CBC results & some other health related stuff

​Background info

Age: 37
Weight: 144lbs
Height: 166cm (5’5)
WC: 32in
training age: ~1.5 yrs (3x/week resistance, ~60min/week cardio)

Hello Drs,

A number of items here, hopefully you can provide some guidance.

  1. I recently had my CBC done as part of my regular/yearly checkup and I noticed I have some “highs” and “lows” in the results (see attachment). Is this something I should be concerned about? I have had a very mild cold/allergy and an itchy throat the past 4 days or so, so I was wondering if this might have something to do with the results? I feel absolutely fine otherwise.

  1. I seem to have this itching phenomenon all over my body which started about a year ago. I basically itch most of the day and the itch essentially changes locations randomly, though there appear to be no signs of itching on the surface of the skin. The only time when I don’t itch is when I am working out (i.e. resistance/cardio) or when I am taking a shower/bath. It’s just kind of annoying to deal with and the itching has somewhat intensified and become more frequent during the summer. Is this something I should visit a doctor for and if so, what type of doctor would you recommend I visit first? In case it matters, my recent FBS/A1C are within normal ranges. No changes in lifestyle, life stressors, nutrition, sleep etc.

  2. For whatever reason, both my feet hurt (the entire foot feels stiff/sore) when I am inactive for a long enough period of time (i.e. no walking or moving of the feet). It hurts the most after waking up from a night of sleep. After waking, the more walking I do the quicker the pain/stiffness goes away. I’ve been told by family members I look like an old man after getting out of bed because of how slowly and gingerly I walk. I’ve changed foot wear to hopefully address this (about 2 weeks in so far) but there seems to be no improvement. Any idea what this could be or what could be causing it? This isn’t arthritis is it? My feet feel fine during the day and do not hurt or feel sore in colder environments.

  3. Typically when I get migraines, I have found that taking mefenamic acid works very well for me. However I recently found out (after reading about it) that it’s a NSAID which I would prefer not to take if possible. Is there an alternative over-the-counter pain killer of similar strength that you would recommend that isn’t a NSAID? 500mg of paracetamol just doesn’t cut it for me unfortunately.

Hi there,

There’s quite a lot going on here, much of which is the kind of thing that would be worked through in an individual consult with a physician.

  1. Since, presumably, a physician ordered the CBC and other labs in the first place, I am curious whether you have a follow-up scheduled to discuss your results with them? None of these values jump out as being dramatically/immediately concerning, but having an acute infection at the time of a lab draw like this can certainly result in several changes that could be normal in that context.

  2. This is a bit odd. Exercise-induced urticaria can present similarly to this, but often has superficial skin manifestations. Starting with a primary care physician is a reasonable path here.

  3. Check out our recent article on the website regarding heel pain and the accompanying podcast (ep 181), as it may be related to what you’re experiencing (although it does not seem to be a perfect match, the approach will likely be similar).

  4. For acute treatment of migraine, not really. Depending on how frequently you are having to use this treatment, a discussion with your primary care physician may be in order regarding better treatment approaches for migraine (such as triptans) or if you’d be a good candidate for chronic preventative treatment. Daily magnesium supplementation may have some benefit from a preventative approach.

Thank you for taking the time to respond Austin.

  1. Yes, I do have a follow-up with a physician. Thought I’d run it by you folks first for some insight.

Thanks again. Greatly appreciated!