Understanding Blood Tests

My “annual” physical included blood tests this year. I keep the results in a spreadsheet for comparison to previous data. I have results going back to 1991. Many of these have limits that can produce a Low or a High. These limits change with your age and the whims of the medical establishment. On the far right column is a brief description of what the test means. For example, for Alkaline Phosphatase, the right column reads “High can mean liver problems or inflammation due to healing bones.”

The tests are more complete sometimes than others. It can include the Basic Metabolic Panel or the Complete Metabolic Panel, the Lipid Panel, the Thyroid Panel, the Complete Blood Count, and several others. See here. Your doctor may order a specific test if you have a diagnosis of a condition. Mine included the Complete Blood Count probably because I was in the office a month ago with a UTI.

My electrolytes were all good, but at 184 pounds I was “overweight.” In 2014 my weight was 166 pounds. I was on a nearly vegan diet at the time. A vegan diet is hard to do correctly and takes a lot of vigilance. If done properly it will lead to good health.

My TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) was high as usual. It’s been high since it was first measured in 1999. I never did anything about it. This time there was a new test (T4 free). The doctor explained it was the result of the TSH, showing that the thyroid had done its job (it measured 1.07 with limits of 0.76 to 1.46).

As usual I had problems in the Lipid Panel test. There are now 6 entities with limits: cholesterol, HDL, LDL, VLDL, triglycerides, and non-HDL cholesterol. I suspect they have so many so that at least one is beyond the limits so they can prescribe you a statin drug.

I would like you to tell your experience with a statin drug or any other experience related to blood tests.