high c-reactive protein (CRP)

[Mep]

Hi

Just checking does anyone else here have record that they have high CRP test results over a long period? I just got my full blood count result and my doc discussed with me about my c-reactive protein being high. The lab test showed <5 is normal range. My level hasn't been lower than 14, and it is currently 29. I haven't got the info prior to mid 2014, so not sure how long it's been like that.

My doc was discussing that what it means is my body is constantly fighting something and it indicates an immune response. The thing is I don't have an auto immune disease to my knowledge (well they don't know the cause of IC so that could be auto-immune). I have multiple health conditions and some of them cause inflammation. My doc is using the CRP result as proof to my urologist of inflammation in my body, along with the high leucocytes I always have which is proof of inflammation as well.

Although reading about high levels of c-reactive protein it covers a large number of things including blood sugar disorders such as insulin resistance and diabetes. I have both of those at least. I also have chronic laryngitis, inflammation was seen in my stomach (part of GORD diagnosis). and inflammation has been seen in my bladder (part of the IC diagnosis). I also read that people with IBS have high CRP, and I have that as well. So I'm not surprised I suppose that my blood shows them I have high level inflammation. What does bother me though is there appears to be a lot of articles saying high CRP also means you're at much higher risk of heart disease. ugh.

Do you know your CRP result? Are you the same as me or in normal range?

 

[Arab Horse]

I have not had a CRP done but it is a non specific indicator of inflamation so with your problems it is not surprising it is a bit high.

 

[Mep]

I have not had a CRP done but it is a non specific indicator of inflamation so with your problems it is not surprising it is a bit high.

Yeh it can be high for quite a number of things. But still docs pay attention to it and it is like proof to them I suppose that your body is fighting something. But what my doc explained is that for most people their CRP is within normal range. He said that you can go high for short periods when you're sick with the flu or infection of some sort. But with me he has record that I'm continuously high and that apparently isn't normal. But then I'm dealing with a number of chronic health conditions so maybe that is why it is continuously high.

 

[Arab Horse]

Yeh it can be high for quite a number of things. But still docs pay attention to it and it is like proof to them I suppose that your body is fighting something. But what my doc explained is that for most people their CRP is within normal range. He said that you can go high for short periods when you're sick with the flu or infection of some sort. But with me he has record that I'm continuously high and that apparently isn't normal. But then I'm dealing with a number of chronic health conditions so maybe that is why it is continuously high.

I think you are correct, you have underlying health problems so your CRP stays a bit high. Also, only 95% of the population start within the normal range, some will naturally be low and others high so you may have started slightly high in the first instance.

 

[carina62]

Had mine checked in 2015 (can't remember what for) and it came as above range at 12 (should be 10 or below). GP didn't do anything about it, shall I ask for another test do you think or leave it? I have other health issues other than Type 2 diabetes.

 

[Mep]

Had mine checked in 2015 (can't remember what for) and it came as above range at 12 (should be 10 or below). GP didn't do anything about it, shall I ask for another test do you think or leave it? I have other health issues other than Type 2 diabetes.

If that is a one off test, I'd just ask your doc to regularly do the CRP test to keep an eye on it.

I'm just concerned that I have a high level every single test since 2014. As I mentioned I may have been high prior to that too... I have no idea how long I've been high for. But docs always check for this.

Every single time I go to ER (which has been a lot in the last few years) they check my CRP and comment about it. They always check if I'm having a heart attack too. Mind you my BP and heart rate go up when I'm sick so they tell me I'm hypertensive with tachycardia. When they see the high CRP levels they are concerned because it is a heart disease risk factor. I always have to explain to them that I always have high CRP level and I also always have high leucocytes in my urinalysis tests. It is frustrating as they assume it is either a heart attack or a UTI I have. I do sometimes have a UTI though... but my bladder condition causes the high leucocytes which is an inflammation marker as well.

Well that's my story on it.... hopefully that helps you to just keep an eye on it. You may have it because of your health issues as well.... especially if they cause inflammation in your body like some of mine do. But at least your result isn't too high... mine is constantly around 16-20 every test on average when it should be below 5 on that lab result.

 

[Arab Horse]

@Mep if it constantly stays between 16 and 20 maybe you shouldn't worry about it as worry can also affect your levels and cause more inflammation. I have never had mine done but as I have T2 diabetes, arthritis and osteopaenia I would imagine mine too would be high!

 

[Mep]

@Mep if it constantly stays between 16 and 20 maybe you shouldn't worry about it as worry can also affect your levels and cause more inflammation. I have never had mine done but as I have T2 diabetes, arthritis and osteopaenia I would imagine mine too would be high!

thanks yeh I'm concerned more than worried. I have all the other risk factors and I have heart disease in my family. I do not want that for me. It's just a thought I have of wondering how you get the level down. I have other things that concern me at times too... so just one of those things. I've had inflammation in my body for quite some time now. And yes you probably have elevated CRP too.

 

[hornplayer]

Hello, you're the first person I've ever heard mention that. Yes. I've had that show up in blood tests since my late teens. The doctors couldn't figure out the cause and I felt okay, so they eventually put it to one side. No idea what it's all about.

 

[hornplayer]

Just thinking...... There is a school of thought that T2 is a symptom of a wider, as yet unidentified metabolic issue (the other indicators being low birth weight, asthma, eczema, and problems with gluten). If CRP is not something that's routinely checked, maybe it could be related and more of us have this than we know? I know that lots of my family are Diabetic and that I've had symptoms since my late teens - extreme thirst, feeling drunk after carbs or sugar etc...... I also have/did have all of the other indicators. (I was not over weight when this started and I firmly believe that weight problems are a symptom, not a cause of diabetes.)

- Just throwing that out there....

 

[chalup]

I have asthma, allergies, eczema, rosacea, blepharitis, severe psoriasis, severe psoriatic arthritis, IBS, bile salt malapsorption, and type 2D. I also have a CRP currently of 33. I have never seen it lower than 18 even with many immune modifying and anti-rheumatic drugs. When my skin or joints flare up they are bright red and pump off heat like an oven, and it is very painful. They tell me that being overweight aggravates the inflammation but I tend to agree with hornplayer that the D is at least in part the cause of the weight in the first place.

 

[Mep]

yeh it would make sense as sugar in the body causes inflammation too. That's why I raised the question here out of interest if others have had the same issue.

Right now for me the focus is on controlling the symptoms of all my health conditions. I'm not sure I'll ever get rid of inflammation in my body. I don't enjoy food like I used to and constantly revising what to eat. But not sure it's just food that causes inflammation for me. It is certainly hard to please everything that's for sure. I eat vegetables and wind up with bad IBS pain, eat at steak at all and I'm in pain for a few days, eat any saturated fats and they bump up my cholesterol, eat carbs and they bump up my sugar levels, eat any foods with acid or preservatives and it causes bladder pain and bad reflux, eat too much salt and my BP goes up... on it goes. ugh. My body doesn't absorb iron which is probably because of the inflammation as well as I'm on PPI's for my reflux. They tried taking me off them about 5 times already and I just can't even function without them... within a week of coming off I have a ball of fire in my stomach. I literally think that all the food and even water can cause inflammation for me.

 

[chalup]

I don't have the troubles with specific foods that you describe except carbs of course. I find with the IBS and the lack of a gallbladder causing the bile salt malapsorption it is literally a **** shoot. I never know when I eat if it is going to result in hours of running for the bathroom and cramping and when it hits it does so within 10-15 minutes or sometimes even sooner. I have learned to just not eat before I go out to run errands or anywhere without quick and easy bathroom access and still get caught out sometimes. I live in a town of about 30,000 and I know where every public washroom is lol. I have also resorted to immodium when traveling to prevent accidents as there is no waiting. It got especially interesting when the diabetes peeing every 5 minutes got thrown in the mix. I don't think people who can just eat their food and carry on have even the slightest clue what it means to live your life in fear of what you eat.

 

[Mep]

I don't have the troubles with specific foods that you describe except carbs of course. I find with the IBS and the lack of a gallbladder causing the bile salt malapsorption it is literally a **** shoot. I never know when I eat if it is going to result in hours of running for the bathroom and cramping and when it hits it does so within 10-15 minutes or sometimes even sooner. I have learned to just not eat before I go out to run errands or anywhere without quick and easy bathroom access and still get caught out sometimes. I live in a town of about 30,000 and I know where every public washroom is lol. I have also resorted to immodium when traveling to prevent accidents as there is no waiting. It got especially interesting when the diabetes peeing every 5 minutes got thrown in the mix. I don't think people who can just eat their food and carry on have even the slightest clue what it means to live your life in fear of what you eat.

Yes I agree that people wouldn't have a clue. I'm like you in that I have to know where the toilets are. I have predominantly IBS-D so when I need to go I need to go. But also I have interstitial cystitis (IC) which means I pee very frequently as well. Not fun these conditions. Both of the conditions if I eat the right foods for them they aren't as bad... although on saying that IC plays up just from me doing my shopping. Walking for me seems to trigger a lot of spasms.

 

[chalup]

Do you ever get "but you look just fine, you should be working" Yeah try to work with 15 different things going on at the same time. I am sure the boss would love that no one knows what you look like because you spend half your time destroying the bathroom. And the other half off sick because your pain level is through the roof or the drugs you have to take have made you sick.

 

[Mep]

Do you ever get "but you look just fine, you should be working" Yeah try to work with 15 different things going on at the same time. I am sure the boss would love that no one knows what you look like because you spend half your time destroying the bathroom. And the other half off sick because your pain level is through the roof or the drugs you have to take have made you sick.

Yeh I get told I look good all the time. People can hear I'm sick though. When I have migraines that's usually when I get told I look awful.

I do work part time and it does knock me. I tend to crash every couple of days. But when I go to work I'm limited what I can do as I can't really talk like the rest of them can and I burp a lot... plus need to go to the toilet a lot. So I spend my 6 hour day there processing for them and walking backwards and forward to the toilet. But I do what I can. I'm due for a review of my working hours early next year. That's where my work sends me to their doctor and asks for a report from my doctor about whether or not I can work and for how long I can work. They decide on the hours and days. Then their reports go to the superannuation board (the retirement funding here) and they make a decision whether or not they agree with the docs. If they do then they either continue the same hours or make changes to my pay. So the hours I don't work I'm receiving partial invalidity pension for which only covers part of the income loss from being sick. It's better than nothing though.

 

[chalup]

I am in Canada so it is a bit different. When I had to go off work because the arthritis got so bad in my shoulders they thought I had torn both rotator cuffs I went on short term disability. I am a long term residential care aide which is quite physical. After a year they summarily cut me off because according to them if I have a drivers license I can work. They would not listen to the fact that when the blepharitis flares up I can't see well enough to drive. I am on a very small government disability now and thankfully my hubby works because I could not even pay rent on a cardboard box with what I am getting. Well I am off to bed now as it is almost 4 am and I am finally exhausted enough to sleep. It has been nice talking to you Mep, Take care

 

[Mep]

I am in Canada so it is a bit different. When I had to go off work because the arthritis got so bad in my shoulders they thought I had torn both rotator cuffs I went on short term disability. I am a long term residential care aide which is quite physical. After a year they summarily cut me off because according to them if I have a drivers license I can work. They would not listen to the fact that when the blepharitis flares up I can't see well enough to drive. I am on a very small government disability now and thankfully my hubby works because I could not even pay rent on a cardboard box with what I am getting. Well I am off to bed now as it is almost 4 am and I am finally exhausted enough to sleep. It has been nice talking to you Mep, Take care

ah yes that would be hard Ok, you have a good rest there. Lovely chatting to you.