Blood Test Results

[Sallyg]

Hi there
I am currently in a place where I feel I am managing my anxiety quite well, but........recent health issues have challenged me a fair bit. I have been through a phase of thinking I was really really ill, with some ongoing mild symptoms for a whole year which the doctor couldn't say what it was.

Anyway, early this year I had an issue with my periods and had some blood tests which indicated I was in menopause, the doctor couldn't say whether the symptoms of the last year were related or not. More sitting with the unknown..........which was hard.

He said I needed another blood test to double check and some other blood tests. This set off my anxiety and wondered 'what' he was testing for, I never got a straight answer, except to say he didn't want to investigate anything - confusing (?)

I had the blood tests a week ago and GP advised I come and talk to him a couple of weeks later about possible HRT. I haven't had blood tests for years and was told after the test I could ring for the results in 3 days.

As a strategy for managing my anxiety I decided not to ring and wait for the Dr's meeting. I decided to trust that all was well and not diagnose myself with something terrible on top of hormonal changes.

Well, now I am started to get anxious and on here wanting some thoughts on how best to manage this. Of course I need the results at some point, occassionaly I still fear something is wrong, but in the main I have forgotten about them! It's strange as usually I would be ringing straight away to 'find out the worst'.

This evening I have started to worry that I am not worrying (Madness)

So, does anyone know if the surgery call or contact you if there is something of concern in blood results? I presume they would?

I have had a Full Blood Count plus Electrolytes - does anyone know if these are just general routine tests?

The other tests were a repeat from earlier in the year, Thyroid and my hormone levels, I am not concerned about these.

Perhaps I could ring for the results before my appointment with the GP or just wait - I don't know how to best manage this. I don't like my GP and I also don't want to ring and get a receptionist saying anything that might trigger over worry.

Horrible situation - any thoughts?

[JustJoe25]

The blood tests you got are normal and you should be fine. I think your doctor tries to word things to not scare you but ends up doing the opposite. I know how you feel I had blood work done back in June. Well I never heard from the doctor until I made an appointment because I couldn't get rid of a cough. When I went the doctor prescribed me with an antibiotic and cough syrup and told me my alt results were a little elevated and asked if I drank and I said only on occasion. Up until that point I was handling my anxiety great but I got worried and went home. I was sooo worried and then I found out that if you had muscular exercise the day or even week before these levels are very common to go up in healthy adults. I then remembered the day I went and when walking in I had said to my mom how sore my legs were from leg day. I knew that this was the most likely scenario and my mind was at ease. That was until the receptionist phoned me and said they wanted to make a follow up appointment (which I was suppose to make when there before they even knew my levels but because I had finals the following week I didnt). Anyways I told them I would get back to them as I couldn't make it in this week because of finals. This scared me more but then I thought about how they wanted an appointment from the start. I called back asking if I could discuss the results with the doctor and the receptionist said just make an appointment when you have the chance no big deal. So I figured okay if it was serious I think the doctor woukd of spoken to me and I feel they just wanted to charge my insurance. My assumption is either the second results came back fine and they wanted to do further testing or they came back high again because once again I lifted weights the day before as I had no idea the two could be related.

Anyways I kind of vented here but my point is I'm sure you are fine and like me you are worried by not knowing the answers and the way your doctor worded things.

[VickyC]

If your blood tests came back showing something amiss, your doctor would call you to go in straight away. I recently had blood tests and was feeling really anxious waiting for the results, but my mother in law (who is a former nurse) told me
the lab contact your doctor ASAP if there is an abnormal result. Of course I then spent every minute fretting that the phone would ring and it would be my doctor asking me to go in! It didn't happen though, and the next time I saw doctor they mentioned that tests had come back completely clear.

---------- Post added at 04:43 ---------- Previous post was at 04:41 ----------

Ps forgot to say a full blood test is routine. Doctor informed me that it shows up anything that is (her words) "even slightly abnormal" so hopefully you will be reassured by the results.

[Sallyg]

Thank you Vicky - it's good to hear your experience and that anything urgent would be communicated. Was it a long gap before you saw the doctor who told you all tests were OK? Like you say, I am still anxious every time the phone rings, incase it's the surgery! ha It has been over a week now and I know the doctor has been in work, so presume would have reviewed my results. This anxiety is horrible and sometimes hard to stop :(



I am still anxious today, I realise it's not just the results, it is meeting my GP - the whole way he has handled my recent concerns has left me feeling really vulnerable and to be honest I want to change doctors.

I need to decide whether to phone for results or attend my appointment next Monday to let the GP tell me. I am moving towards phoning for results and if all OK, cancelling my GP appointment and moving doctors.

I have never been this worried about results before and don't think my GP is doing my any favours with his approach - he is inferring symptoms are nothing to look into, some are maybe anxiety, some are the menopause and some might be something else! He isn't being clear about anything and leaving a lot to me to 'work out'. It's not good for health anxiety to do this. I appreciate it is useful for health anxiety to manage uncertainty with health, but I think he owes me a little more clarity.

I am now hoping results are all ok for two reasons, one my health and two that I can forget this doctor.

[AlexandriaUK]

I personally would ring, either way you will get the results and deal with reality not trying to del with what your head is saying, menopause is nothing to worry about and he cant tell you the results till he gets them, did you explain that you will worry until you get them, my Dr knows me and knows I worry so gives me the results more or less as soon as they get them.
If you can stand to wait till Monday then fine but why spoil a lovely weekend take care x

[Sallyg]

Thank you Alexandra. My GP doesn't seem to take my anxiety into account :(

I bit the bullet and called the surgery - I thought I was having tests for thyroid but it seems not - the good news is that the Dr has written on the notes " All normal, no further action required"

The even more interesting thing is that my hormone levels are 'normal' and not showing menopause - I am glad I didn't start HRT as the doctor had suggested because I am "too young" for menopause!

I am now going to try and release the worry I have had over all this but pretty upset at how the GP handled it all.

[VickyC]

Glad it all went ok Sallyg.
I don't suppose you need to know this now but it was a couple of days that I waited before hearing results. As they ended up normal they wouldn't have called me anyway, but I went in for another appointment as my anxiety in general was so bad, and my doctor mentioned at the same time that the blood results were fine.

[Sallyg]

Thanks Vicky - I was so nervous before ringing! A few years ago, I had 'normal' nerves about such things. Really pleased I did it today and didn't leave it any longer.