Guest guest Posted July 27, 1999 Report Share Posted July 27, 1999 To all: Can someone explain the significance of the sed rate to me? Some have mentioned low rates with pain and also high rates with pain? Is sed rate and pain connected? My dr. takes blood tests every 3 months, (I am on mtx and feldene) but has never told me my sed rate. Should I know this? thanks Joanne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 27, 1999 Report Share Posted July 27, 1999 At 10:46 AM 7/27/99 EDT, you wrote: >From: JSchopp@... > >To all: > >Can someone explain the significance of the sed rate to me? Some have >mentioned low rates with pain and also high rates with pain? Is sed rate and >pain connected? As far as I know, a high sed rate is an indication for eg RA. People with PA normally don't have a high sed rate, only a little above normal. I don't know of any connection to pain, but can imagine that since a high sed rate is an indication for lots of inflammation, this of course causes more pain. Eliane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 27, 1999 Report Share Posted July 27, 1999 SED = SEDIMENTATION RATE...ESR is the abbreviation for " erythrocyte sedimentation rate " , i.e. the rate at which erythrocytes settle in blood, to which an additive has been added to prevent the blood from coagulating. The faster they clump together and fall...the more inflammation is thought to be present. Annette Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 3, 2011 Report Share Posted March 3, 2011 Hi , kids have both ranges of sed rates, both high and low. On the low levels (like 0, 1 & maybe 2), that is considered by mainstream to be 'normal', but you don't usually see it. It is very common in CFS though. However, a high sed rate IS a reliable marker for inflammation. It can also be a marker for chronic infection (not as commonly assumed though). How high was it? If it's just a 'little' high like under 25 or so, then that's pretty treatable I think. If it's near 100, then you have to compare that result with other tests, and yes your kid is probably in a very high state of inflammation and probably also needs to see a rheumatologist (after discussing that with a pediatrician to see if they agree). The high sed rate is a known marker. The low sed rate is not, so it's harder to get a 'mainstream' doctor to pay any attention to it. HTH ________________________________ From: moniquedias26 <moniquedias26@...> Sent: Wed, March 2, 2011 11:19:46 AM Subject: sed rate?  Hi all, I have a specific question about bloodwork. I have not seen Dr. Goldberg yet, (have an appt next month) but I was wondering about sed rate,b/c my son has had some bloodwork done thru DAN, and he showed a HIGH sed rate. I was watching a presentation by Dr. Goldberg and he was saying that children have LOW sed rates. Can anyone clarify this for me? I was told that high sed rates indicate inflammation in the body. thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 3, 2011 Report Share Posted March 3, 2011  Hi , Thanks for answering my question. My son's sed rate was 38. Of course this was a year and a half ago...no idea what it is now. Does 38 sound treatable though? ________________________________ From: <thecolemans4@...> Sent: Thu, March 3, 2011 7:43:46 AM Subject: Re: sed rate?  Hi , kids have both ranges of sed rates, both high and low. On the low levels (like 0, 1 & maybe 2), that is considered by mainstream to be 'normal', but you don't usually see it. It is very common in CFS though. However, a high sed rate IS a reliable marker for inflammation. It can also be a marker for chronic infection (not as commonly assumed though). How high was it? If it's just a 'little' high like under 25 or so, then that's pretty treatable I think. If it's near 100, then you have to compare that result with other tests, and yes your kid is probably in a very high state of inflammation and probably also needs to see a rheumatologist (after discussing that with a pediatrician to see if they agree). The high sed rate is a known marker. The low sed rate is not, so it's harder to get a 'mainstream' doctor to pay any attention to it. HTH ________________________________ From: moniquedias26 <moniquedias26@...> Sent: Wed, March 2, 2011 11:19:46 AM Subject: sed rate?  Hi all, I have a specific question about bloodwork. I have not seen Dr. Goldberg yet, (have an appt next month) but I was wondering about sed rate,b/c my son has had some bloodwork done thru DAN, and he showed a HIGH sed rate. I was watching a presentation by Dr. Goldberg and he was saying that children have LOW sed rates. Can anyone clarify this for me? I was told that high sed rates indicate inflammation in the body. thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 4, 2011 Report Share Posted March 4, 2011 That is pretty high. Seems like a pediatrician would have referred you to someone over that... Mostly I would say you just have a pretty clear marker for some immune dysfunction that suggests you're making the right choice by going to see Dr G. A lot of us go without any clear lab results wondering if we're going for nothing. I don't know much about the higher ones since mine's always 2 or less, but I know a that's a marker for a lot of inflammatory illnesses. I don't know, but it may actually be more normal for him to have a high sed rate. By all accounts, people with CFS seem like they would/should have high ones, but then they come back drastically different, and that's wierd in itself. But sed rates can come down if there's a treatable underlying cause. It doesn't automatically mean there's something autoimmune going on (nor do I know what level triggers that suspicion). I'd say he needs Dr G more than most. I wouldn't worry about it too much since you're going to see him in a month. That amount of time won't be a problem. Did you have a c-reactive protein and an ANA titer done too? If so, do you have those results? I would also ask - was it a standardized laboratory that did the test? ________________________________ From: Dias <moniquedias26@...> Sent: Thu, March 3, 2011 10:48:34 AM Subject: Re: sed rate?   Hi , Thanks for answering my question. My son's sed rate was 38. Of course this was a year and a half ago...no idea what it is now. Does 38 sound treatable though? ________________________________ From: <thecolemans4@...> Sent: Thu, March 3, 2011 7:43:46 AM Subject: Re: sed rate?  Hi , kids have both ranges of sed rates, both high and low. On the low levels (like 0, 1 & maybe 2), that is considered by mainstream to be 'normal', but you don't usually see it. It is very common in CFS though. However, a high sed rate IS a reliable marker for inflammation. It can also be a marker for chronic infection (not as commonly assumed though). How high was it? If it's just a 'little' high like under 25 or so, then that's pretty treatable I think. If it's near 100, then you have to compare that result with other tests, and yes your kid is probably in a very high state of inflammation and probably also needs to see a rheumatologist (after discussing that with a pediatrician to see if they agree). The high sed rate is a known marker. The low sed rate is not, so it's harder to get a 'mainstream' doctor to pay any attention to it. HTH ________________________________ From: moniquedias26 <moniquedias26@...> Sent: Wed, March 2, 2011 11:19:46 AM Subject: sed rate?  Hi all, I have a specific question about bloodwork. I have not seen Dr. Goldberg yet, (have an appt next month) but I was wondering about sed rate,b/c my son has had some bloodwork done thru DAN, and he showed a HIGH sed rate. I was watching a presentation by Dr. Goldberg and he was saying that children have LOW sed rates. Can anyone clarify this for me? I was told that high sed rates indicate inflammation in the body. thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 4, 2011 Report Share Posted March 4, 2011 The Dan physician who ordered the test did tell us it was indicative of inflammation ( he told us to put our son on Moxxor) but did not make any mention of seeing any other specialists. Our primary care physician/ped who authorized the labs, seemed pretty casual about it too...I believe he said something like... " He does have a high sed rate...mmmm....wonder what's going on there? " We did not have ANA or c-reactive protein done. I do remember he also had a slightly elevated RDW and platelet count.... Not too sure what those mean. As far as the lab, not sure if it was " standardized " . It was just your typical lab in a medical group clinic. Thanks again for all the info. We're looking forward to seeing Dr. Goldberg and hopefully getting some clearer answers about what's going on with our son.  ________________________________ From: <thecolemans4@...> Sent: Fri, March 4, 2011 7:30:27 AM Subject: Re: sed rate?  That is pretty high. Seems like a pediatrician would have referred you to someone over that... Mostly I would say you just have a pretty clear marker for some immune dysfunction that suggests you're making the right choice by going to see Dr G. A lot of us go without any clear lab results wondering if we're going for nothing. I don't know much about the higher ones since mine's always 2 or less, but I know a that's a marker for a lot of inflammatory illnesses. I don't know, but it may actually be more normal for him to have a high sed rate. By all accounts, people with CFS seem like they would/should have high ones, but then they come back drastically different, and that's wierd in itself. But sed rates can come down if there's a treatable underlying cause. It doesn't automatically mean there's something autoimmune going on (nor do I know what level triggers that suspicion). I'd say he needs Dr G more than most. I wouldn't worry about it too much since you're going to see him in a month. That amount of time won't be a problem. Did you have a c-reactive protein and an ANA titer done too? If so, do you have those results? I would also ask - was it a standardized laboratory that did the test? ________________________________ From: Dias <moniquedias26@...> Sent: Thu, March 3, 2011 10:48:34 AM Subject: Re: sed rate?   Hi , Thanks for answering my question. My son's sed rate was 38. Of course this was a year and a half ago...no idea what it is now. Does 38 sound treatable though? ________________________________ From: <thecolemans4@...> Sent: Thu, March 3, 2011 7:43:46 AM Subject: Re: sed rate?  Hi , kids have both ranges of sed rates, both high and low. On the low levels (like 0, 1 & maybe 2), that is considered by mainstream to be 'normal', but you don't usually see it. It is very common in CFS though. However, a high sed rate IS a reliable marker for inflammation. It can also be a marker for chronic infection (not as commonly assumed though). How high was it? If it's just a 'little' high like under 25 or so, then that's pretty treatable I think. If it's near 100, then you have to compare that result with other tests, and yes your kid is probably in a very high state of inflammation and probably also needs to see a rheumatologist (after discussing that with a pediatrician to see if they agree). The high sed rate is a known marker. The low sed rate is not, so it's harder to get a 'mainstream' doctor to pay any attention to it. HTH ________________________________ From: moniquedias26 <moniquedias26@...> Sent: Wed, March 2, 2011 11:19:46 AM Subject: sed rate?  Hi all, I have a specific question about bloodwork. I have not seen Dr. Goldberg yet, (have an appt next month) but I was wondering about sed rate,b/c my son has had some bloodwork done thru DAN, and he showed a HIGH sed rate. I was watching a presentation by Dr. Goldberg and he was saying that children have LOW sed rates. Can anyone clarify this for me? I was told that high sed rates indicate inflammation in the body. thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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