Are there any Nurses about?? Or anyone who knows what ESR is?

[Fireflyfairy2]

I had to get blood taken on Friday as I was having severe pains in my abdomen last week & ended up in A&E. The bloods were checked for liver, kidney, gall bladder etc. I called today to get results & the receptionist said they were fine apart frome my ESR which was raised & said that was a sign of inflamation. She called the nurse who said although it was raised it was fine. She couldn't tell me where the inflamation was at though... & never asked me to make another appointment. I am trying to call my SIL who is a nurse but she is at work.

Does anyone know what this means & should I be worried?

I'm not a nurse but worked in a Rheumatology department for a bit, we used to request that ESR levels were measured during blood tests and used this as an indicator of how active the inflammation caused by the arthritis is. As I understand it the ESR is purely an indicator of inflammation, but it doesn't indication where the inflammation is or what causes it.

I have gallstones and when I went for an ultrasound my gallbladder was inflamed at the time, this would I think have showed in my ESR level if I had had a blood test at that time.

Hopefully someone will come along who can get give you a better idea of what might be going on.

erythrocyte sedimentation rate ...I think.

It's been years since I worked so you're probably safer googling .Sorry.

erythrocyte sedimentation rate

They take a sample of your blood and measure how fast the blood cells fall to the bottom. Measured in mm per hour. For adults less than 15 is normal (I think) above 100 is very abnormal. Did the nurse say what the number was?

It is a rather non-specific measure of inflammation, i.e. it won't show where the inflammation is. It would be standard practice to repeat the test, even if you feel better to make sure it's back to normal.

Hi Tissy, no she never said the number. I'm goin to ring back & ask.

They're closed for lunch between 1pm & 2pm.

I feel so stupid for not asking anything but the receptionist couldn't wait to get off the phone.

It was just 19 so not that bad at all.

That sounds pretty OK then. What you had sounds very nasty. I have ended up in A&E once with these sodding gallstones, horrible. Will keep my fingers crossed for you that whatever it was is over and done with and doesn't come back.

I had kidney stones last year too.. Give me labour any day!! I have texted my SIL & she will call me when she comes home from work, but I think I may go & have a smear as I reckon whatever it is, is gynae