Hi, I had my Bloods done 2 weeks ago. My CRP had gone from 8 to 20 > And my ESR stayed at 12 > I had been on 8 with the CRP for months.
My question is what is considered for a 68 year old women with PMR a normal range for CRP? I was told around 6 ?
And also is 12 a normal range for ESR :
I have been tapering my preds, but the last 3 weeks have had bad pain all over, so went up again, now on 17 mg. My Dr is not sure if a flare or a virus because my ESR stayed the same. Going back up helped some, but not a lot. I will be giving more blood next week to see where my levels are.
I know being over weight also has a big affect on the SED test :or so my Rhuemy told me. And it's normal to go up and down.
But the last 3 weeks I have ahd super tiredness with this new all over pain.
Normal CRP is under 1 or under about 10 depending on the units they measure it in and the lab where it is done. Every lab has its own normal range and you have to ask for that.
Normal ESR is up to 20 and that doesn't really change. It used to be said that it would rise with age and 30 was taken as top of the range but now they realise the reason people have raised levels as they age is because there is probably undiagnosed inflammation going on - they are not actually 100% healthy.
In either case, being above the top of the quoted range suggests there is some inflammation present but they are totally non-specific tests and will rise with a cold or chest infection - as well as a whole range of other things. ESR will rise due to trauma, CRP is less likely to but is still pretty non-specific when it comes to infections. A chest infection for example can send the level up to 80 or more.
Symptoms are always more reliable than the ESR/CRP - a raised value shouldn't ever result in a kneejerk reaction of increasing the dose. But symptoms without raised markers might justify increasing the dose if they were increasing suggesting a flare.
Being overweight certainly is not normally regarded as a reason for increased ESR so I have no idea where your rheumy gets that idea from - and if you are overweight, your ESR is well below the upper level!
An article in American Family Physician says:
Factors with no clinically significant effect or questionable effect include
Obesity
Body temperature
Recent meal
Aspirin
NSAIDs
However - if I get a cold I can feel awful but it isn't a real flare. But I can also feel pretty awful in certain weather conditions which are not particulalry beneficial to rheumatic disorders.
Hi Dea...apparently this is the million dollar question...I have been suffering with debilitating PMR like symptoms for the better of 7 months and am still undiagnosed. My Rheumy and PCP refuse to diagnose based only on symptoms...as of my last blood draw my inflammatory markers are still within normal range...yet I have had now 2 identical responses to Methylprednisone which were quite dramatic....
it is basically 6 days of pills...24mg starting then each day minus 4mg if that makes sense...sadly my miraculous recovery only lasts about 4 full days then the fatigue and pain set up house again...I walked 5 miles and felt fantastic on the third full day of the pill pack....today I'm back to exhaustion and pain...my last pill yet taken....I see a new Rheumy in a few weeks who was highly recommended so I'm praying....she will diagnose me finally....btw Lupus and RA have been ruled out...I am 52 and want my life back...good luck to you!
Hi Muddyooch - I'm sorry to hear you have been feeling so ill. Like you, I was experiencing these symptoms - just 48. Now nearly 3 years on and still feel like I'd 'like my life back' but I'm having to learn to accept things as they are as there is no quick fix at all! Even the Prednisolone, whilst amazing when it does kick in, still has debilitating side effects and flare ups happen from time to time with strange aches and pains at times too. I do hope you find a good rheumatologist and consequently good management of whatever it is! R :0)
Thank you once again for your excellent information Eileen, that clears up a lot: My Dr thought I may have had a virus at the time, and I was not feeling the best. and was low on B12 she said. Getting injections now.
Just had another blood test, so I bet it is down now I am feeling better. We are inclined to panic sometimes, I am turning 69 this month. Had PMR for just 14 months, just a baby yet and lots to learn