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Roth spot

So here we go. In the beginning of February I was at a family birthday party with about 19 people. Of the 19 people 14 got sick with and of the 14 sick people 9 tested for COVID. My wife and I were one of the 5 that got sick but did not test. My doc said just rest as nothing they can really do. So I am assuming that all 14 of had COVID since we all got sick at same time with same symptoms.

Fast forward about a month. I went in for routine eye exam and the doctor said she saw 1 very tiny hemmorage . I called a few days later and she told me it was a Roth while at the appointment I was told it was a renial hemmorage. Since my bout with COVID I have had zero symptoms of anything ,felt the best I have felt in a long time.

So yesterday I went for physical and doc looked me over felt around and the only thing she said was I had wax in ear and evertything else looked perfect. So we are doing routine blood work and now just waiting on the results. My PCP did not thing any serious and thinks it is related to Covid as they are just really learning what it is does to the body. Also she knew that COVID is a systemic illness which is the main cause of the Roth spot.

There  actually there are cases of Roth spots being linked to coughing in people with a respiratory infection. It is called valspar retinopathy. I was coughing a decent amount while having COVID. Others cases of people getting hemmorage in eyes from COVID.

Of course the web tells you the worst things Like Leukemia etc.... my sugar floats between 95 and 107 ( fasting) so maybe diabetes?

I would assume if something serious I would have other systems but I feel great. Any thoughts on these Roth spots? I spoke to an er doc and he thinks that based on the timing of being sick with COVID and the discovery of the Roth he would suggest that those 2 are linked since there were no symptoms prior to the COVID.

Thoughts???
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Avatar universal
Forgot to mention I am 42 year old male.
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1081992 tn?1389903637
COMMUNITY LEADER
From what I can garner, a Roth spot that results from a leukemia develops this way: the very large number of blood cells from the leukemia make the blood very prone to coagulate. I.e., the blood is "hypercoagulable". When your CBC test shows normal blood cell levels, you can discard thoughts of leukemia.

Covid can cause inflammation which causes blood coagulation in some patients. So your doc might have ordered ESR and CRP and other related tests.


What to be wary of? If the clotting gets worse and gets widespread, which it probably won't. Just be aware of, say, any leg, lungs, or kidney problems - or maybe urine darkening.
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/what-does-covid-do-to-your-blood


"I spoke to an er doc and he thinks that based on the timing of being sick with COVID and the discovery of the Roth he would suggest that those 2 are linked since there were no symptoms prior to the COVID."
Yes, that's very much the correct thinking.
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1 Comments
Yes the doc is still waiting on labs as they did it hemoglobin A-1 C test which takes longer but she did note that if anything with the CBC was abnormal they would’ve called so still hoping that that comes back OK.
1081992 tn?1389903637
COMMUNITY LEADER
Yep, pre-diabetes also disposes to coagulation. So it can be a combination of multiple factors. Sort of a perfect storm type of thing.

If you happen to be overweight? I'd start losing weight immediately. The process of weight loss creates an anti-inflammatory effect.

Good luck.

"...but she did note that if anything with the CBC was abnormal they would’ve called so still hoping that that comes back OK."
Yes, they would quickly call and say to come in immediately; since they didn't, that's a very good sign.
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I’m actually in pretty good shape 5’9 about 180 pounds. All signs point to the coronavirus.  She said that 2  tests that I had take an extra day or so which I believe was the A-1 C and the vitamin B 12 or something like that. But she did note that again if anything was abnormal with the CBC the lab would’ve called her immediately. There are so many things that could’ve caused this hemorrhage and I would think if it was something serious like leukemia I would have had other symptoms if I am already showing a Roth spot. Best thing to do is just stay off the Internet. In your opinion would  LabCorp typically call the doc if the CBC was elevated even if the other two labs were done yet?
Also this is pretty interesting : https://www.news-medical.net/news/20200922/COVID-19-can-affect-the-retina.aspx
1081992 tn?1389903637
COMMUNITY LEADER
"I’m actually in pretty good shape"
That's very good, since exercise is anti-inflammatory.

"I would have had other symptoms if I am already showing a Roth spot"
True, but most would be from low blood cells in advanced leukemia. Otherwise, I suppose you can press on your spleen and liver to detect any tenderness.

However, the odds are very much against leukemia.

"Best thing to do is just stay off the Internet."
I would never suggest that to anybody. The advice to not research one's health is usually given by people who don't have much understanding of things and can only say "go see a doctor".

"In your opinion would  LabCorp typically call the doc if the CBC was elevated..."
My pure guess is that they never *call* a doc, but might have some other method to red flag such a high level of lymphocytes that it is likely a leukemia.

Don't you have an online portal where you can log in and see your own test results? That health data belongs to you, not to the doc, not to the lab.
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The doc is great I have her cell so I can text her anytime. She told me she would be very surprised if the CBC test came back abnormal and told me not to worry. And yes I have a LabCorp portal but lab corp doesn’t release them till two days after they are sent to the doctor.
1081992 tn?1389903637
COMMUNITY LEADER
Such as easy bleeding (low platelets), shortness of breath (anemia).
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I don’t have any of that besides my anxiety :-)
1081992 tn?1389903637
COMMUNITY LEADER
It was known for a time that Covid causes clotting.

Your cite points to The Lancet: https://www.thelancet.com/action/showPdf?pii=S2589-5370%2820%2930294-7

After a very brief look through, I see it saying that Covid also causes changes in the tiny blood vessels (microvasculature) of the eye. That's interesting but I don't know how that helps you. But the kidney also has many tiny blood vessels.

It's also a small study and the next, bigger one might say different things.

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1 Comments
It mention the hemmorage in the eyes of 9 patients
1081992 tn?1389903637
COMMUNITY LEADER
Do you have a portal with your doc's practice?

"She told me she would be very surprised if the CBC test came back abnormal"
So true.

"lab corp doesn’t release them till two days after"
My reflex is to say that's pathetic, but it probably does save the doc's office from a lot of calls asking "what do my results mean?!?"

"I don’t have any of that besides my anxiety :-)"
That's not uncommon at all. Merely saying "don't worry" won't accomplish too much... except for this:  you at least know that the anxieties aren't reality based on medical reasons. They're just anxiety that you can't control, and you can't will it away. It's not your fault and that's just how it is.

I'm sure you'll be relieved when the CBC comes back.
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Thx should know tomorrow .
1081992 tn?1389903637
COMMUNITY LEADER
"The doc is great I have her cell so I can text her anytime."
You're lucky, not all docs are that good :)
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1081992 tn?1389903637
COMMUNITY LEADER
"It mention the hemmorage in the eyes of 9 patients"
If you mean that the study reinforces the idea that your Roth spots are caused by Covid? Yes, that is true.

I think we can assume for now that your retina problem is from Covid. What I'd be mainly interested in is whether it is getting better or not.

I'd said that the study doesn't help you because you should want to know at this point: what should you do about it? Can the problem be helped? Should you avoid anything, such as blood thinning foods? Or should you want to take a blood thinner?

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Update on labs all seems to be good let me know what u think.

WBC- 7.2 normal
RBC- 4.97 normal
Hemoglobin-14.2
Platelets- 209 normal
Lymph’s (absolute) 1.1 normal
A1c - 5.6
Ferritian- 422 ( anything over 400 lab says is high).
Roth spot- is  gone as the MD eye doctor couldn’t find it.
Vitamin b-12- 212 a little low as 238 is low range per lab.

Sounds like this should be all related to the coronavirus that I most likely had.  it seems as corona can cause a big spike in the ferritin  levels.

Thoughts? Doc said rule out leukemia as counts would way off.

1081992 tn?1389903637
COMMUNITY LEADER
"rule out leukemia"
Yes.

Congratulations, it seems to be all over - except you can gloat about how well you recovered :)

"Roth spot is gone as the MD eye doctor couldn’t find it."
Excellent, and that seems to indicate that you will not have any further clotting problems. Your system handled everything, including dismantling the fibrin formation that makes for the light-colored center of a Roth spot.

"...felt the best I have felt in a long time" [from your intro]
That part is memorable. It's as if your system got reset from having to deal with the virus. In a better world, your story would be published in some journal as an inspiring "case report".  

"I’m actually in pretty good shape"
I bet that has a lot to do with how well you did. So the credit goes to you.

Here's a term to remember for the rest of your life: when you exercise, muscle cells produce an ANTI-inflammatory biochemical called "IL-10". But in sedentary, obese people, fat cells produce PRO-inflammatory chemicals. In Covid, it's the inflammatory reactions that kill.

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1 Comments
What do u think of the ferritian? Unfortunately my dad has ampullary cancer and we had a meeting with his doctor today and I asked him a question and he said 422 is practically normal.  He said he would only be concerned if it was elevated over 1000.
1081992 tn?1389903637
COMMUNITY LEADER
"my sugar floats between 95 and 107 ( fasting) so maybe diabetes?"
You've heard of white coat hypertension, where anxiety makes a person's blood pressure rise? The same can happen with blood sugar. White coat hyperglycemia. It makes perfect sense: when you see the bear, your blood sugar rises to be fuel to use in running away or fighting.

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1081992 tn?1389903637
COMMUNITY LEADER
"So I am assuming that all 14 of had COVID since we all got sick at same time with same symptoms."
Correct.

I have to ask: how did the others do?
And was there any pattern you detected in how fit/lean versus obese/overweight/sedentary they were, compared to how well they did?
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1 Comments
Everyone is fine no hospitalizations. 2 were older than 73 and the are fine . Everyone else between ages 20 and 53, all in pretty good shape prior to Covid. Everyone did fine beside feeling like crap for a couple of weeks.
1081992 tn?1389903637
COMMUNITY LEADER
"He said he would only be concerned if it was elevated over 1000."
Not my field, but that sounds entirely reasonable. I'd also bet it is even lower if you get it tested again in the future.

And thanks for posting the info on what happened with the rest of your family.

Helpful - 0
1 Comments
Last question , considering the Roth spot, assuming I was sick “without Covid” and the elevated ferritin, if it was in fact leukemia all of my CBC counts would be way out of the normal range by now correct ?  I am assuming if I was showing symptoms for the last 5 weeks that something would have showed up by now in CBC???
1081992 tn?1389903637
COMMUNITY LEADER
"if it was in fact leukemia all of my CBC counts would be way out of the normal range by now correct ?  I am assuming if I was showing symptoms for the last 5 weeks that something would have showed up by now in CBC???"
Correct.

"Last question"
Write again if/when you want to. This is not a bother.
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