Low Carbon Dioxide

OK question for cirrhotics or those who know - my carbon dioxide number on my latest blood work is 20. Normal is 21 - 33.  OK I look it up......it says it's an indicator of cirrhosis. As a stage 3er, SVR for 4 years I'm kind of concerned about that. My bilirubin is still the same at .2 with normal being .2 - 1.2

Anybody have any input, I'm sure later today my doctor is going to have a lot of it and want to be prepared. Guess I should get rebiopsied? Am I typically over reacting?

[FlGuy]

It's probably a result of moving away from the choking atmosphere of the City and living in the plant-rich environment of the 'burbs.  May be you should take a train into the city this weekend and stand behind a city bus for a while to increase your CO2.

Or, as more than one MedHelper has said - "get re-tested"

Have you hugged a tree today?

[nygirl7]

Yes I should wait a month and get retested........I just hate worrying about this stuff so much does it EVER go away that we dont? I dont think so. I couldn't wait to see my alt/ast numbers (19/13)......I never was so OCD about anything before I had to argue with the receptionist to fax me my results she was like the doctor will explain things to you later - uh doh I need to know beforehand it's just a habit now.

But when it said liver failure or cirrhosis I got a bit nervous.....I'm an old dog and habits die hard.

Thanks FLG.

[evangelin]

I looked at Joe's labs and saw his CO2 has stayed  on the high normal side and only went to low normal when on TX.  This may be meaningless and I know nothing about this since it has never come up abnormal for Joe but I'd think it would be low in Joe if it was strongly linked to cirrhosis.  Totally guessing on my part and I'll just throw it out as info.
Hope it turns out to be nothing,
Ev

[uncledudeness]

is CO2 part of the normal CBC test, or is an additional test that is run? is it listed as "CO2" on the labs?

NYGirl, i was thinking the same thing the other day; even tho i am UD now, it's still with me for life..oh well..

I have a spreadsheet with my treatment stats, and when i get my labs back, I can't wait to get home and update it. it has pretty graphs in different colors and circles and arrows explaining all the....you get the picture...i think i have a character flaw.

[nygirl7]

Dear Unc,

It was run as part of my CBC, I never looked at it before becuase it never reflected out of the normal range.....today though it had the L and was bolded so I noticed it.

It says Carbon Dioxide then L then the numbers.

I mean it could totally be nothing but yes unfortunately I almost can't think of anything else while I'm waiting to get my labs back...for life I guess.

[Susan_1a_CC]

I've been out of the ER for a long time but my first thought is - how's your heart?  Low CO2 could be seen in certain heart conditions and your doc will probably thoroughly check that possibility out.  Are you still a smoker?  The lungs and heart are very closely interrelated...
Anyway, hope that it's nothing more than you were breathing fast before your blood was drawn - yep, could be that simple - but do let us know.

[mikesimon]

It's nothing. Maybe you were hyperventilating or ran up some stairs before the test.
Dr. Mike

[SusieS2010]

Are you sure you saw that it can be from cirrhosis? I have never seen that mentioned at all. Usually articles on CO2 mention kidney issues and metabolic issues. Many things, some very benign, can cause low carbon dioxide. Some medications can cause lowered levels as well. I doubt this is anything to worry about. Please let us know what your doc says.

[agatha56]

Carbon dioxide number? Nygirl, are you crazy now. Has nothing to do with Hep c.