Eosinophil count

[Docb]

Been browsing my medical results record all is boringly normal except for old HBA1c numbers and my Eosinophil count. Although never mentioned by my GP, I find that it has been consistently abnormally high for the last 10 years or so. Anybody know the significance of that finding?

Done the usual googling and found that it could be an indicator of autoimmune problems but would appreciate some input so that I can get my brain round it before seeing the DN on Monday.

 

[Eddy Edson]

Been browsing my medical results record all is boringly normal except for old HBA1c numbers and my Eosinophil count. Although never mentioned by my GP, I find that it has been consistently abnormally high for the last 10 years or so. Anybody know the significance of that finding?

Done the usual googling and found that it could be an indicator of autoimmune problems but would appreciate some input so that I can get my brain round it before seeing the DN on Monday.

FWIW, I briefly had elevated eosinophils earlier this year. The advice was: either I had picked up a parasite, or maybe some med interaction, or it was "idiopathic" ie who-the-f-knows. Apparently, "idiopathic" is the most common.

Doing my usual nerdy obsessive thing, I dug into it & in the end decided it was due to popping paracetamol for a neck problem - apparently it can elevate eosinophils. I stopped taking them & my count went back to normal, which proves the point, by the well-known principle of post hoc ergo propter hoc.

 

[Docb]

Thanks Eddy. I've found that mine had been abnormally high for the last 10 years with the exception of one result that was normal. It's not stupidly high, just high. Seems to be a consistent finding in my system so the idiopathic thing don't work too well. I suspect that the DN will have no idea what it is about and might need a bit of guidance - hence my question.

 

[Eddy Edson]

Seems to be a consistent finding in my system so the idiopathic thing don't work too well.

Why not? It just means something like "no identifiable cause" & if they've been mildly elevated for a long time with no apparent clinical symptoms I'd say "idiopathic" is a fair bet.

 

[Docb]

Take your point Eddy, just differentiating between your "one off" and my "long term". I have not been able to find anything which gives a perspective on levels and their significance. Just dunno whether running at 2x normal level is probably idiopathic or probably something worth thinking about. Probably not looked hard enough.

Just re read that.... a awful lot of probablys!

 

[Eddy Edson]

Take your point Eddy, just differentiating between your "one off" and my "long term". I have not been able to find anything which gives a perspective on levels and their significance. Just dunno whether running at 2x normal level is probably idiopathic or probably something worth thinking about. Probably not looked hard enough.

Just re read that.... a awful lot of probablys!

Be interested to know what you find out!

 

[mikeyB]

Well, whatever the cause, it’s not rapidly fatal, is it? Anomalies usually aren’t.🙂

 

[Docb]

Sorry mikeyB, I forgot that the state of the NHS is such that if you ain't going to die in the next 20 minutes then whatever you have got can't be important and you can wait.

Anyway, its good to see you back on form even if your recent shenanigans have not cured you of this curious obsession you have with Ewood Park. 🙂

 

[TheClockworkDodo]

My eosinophil count is consistently high too, and no medical professional has ever commented on it - I kept meaning to ask them about it and forgetting. But I definitely have autoimmune problems so maybe they thought it was too obvious to bother commenting on.

 

[mikeyB]

Anyway, its good to see you back on form even if your recent shenanigans have not cured you of this curious obsession you have with Ewood Park. 🙂

It’s like your platelet count - in the blood. There’s no cure, I just have to live with it