What exactly is a High Sed. rate?

I saw a hematolgist today for a high platelet count. They did some more blood work and they're going to do a scan of my liver and spleen, she thinks my spleen is enlarged. Anyway, there was a student doctor in the room and she asked her about my sed rate, 41 on my last blood work. The doctor said that's not high and someone could punch me in the arm and it would shoot up to 60 or it could shoot up if I had a pimple or something. She said high ranges are around 100 - 150, i've never heard of anyone going that high. I did like her a lot, because she seemed to take the high platelets seriously and that's what I went to see her for. But is she full of you know what when it comes to her explanation of the sed rate or is 41 nothing to be concerned over. I see a rheumatologist on friday so i'll leave it all up to her. Just curious what everyone thought about that.

~OhWell

Oh boy,

You weren't given very good information.  Yes, a sed rate can reach those really high numbers, but boy you would sure know it.  You'd be so sick it would be awful.  When I was diagnosed, my sed rate was nearing 100.

The student doctor doesn't have a clue about what a sed rate is....  The sed rate calculates how much systemic inflammation is in the body.  It won't measure what inflammation occurs from a punch to the arm or a pimple.  That is the biggest load of who-ha I've ever heard.  No offense to you! It's all targetting towards that "doctor", LOL.

The sed rate, or ESR test is fairly unreliable.  The higher the number, the more acurate it gets.  If you're ranging the 40's, that's starting to get up there, and you probably have quite a few symptoms of flare.  Do you? Tell your rheumy what this student said to you.  There might be some eye-rolling!

Stacie is right.  The normal range is 0-20. Don't rely on the numbers to tell you how you really are.  Treat the symptoms, not the number.  That's important.  Just use the number as a very loose guide.

Good luck with your platelet count situation.  That is a concern for sure. Let us know how it goes,

Ginny

My sed rate has been in the 100's! I just found out today it's 47 and it has been normal recently. I'm, unfortunately having some mild symptoms. I see my neph tomorrow, i'll ask her how significant it is. I went to see my neice in the hospital and she was under bili lights and I put my hands in their and held her for a good while. I wonder if that could have triggered something? Plus the stress of her being sick! Judy

Hey Judy,

 

The sed rate won't change if you stub your toe, or get poked, etc.  A pimple or a needle won't affect the test either.  The test calculates how much inflammation is going on systemically.  It's different.  Systemic inflammation is throughout the entire body.  Not in one location like an infected sore or something.  So the test is ordered to see what is going on from head to toe, so-to-speak.  Does that help make sense? 

I had a sed rat of 111 not to long ago accompanied by a fever of 103.8. They had to test me for appendicitis and wound up sending me to the ER because they didn't have a doctor on call, nor was my fever getting any better (had been getting worse for about two weeks). I still have to go in for an ultra-sound, they want to make sure nothing has been damaged internally.

I imagine my immunity is down, though I'm not sure. I almost always have a low fever and I'm 'always' tired.

Thank you Rosie, the people on this site seem friendly enough. ^^

I just saw a familiar topic (thread name) and wanted to reply.

Yes, Lyme Disease can elevate the sed rate. It can also cause tight muscles and a stiff neck and be misdiagnosed as Lupus. There is a Lyme Disease section on this forum. I suggest you go over there and browse around. Lyme Disease is a controversal illness, it is best to educate yourself so you can make informed decisions.

I too had a very high sed rate now for about 2 years, it is 96, have been tested for everything from lupus to hiv, everything comes back negative. My doc now has me on prednisone 10mg a day, have been taking it for awhile and do not seem to show any improvement. I have muscle cramps, twitching and an overall crummy feeling all the time. He has diagnoosed with me poly, somthing rheumatica, which to ne is justsomething he figured it might be since he cannot figure out what I have. I am concerned because I do not feel any better. Maybe its time to fing a new doc, Any suggestions as to what it might be. He did do some lyme test and they came cback borderline(whatever that means and I was on doxycycline for about 2 months. Anybody got any answers for me I am so tired of not feeling good.

hi, thanks for answering my post, since that post my sed rate has now increased to 130, so I guess the prednisone is not working, da. I also feel worse than I did before if thats possible. I finally have an appointment with a rhuematologist next week, hoping for some answers soon, I should have made an appointment a lot sooner, was just kind of hoping it would just go away. Did your rhuemy say what might be going on with you???

Hi Featherstone and Jamie, Featherstone 130! wow that's just wild. I don't know how you been dealing with that. You mst have one whopping infection. Mine was 63 and I felt like a truck hit me. I'm glad you are seeing a rheumy don't leave without any answers. Let us know.

Jamie, Hi I just wanted to welcome you to the group. I hope you stick around and let us get to know you. carol

Hi...this is my first time on here and have been reading everyone's posts.  I have had ongoing problems over the last several years that started with fibromyalgia and then muscle weakness on the right side of my body.  It took three years, one rheumatologist, and two neurologists to find out I have myasenthia gravis.  Its symptoms can be similar to MS, but it is not degenerative and you do fine if you stay on your meds.  I had started with some new symptoms about 3-4 months ago.  Mostly at night I would have these sharp, burning pains throughout my spine...felt almost like the pain was trying to push its way out...sounds weird, but only way I know how to describe it... then the pain would just start randomly going through my joints, legs, hands, hips, shoulders, you name it... Almost unbearable at times.  I would have these spells about 2 times a month or so... (was hoping they would just go away).  It had been awhile since I went to my neurologist, so I had to go to family doc for a referral...she went ahead and did some blood work and my SED rate came back at 88... Just wondered if there is anyone out there with either myasthenia or fibromyalgia and had any of these random shooting type pains... with the fibro...I had had the joint pains, fatigue, and just feeling lousy, but I never had these "explosions".  They can go on for a few hours before any meds take hold.  Just wondered if this SED rate level means something in terms of these random episodes, or is it to do with the fibro or myasthenia... I never knew about SED rates before...they might have checked them, but never knew about it...anyway...thanks for sharing... K.

p.s. What kind of medications are you on. Maybe it is a side effect on some of the medications you are on.

All of this is very interesting.  I have a four year old little boy whom we just had re****s come back stating his said rate was high.  Test taken three times in a week.  All rangend between 96 and 112.  He stayed two nights in the hospital going through various testing and still two weeks later have not figured it out.  He also has a fever everyday but nothing over 102.5 degrees.  I always give tylenol for the fever and the Doc had me hold off one time on the tylenol to see what happened with th fever and he complained of a headache and the light hurt his eyes.  As you can imagine its hard to see a child ill, and watching him undergo test after test with and iv in his arm has been aweful.  I hope soon they can figure out what is wrong.