So MrsMoreCash still has the longest lasting broken finger EVER – 20 months and counting!

Following the latest installation and subsequent removal of metalwork, it has now become infected. She is on industrial quantities of antibiotics, and has had blood tests, which we believe were to check the infection – but she never actually asked 🙄

The results are apparently “fine” according to the consultant, who promptly gave her another 4 weeks of antibiotics.

The test was for her “CF” levels – is that connected to the infection, or, as I suspect, a measure of the rust in her blood stream after all the wires and pins that have failed to fix the damn finger?

(Next time I will get her to ask the doctors when she actually sees them!)

Definitely CF?

She thinks so. “Definitely C-something” when I just checked again.

What sounds like CF? CS? They were checking how much tear gas was in her bloodstream?

CRP probably?

wot wankyman 😉 said – are you sure they said CF ?

what’s she on, drug-wise ? (suppose could be ciprofloxacin levels but I have literally NEVER heard anyone call it that, and measuring levels is pretty rare)

any idea what they think is the infecting bug ?

could be loads of other slightly similar things

C&S (not levels, more cultures looking for a causative bug) but maybe sounds like C&F ?)
MIC (not a level but they might say they were going to measure it and sort of follows C&S)
CRP (is a blood level, is related to infection and is a sort of measure of progress)
CK (is a level but not that likely to be measured, depending on which drugs she’s on)
I guess could be complement fixation (so I guess it’s a CF but I’d be surprised if it was this and I don’t think they report as levels)
PCR (wouldn’t say “level” though)

C diff ?? (wouldn’t be from a blood test though – more yer poo, and only if she’s had the splats)

I’m not a doctor. Pharmacist – happy to provide a GPhC number

(I dunno much about bone healing – I guess “CF” could be some sort of test of a component or efficiency of the healing process)

Similar sounding and all for detection of infections.

Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)

The test works by measuring how long it takes for red blood cells to fall to the bottom of the test tube. The quicker they fall, the more likely it is that there are high levels of inflammation.

An ESR is often used to aid diagnosis in conditions associated with inflammation such as:
•arthritis
•endocarditis
•Crohn’s disease
•temporal arteritis
•polymyalgia rheumatica

Along with other tests, an ESR can be useful in confirming whether you have an infection in your body.

C-reactive protein (CRP) test

A C-reactive protein test is another blood test used to help diagnose conditions that cause inflammation.

CRP is produced by the liver and if there is a higher concentration of CRP than usual, there is inflammation in your body

CF.. Crappy Finger level score… Where 1 is nose pickingly perfect and 10 means you can’t scratch your own arse. There seems to be quite a few so called medical professionals on here trying to confuse you with fancy medical acronyms.

As a couple of posts above suggested, Mrs busydog (a nurse) thinks it likely is CRP (C Reactive Protein) commonly used to check for/monitor progress treating infection and quite frequently used in conjunction with osteo-fracture repair.

+1 Busydog, CRP is most likely = C reactive protein = acute phase protein made by the liver in response to an inflammatory stimulus. More inflammation = higher number, resolving = number going down. Used as a way of assessing treatment response in conditions which require longterm therapy where resolution of the primary problem (wonky finger) will take a while and you want to know that your treatment is appropriate.
Basically finger looking ok but still wonky, CRP is good, so AB choice is appropriate, need 4 weeks more to cover time over which wonkiness will hopefully resolve.
Hope it gets better!

I’m liking cloudnines answer, but I suspect busydog is more accurate.

Cheers guys

Just ask for a copy of the results?

Rachel