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What Does My Blood Test Report Indicate?
Question: Hello, Please see attached blood work from last week and August. My RBC and Platelet counts are down. I spoke with a GI doctor today who plans to evaluate with colonoscopy and endoscope. She suspects Upper GI bleed. She is also going to do stool test tomorrow. The one factor she could not explain was the low platelets. I was wondering would the low platelets be related to the other numbers?
Brief Answer:
may be vitamin deficiency
Detailed Answer:
Hi
Thanks for your query.
The hemoglobin has fallen from August. Platelets also bit low but in isolation we consider it normal. Because both hemoglobin and platelets have fallen, we need to investigate further.
Most commonly this is due to vitamin b12 and or folate deficiency. So that needs to be tested. If these are normal and another blood count in 1-2 weeks show further fall, I would recommend a bone marrow test to rule out anything going on there.
You can go ahead with the endoscopies, they are required to rule out GI bleeding.
Hope this helps. I will be available for follow up.
Regards
may be vitamin deficiency
Detailed Answer:
Hi
Thanks for your query.
The hemoglobin has fallen from August. Platelets also bit low but in isolation we consider it normal. Because both hemoglobin and platelets have fallen, we need to investigate further.
Most commonly this is due to vitamin b12 and or folate deficiency. So that needs to be tested. If these are normal and another blood count in 1-2 weeks show further fall, I would recommend a bone marrow test to rule out anything going on there.
You can go ahead with the endoscopies, they are required to rule out GI bleeding.
Hope this helps. I will be available for follow up.
Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Yogesh D
Thank you for your response. If levels fall in the next blood draw, would the bone marrow test be to look for cancer? Does my recent blood work seem suspicious for any type of cancer? Please let me know. Thank you again for your detailed response.
Brief Answer:
chance of cancer is loow at this point
Detailed Answer:
At this point there is no major suspicion of cancer. As I said, if platelet drops further, say below 100,000 then only I would consider bone marrow.
Bone marrow test looks for any problem in the marrow, not only cancer. Vitamin deficiency has also characteristic changes in bone marrow.
chance of cancer is loow at this point
Detailed Answer:
At this point there is no major suspicion of cancer. As I said, if platelet drops further, say below 100,000 then only I would consider bone marrow.
Bone marrow test looks for any problem in the marrow, not only cancer. Vitamin deficiency has also characteristic changes in bone marrow.
Note: Do you have more questions on diagnosis or treatment of blood disorders? Ask An Expert/ Specialist Now
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
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