Disappointed with blood tests (mine)

So I finally broke down and got a life insurance physical (I'm not a fan of
having blood drawn), and was looking forward to seeing my hematocrit level.

It wasn't listed!!!

Five weeks of micro-dosing EPO so I could get a health exemption certificate
claiming it's normal for me to be to have a hematocrit level of 53 down the
drain. Sigh.

(Actually, it is curious that they list about 20 different things they
tested me for, but nothing for hematocrit or white cell counts etc... but a
bazillion ways to test my liver, wasted because I don't drink).

At least my PSA level was ridiculously low, at .31 So I'll just keep
taking saw palmetto and not worry about it.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

Mike Jacoubowsky wrote:
So I finally broke down and got a life insurance physical (I'm not a fan of
having blood drawn), and was looking forward to seeing my hematocrit level.

It wasn't listed!!!

Five weeks of micro-dosing EPO so I could get a health exemption certificate
claiming it's normal for me to be to have a hematocrit level of 53 down the
drain. Sigh.

(Actually, it is curious that they list about 20 different things they
tested me for, but nothing for hematocrit or white cell counts etc... but a
bazillion ways to test my liver, wasted because I don't drink).

At least my PSA level was ridiculously low, at .31 So I'll just keep
taking saw palmetto and not worry about it.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com




Of course they're looking for chronic illness, but I'm still a bit
surprised. But it's pretty routine, and you should get a physical from
time to time anyhow...
What is the lab range given for PSA? Changes over time in that range
are probably more important than the raw number. Of course, the value
of PSA as a screening tool are somewhat controversial, because things
other than cancer can cause it to rise.

Steve



--
Mark & Steven Bornfeld DDS
http://www.dentaltwins.com
Brooklyn, NY
718-258-5001

So I finally broke down and got a life insurance physical (I'm not a fan
of having blood drawn), and was looking forward to seeing my hematocrit
level.

It wasn't listed!!!

Five weeks of micro-dosing EPO so I could get a health exemption
certificate claiming it's normal for me to be to have a hematocrit level
of 53 down the drain. Sigh.

(Actually, it is curious that they list about 20 different things they
tested me for, but nothing for hematocrit or white cell counts etc... but
a bazillion ways to test my liver, wasted because I don't drink).

At least my PSA level was ridiculously low, at .31 So I'll just keep
taking saw palmetto and not worry about it.

Of course they're looking for chronic illness, but I'm still a bit
surprised. But it's pretty routine, and you should get a physical from
time to time anyhow...

You mean more often than once every 15 years? Yes, I know... just like I
paid dearly some time ago for not seeing a dentist in 13 years. Being curled
up in a fetal position on the couch due to the pain caused by a dying tooth
was far worse than the root canal itself. Now I'm pretty religious about
seeing the dentist every 6 months. You've probably seen this in your own
patients. By the way, am I the only person in the world who didn't know that
fillings don't last? That every single one of them will eventually become a
crown? :)

What is the lab range given for PSA? Changes over time in that range are
probably more important than the raw number. Of course, the value of PSA
as a screening tool are somewhat controversial, because things other than
cancer can cause it to rise.

The "normal" range for PSA in a 50 year old is apparently from 1.0-2.6.
Anything over 4 is considered time for a biopsy, or so I'm told. And you are
correct about changes to the number being more important for those in the
"safe" range (1.0-2.6) than the number itself. But my level implies I don't
even have a prostate. That visit to the bathroom at 5:15am (almost like a
clock) tells me otherwise.

I'm sure they measured the other stuff (hematocrit, WBC/RBC etc), but just
didn't include them. Funny, that, since a severely elevated White blood cell
count would be one of those things you'd think a life insurance physical
would be looking for, and report on.

Steve

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

Mike Jacoubowsky wrote:

You mean more often than once every 15 years? Yes, I know... just like I
paid dearly some time ago for not seeing a dentist in 13 years. Being curled
up in a fetal position on the couch due to the pain caused by a dying tooth
was far worse than the root canal itself. Now I'm pretty religious about
seeing the dentist every 6 months. You've probably seen this in your own
patients. By the way, am I the only person in the world who didn't know that
fillings don't last? That every single one of them will eventually become a
crown? :)


That is far more likely to happen with the big fillings. The big
fillings probably are ancient history, but I've seen small fillings last
over 50 years. And when you have to replace a small filling, the
replacement is a slightly larger filling--if you catch the breakdown early.



What is the lab range given for PSA? Changes over time in that range are
probably more important than the raw number. Of course, the value of PSA
as a screening tool are somewhat controversial, because things other than
cancer can cause it to rise.

The "normal" range for PSA in a 50 year old is apparently from 1.0-2.6.
Anything over 4 is considered time for a biopsy, or so I'm told. And you are
correct about changes to the number being more important for those in the
"safe" range (1.0-2.6) than the number itself. But my level implies I don't
even have a prostate. That visit to the bathroom at 5:15am (almost like a
clock) tells me otherwise.


I'm more familiar with prostate cancer than I'd like; my dad has Stage
IV prostate cancer, with spread to his spine. Long story, but he
probably had it for 1-15 years before it was treated. Turns out he had
a PSA of 9000 (!) and decided to do nothing. About 6 months after that
his right leg swelled up. After the tests, he was put on hormones and
his subsequent PSA readings were about 5, then 0.5, then 0.25. We were
told these meds tend to work for 18 months to 2 years before the PSA
starts backing up again.
But he will be 85 on Friday. Oh, he had lung cancer last year, had a
lobe of his lung removed. Given a good prognosis on that. He drives,
he has a lady friend, he lives alone. Go figure.


I'm sure they measured the other stuff (hematocrit, WBC/RBC etc), but just
didn't include them. Funny, that, since a severely elevated White blood cell
count would be one of those things you'd think a life insurance physical
would be looking for, and report on.

Was the report from the lab or the insurance company? If it was the
insurance company, it's worth a call to see if they can send the
original report.

Steve

Steve

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com




--
Mark & Steven Bornfeld DDS
http://www.dentaltwins.com
Brooklyn, NY
718-258-5001

Mike Jacoubowsky wrote:
(Actually, it is curious that they list about 20 different things they
tested me for, but nothing for hematocrit or white cell counts etc... but a
bazillion ways to test my liver, wasted because I don't drink).

You must have failed the LIVEDRUNK test.

Mike Jacoubowsky wrote:


I'm sure they measured the other stuff (hematocrit, WBC/RBC etc), but just
didn't include them. Funny, that, since a severely elevated White blood cell
count would be one of those things you'd think a life insurance physical
would be looking for, and report on.

Are you sure they didn't just call it by a different name? Sometimes
those labs use odd abbreviations on the forms.

Mike Jacoubowsky wrote:
(Actually, it is curious that they list about 20 different things they
tested me for, but nothing for hematocrit or white cell counts etc... but
a
bazillion ways to test my liver, wasted because I don't drink).

You must have failed the LIVEDRUNK test.

No doubt. Things got scary one year; I was probably up to 20 drinks or so.
Average is probably around 8, evenly spread between mixed drinks (Gin &
Tonic preferred), Beer (Gartenbrau, when I'm on a business trip in WI) and
wine (rarely in the US, more often when I'm in France).

Isn't there an rbr charter that forbids me from participating? I think I've
got the minimum weekly required total for drinks down, at least for that
year I was up to 20, only I've stretched it out to a full year.

--Mike--
Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReaction.com

"Mike Jacoubowsky" wrote in message
et...
So I finally broke down and got a life insurance physical (I'm not a fan
of having blood drawn), and was looking forward to seeing my hematocrit
level.

It wasn't listed!!!

Five weeks of micro-dosing EPO so I could get a health exemption
certificate claiming it's normal for me to be to have a hematocrit level
of 53 down the drain. Sigh.

(Actually, it is curious that they list about 20 different things they
tested me for, but nothing for hematocrit or white cell counts etc... but
a bazillion ways to test my liver, wasted because I don't drink).

At least my PSA level was ridiculously low, at .31 So I'll just keep
taking saw palmetto and not worry about it.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com




Due to a medical problem I usually have blood drawn every Monday. I have
been doing it for years and my normal figure is 42. I guess that I can give
up hope of ever beating Bjarne Riis in a masters race.

Due to a medical problem I usually have blood drawn every Monday. I have
been doing it for years and my normal figure is 42. I guess that I can
give up hope of ever beating Bjarne Riis in a masters race.

My apologies to anyone if I appeared overly flippant discussing hematocrit &
psa stuff. It occurs to me that those things that I apparently take for
granted and joke about are deadly serious business for others, and I can
look at what I wrote and see where someone might see it as insensitive. I
hope that whatever your situation, it's nothing more than a nuisance for
you, but you brought home to me what my father went through, and that was
nothing to make fun of. No issues with prostate stuff, but his hematocrit,
rbc & wbc had to be constantly measured. And then my wife just finished a
chemo session for breast cancer (she's doing fine, great long-term
prognosis). Kind of puts things in perspective. I should be more thankful
just for the fact I can swing my leg over the top tube and ride my bike.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com


"Frank Drackman" wrote in message
...

"Mike Jacoubowsky" wrote in message
et...
So I finally broke down and got a life insurance physical (I'm not a fan
of having blood drawn), and was looking forward to seeing my hematocrit
level.

It wasn't listed!!!

Five weeks of micro-dosing EPO so I could get a health exemption
certificate claiming it's normal for me to be to have a hematocrit level
of 53 down the drain. Sigh.

(Actually, it is curious that they list about 20 different things they
tested me for, but nothing for hematocrit or white cell counts etc... but
a bazillion ways to test my liver, wasted because I don't drink).

At least my PSA level was ridiculously low, at .31 So I'll just keep
taking saw palmetto and not worry about it.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com




Due to a medical problem I usually have blood drawn every Monday. I have
been doing it for years and my normal figure is 42. I guess that I can
give up hope of ever beating Bjarne Riis in a masters race.

Frank Drackman wrote:
Due to a medical problem I usually have blood drawn every Monday. I have
been doing it for years and my normal figure is 42. I guess that I can
give up hope of ever beating Bjarne Riis in a masters race.

No, you have that backwards. You've got 18 points to spare! Shoot up,
shut up and clean up.


--
E. Dronkert