went from 39 to 58!!!
Does this mean liver mets? I went through a ridiculous amount of scans and they all showed nothing in my liver. But blood is pretty indicative of something going on. Now I have been dealing with major constipation issues since September. So my other question is, can something else cause these things to fluctuate?
__________________
DX 10/2011
PET Scan + MRI 10/2011
Lumpectomy 11/11/11
Stage 2B +++ ER+(10%), PR+(5%), HER2+++(1 positive node, 1 micromets to second node)
AC started 12/2011 ended 1/2012
Taxol + Herceptin weekly for 12 weeks ended 4/2012
30 zaps of radiation done 6/2012
Tamoxifen 6/2012
every 3 weeks of Herceptin for another year.
Metformin Trial 8/12
10/12 MRI- CLEAR
01/13 BRAIN MRI- CLEAR!
01/13 Neck MRI- CLEAR!
FINISHED HERCEPTIN 1/9/2013...Woot Woot
Starting Walter Reed Vaccine Trial 2/13
CT Scans + ultrasound of abdomen CLEAR-5/13
02/2015 through 11/2015 emergency D&Cs for Tamoxifen induced uterine polyps which caused uncontrollable hemorrhaging
12/2015 blood clot to left leg caused by Tamoxifen. No longer taking it. On Xarelto, a blood thinner
12/2015 Ablation to prevent hemorrhaging from potential issues with Tamoxifen residue in my system
1/2016 continuing journey without hormonal therapy. Reevaluating the option of a hysterectomy and oopherectomy.
4/1/2018 2mm stroke. Yes, stroke! No cause ever found but they believe it was a migraine that went bonkers and created a tiny clot. No deficits. I was back to normal with 24hrs. Now on baby aspirin for life.
7/27/2018 hysterectomy and oopherectomy
01/07/2019 Mastectomy and expanders put in
3/22/2019 Vtach, almost died. Cause unknown.
7/22/2019 New perky boobs put in
7/21/2020 Off of all drugs but a baby aspirin because of the stroke in 2018.
www.mychemobag.org
www.facebook.com/mychemobag
8 YEARS NED
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11-05-2013, 09:18 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Somerset, NJ
Posts: 487
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Re: Does anyone know much about reading blood results?
I think those are pretty normal numbers.
I've had similar fluctuations over the years, and I expect they're dependent on what I'm eating, as well as the supplements I'm taking at the time.
The range for alkaline phosphatase on my lab reports is 25-150. My own result has been as high as 69 and as low as 53. Pretty much the same for the others--fluctuations, yes, but still in the middle part of the range, just as all yours are. You can read more about alkaline phosphatase here:
http://labtestsonline.org/understand...s/alp/tab/test
It's likely that your result has increased because you've recovered from chemo (see the reasons for lower levels of ALP). You can also look up your other labs at this site.
__________________
2/6/09 Core needle biopsy: negative; Mammos through 2010: no change
3/30/11 Pea-sized lump in left breast at site of prior biopsy; mammo negative, sonogram not so much
4/14/11 Core needle biopsy: negative for cancer
5/18/11 Excisional biopsy 1.2 cm tumor, LVI, positive margin; ER+60%,PR+20%,HER2/CEP17 5
6/15/11 BMX: Left DCIS & LH; Right ADH; SNB: 2/3 nodes: 1.4 cm and 1 mm; ALND L1&2: 0/10; Stage IIa, Grade 3
7/14/11 CT/Bone scans NED; MUGA 66%
7/19/11 Biweekly dd AC w/Neulasta; done 8/30/11
9/13/11 Transfusion (Hemoglobin 8.6); MUGA 64%
9/20/11 Start Taxol + Herceptin; Taxol done 12/6/2011; continue Herceptin until 9/4/2012
12/27/11 Radiation - 6 weeks; 2/27/2012 - DONE! Yayyyy!
2/29/12 Start Tamoxifen 20 mg/day; continue until 2/28/17
5/16/12 Start five-years Metformin trial
6/19/12 MUGA 61%
8/21/12 Brain MRI NED (head still hurts, brain still fogged)
9/4/12 Herceptin done!
9/6/12 Port out!
7/11/13 Aricept 5mg for cognitive impairment; increased to 10mg as of 8/23/13; back to 5mg 12/2013
5/2014 Add Namenda 7mg
9/2014 Stop Aricept and Namenda; Neuropsychological evaluation
10/24/14 Start cognitive rehabilitation therapy
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11-05-2013, 05:04 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Ireland
Posts: 3,463
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Re: Does anyone know much about reading blood results?
Tumour markers are not conclusive for everyone and even an infection or cold can cause them to rise, many Onc's don't do them for this reason as they can be unreliable so I wouldn't put all my trust in keeping these results. If your scans were clear and you have no symptoms I'd be feeling good about that so try not to worry!
__________________
Tricia
Dx July '05 IDC 1.9cm Triple positive 3/9 nodes positive
A/C X 4 ..Taxol/Herceptin x 12 wks then herceptin 1 yr
Rads x 36 ..oophorectomy August '06
Currently taking Arimidex..
June 2011 osteopenia/ zometa x1 yearly- stopped Zometa 2015 as Dexa show normal bone density.
Stopped Arimidex July 2014- Restarted Arimidex 2015 for a further two years on the advice of my Onc.
2014 Normal Dexa scan
2018 Mammo all clear, still NED!
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11-05-2013, 06:44 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 260
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Re: Does anyone know much about reading blood results?
Dear Europa,
As a pathologist, I'm not worried at all about those numbers, but each lab has different normal ranges and so you'll have to discuss them with your oncologist or family physician.
Lots of things could have caused those minor changes including minor illness, medication, alcohol, your particular genetics, normal daily variation.
I'm pretty sure you'll be reassured once you talk to your oncologist. I'm in the middle of TCH therapy and most of my tests are totally OFF! I try not to think about it too much for now. I learnt for sure today I have hit menopause - @$#&%.
Good luck
Aussie Girl
__________________
31mm Infiltrating duct carcinoma
Grade 3, ER/PR-, HER2+, Neg Sentinel nodes x 5
49mm field of DCIS
17 June '13: Screen detected impalpable mass, Mammogram neg, US.
25 June '13: Diagnosed after multiple biopsies and MRIs
28 June '13: Left lumpectomey
4 July '13: Left Mastectomy
12 August '13: Commenced TCH chemo
Mid December '13 : TCH finished. Herceptin continuing three weekly.
4 August 2014- Herceptin infusions finished.
END OF THERAPY - YAY!
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11-05-2013, 07:41 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Sunny San Diego
Posts: 2,214
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Re: Does anyone know much about reading blood results?
Europa,
These blood tests fluctuate. Didn't your report have the normal range next to the results? I love it when labs do that because it makes the results more understandable. My hospital puts an H by the high results and a L by the low ones that are outside the range.
I used to stress over my hubby's blood tests. Many of the counts are outside of the normal range. Over time the tests will show what is normal for you, not just the average population.
When our oncologist has an intern he will spring my hubby on him. The poor intern is expecting someone in really bad shape, then he meets the patient and his good health doesn't match the blood test results.
Hopefully for you this will be a false alarm and all is well and healthy.
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11-06-2013, 06:57 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Stockton, NJ
Posts: 4,179
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Re: Does anyone know much about reading blood results?
If they are in the normal range, they are in the normal range. Mine flip all over the place. Everytime I get blood work, I put it in a graph and then the paperwork goes into a folder. Once, I did a graph of the pertinent cancer things only when I had a normal onc appointment and he said lots of stuff affects the readings. For example, he told me that caffeine affects the CA 27/29 (makes it go up) and mine whip around the normal range all over the place (up and down - 11, 18, 14, 28, 21 etc). He said normal is normal and there is only so much one can control prior to taking blood.
For example, you could always fast and do nothing prior to blood work even if your blood work does not require fasting but then he said, what did you eat and do before that? Do you always eat the same things in the days before fasting - no, of course. Did you exercise the day before? Easy or hard. Who knows so just go with normal. Normal is normal even though we cancer folks do look at things differently.
__________________
Kind regards
Becky
Found lump via BSE
Diagnosed 8/04 at age 45
1.9cm tumor, ER+PR-, Her2 3+(rt side)
2 micromets to sentinel node
Stage 2A
left 3mm DCIS - low grade ER+PR+Her2 neg
lumpectomies 9/7/04
4DD AC followed by 4 DD taxol
Used Leukine instead of Neulasta
35 rads on right side only
4/05 started Tamoxifen
Started Herceptin 4 months after last Taxol due to
trial results and 2005 ASCO meeting & recommendations
Oophorectomy 8/05
Started Arimidex 9/05
Finished Herceptin (16 months) 9/06
Arimidex Only
Prolia every 6 months for osteopenia
NED 18 years!
Said Christopher Robin to Pooh: "You must remember this: You're braver than you believe and stronger than you seem and smarter than you think"
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11-07-2013, 12:55 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 362
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Re: Does anyone know much about reading blood results?
Well, I got the ay okay from my onc yesterday. The pain on my right side is still a mystery so she has ordered a colonoscopy. Yey for me.
I also found an awesome remedy for constipation which is what I believe is causing my pain, apple cider. One teaspoon of that.....whoa! I run to the bathroom. 
__________________
DX 10/2011
PET Scan + MRI 10/2011
Lumpectomy 11/11/11
Stage 2B +++ ER+(10%), PR+(5%), HER2+++(1 positive node, 1 micromets to second node)
AC started 12/2011 ended 1/2012
Taxol + Herceptin weekly for 12 weeks ended 4/2012
30 zaps of radiation done 6/2012
Tamoxifen 6/2012
every 3 weeks of Herceptin for another year.
Metformin Trial 8/12
10/12 MRI- CLEAR
01/13 BRAIN MRI- CLEAR!
01/13 Neck MRI- CLEAR!
FINISHED HERCEPTIN 1/9/2013...Woot Woot
Starting Walter Reed Vaccine Trial 2/13
CT Scans + ultrasound of abdomen CLEAR-5/13
02/2015 through 11/2015 emergency D&Cs for Tamoxifen induced uterine polyps which caused uncontrollable hemorrhaging
12/2015 blood clot to left leg caused by Tamoxifen. No longer taking it. On Xarelto, a blood thinner
12/2015 Ablation to prevent hemorrhaging from potential issues with Tamoxifen residue in my system
1/2016 continuing journey without hormonal therapy. Reevaluating the option of a hysterectomy and oopherectomy.
4/1/2018 2mm stroke. Yes, stroke! No cause ever found but they believe it was a migraine that went bonkers and created a tiny clot. No deficits. I was back to normal with 24hrs. Now on baby aspirin for life.
7/27/2018 hysterectomy and oopherectomy
01/07/2019 Mastectomy and expanders put in
3/22/2019 Vtach, almost died. Cause unknown.
7/22/2019 New perky boobs put in
7/21/2020 Off of all drugs but a baby aspirin because of the stroke in 2018.
www.mychemobag.org
www.facebook.com/mychemobag
8 YEARS NED
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