High hemoglobin?

[Spaceballs]

Has anyone had issues with blood tests before that have been approved or dq'd? I recently moved to a new base with high elevation and I'm pretty sure that it why my hemoglobin is testing barely too high. I'm a cso now and have never had any health issues. The clinic here has been running a ton of tests on me and can't find anything wrong. They keep trying to find something to explain the high level even though the doc said it's probably because I've always lived at sea level and just moved to a high elevation. Is this something I should expect a DQ from?

[deaddebate]

It is very likely due to the recent elevation change. Most likely, your doc will order another hemoglobin/hematocrit lab in 3 months or so, and it should be normal.

If abnormal, you'll likely be referred to a Hematologist for possible polycythemia. If you are indeed diagnosed with polycythemia, you would be considered for a waiver under the Thrombocytosis umbrella of conditions, in which waiver is almost a certainty.

Realistically, this isn't something to worry about. At worst you'll get a waiver in 6-12 months. At best, you won't even get a temp DNIF and just repeat labs once a year until it stabilizes.

Edited May 29, 2014 by deaddebate

[jcj]

It could even be from something as simple as dehydration. Elevation change can result in an increase in your hemoglobin, but I would expect it to take at least a few weeks. I just mention this because you said you recently moved to a new base with a high elevation. If by recent you mean 2 - 3 months ago, then I'd agree very likely it's your body adjusting to the altitude change. If it's just a week or two, there may be another reason.

Edited May 30, 2014 by jcj

[Spaceballs]

I've just took another CBC test last week, so we'll see how that one turns out. I drank tons and tons of water for about 10 days or so prior and tried to exercise a lot. Unfortunately I'm on a really short timeline due to a deployment coming up in a few weeks. They tested my iron, liver, polycythemia, and some other stuff I didn't understand. They can't find anything wrong with me. The doc wanted me to go see a hematologist, but unfortunately the closet one is just over 200 miles from the base and there are a bunch of issues with going there and dealing with Tricare since they aren't in the buildings anymore. The timeline just doesn't work in my favor since I'll be gone until about a month before expected deadline for application submissions. No one at the clinic that I've talked to has any clue how it will work since they can't find any explanation other than the altitude. The doc told me they always find something to request a waiver on, but they only have a couple weeks and it sounds like they can't think of anything else to do other than see a hematologist or do some kind of crazy painful bone marrow test that I won't do.

So basically, if they can't find anything wrong with me do they just send my medical package up to the board with a note that says they tested me for a bunch of different blood stuff and couldn't find anything? That was the general idea I got from the clinic and they sounded pretty pessimistic about it. One of them threw out a number that 90% of applications get denied if they don't find the cause behind a number out of limits.

[deaddebate]

So basically, if they can't find anything wrong with me do they just send my medical package up to the board with a note that says they tested me for a bunch of different blood stuff and couldn't find anything? That was the general idea I got from the clinic and they sounded pretty pessimistic about it. One of them threw out a number that 90% of applications get denied if they don't find the cause behind a number out of limits.

Deployment waivers should be fairly fully evaluated for real consideration by the gaining location. If the clinic can't resolve the lab results, submitting an incomplete waiver may be their only option. The Flight Doc could still recommend deployment and your SGH can be a good advocate. If you hear that they are submitting a deployment waiver request, I recommend you attempt to talk to the SGH to plead your case so s/he is on your side. If you can go see the Hematologist, that could be your best bet for a stronger waiver or perhaps a definitive diagnosis, however the referral process independently can take weeks due to the current workload of all the VSP/TERA/Non-Vol cases working through the MTF's/TriCare. Talk to your TriCare referral rep.

If you don't deploy, it doesn't force an MEB, it just flags you for review and consideration. This usually means an MEB, but in your case, it sounds like you just need time to get properly diagnosed/treated.

Hopefully your most recent CBC is normal and this is just a hiccup in your processing.

[Spaceballs]

I'll definitely be deploying. That's the issue I'm running into now preventing me from doing any further testing. I'm going to stop by the clinic in the morning to check my last cbc results and see what the plan is. If it is still high, the best I'm hoping for is that they can explain the altitude issue and that they couldn't find anything wrong with me. Maybe the guys on the flying medical board will be cool with it. Only time will tell I guess. Thanks for the responses.

[Freesneverfree]

I see this thread has been dormant a while, but I was wondering if anyone had any information about this hemoglobin limit. 

I am a CSO putting in an application to UPT and I am getting the run around from medical about having high hemoglobin.  The CDC normal range is 13.8 -17.2 g/DL but the Air Force has decided that 16.5 is the highest they will allow.... Mine is 17.  

Can anyone explain this?  Like OP, I am a very active and healthy male.  I run a lot (20-50mi/wk on average) and fly quite a bit.  I understand that exercise and altitude will increase the body’s production of hemoglobin, so why is high hemoglobin a bad thing?  It seems to me that it would be beneficial to have in an oxygen poor environment of an aircraft.... 

Regardless, like OP, medical did a battery of tests on me that all came back nominal (to include a kidney ultrasound.... I don’t understand the connection here..). They all came back nominal but the NCOIC at the BOMC office would not sign off on my paperwork.  

I’m hoping someone here knows where this limit comes from or if there is anyway to elevate this without an medical ETP?