View Full Version : Anxiety over blood test results
Hi everyone,
Hope you're all doing ok.
I've been managing my HA quite well recently (I was diagnosed with anxiety and depression in 2012 and was having daily gp visits) which I think is a result of having my two babies and a whole host of real things to worry about! Since having my second child 17 months ago I've been feeling quite fatigued- not falling asleep everywhere or unable to do things, just a general run down feeling. I should mention at this point that I have a full time job, do all the childcare around that, look after the house and also work out 6-8 times a week. I'm also not great at resting or going to bed early. Too much to do!! When I was visiting my GP with my little boy, I mentioned the tiredness and she said she'd do a full blood test looking at absolutely everything and it could be low iron or just "general lifestyle choices and a need to scale back". I've put it off but today finally went. In some ways I hope that there maybe is something so that I can maybe take an iron pill to feel better but my HA is making me terrified that this is the beginning of the end and that I'm now going to find I have cancer 😢 Apart from tiredness there really isn't much else to worry about. I've not noticed anything alarming.
I know no one can tell me what I've got but I wanted to be able to tell someone who might understand and maybe someone can tell me when I might hear back?
Thanks for listening x
Typically a week.
Positive thoughts
dizzy daisy
29-07-16, 21:52
Button I had something similar late last year and finally did bloods. I was told that there is a fast turn around and GP typically gets results the following day. As there is the weekend I reckon yours will be with the GP Monday afternoon - they get them emailed from the labs now.
My results turned out fine xxx
Thanks guys. I just hate this but. My HA is centred around bowel cancer so low iron is a very big trigger for me. I've got quite bad jitters at the moment- proud of myself for going but wish I'd never done it
dizzy daisy
30-07-16, 06:13
I was exactly the same. Ha ha. Honestly though low iron is so common in women it doesn't necessarily mean anything at all. I was convinced all mine would come back skewed as I felt so tired, but nothing was out of range at all.
Fingers crossed for you Hun that you can get reassurance early next week- they always call if there's anything to discuss so no news is good news. Xxx
Thanks that's helpful. Hopefully it's the same for me. Unlike previous occasions I know that I'm at a stage in my HA journey where I'd get a lot of reassurance from these tests being clear. Sadly I'm also at a stage where I can't believe they will be. I wouldn't wish anxiety on anyone!
So my bloods were taken first thing on Friday and I didn't hear from the GP today- would they have called by now if there was a problem do you think?
dizzy daisy
01-08-16, 19:11
If anything serious was found then I'd say yes. Sometimes they might call if something is slightly out. I'd call the surgery tomorrow morning as they should well be back by then and you can then relax. My husbands were abnormal- nothing serious- and he got a letter through to ask him to repeat the bloods the next day!! Xxx
Wow sounds like your GP is on the ball dizzy! Thanks for the reply so quickly- my friends really don't understand HA at all so it's nice to feel like I've got someone to 'chat' to x
I would challenge the urge to call and allow things to take their course. If there's something off, they'll call sooner but if not, you'll either get a letter or call to come in to go over the normal results.
Being able to challenge your anxiety and win is a step in healing.
Positive thoughts
Yes fishmanpa my thought was not to call as that's what the 'old me' would have done. Though it would be nice to not have to think about it any more
The thing is, it's normal to think about it. It's not normal to allow it to consume and influence your life so by resisting, you're starving the dragon which is a good thing :)
So I still haven't had a call from the GP and I haven't called them. I'm determined not to call but do you think that they'd have done so if something was off? Sorry to keep asking!!
Well I cracked and called today- all normal apart from low iron which needed a routine doctor appointment. Don't know whether to worry or not?
---------- Post added at 16:54 ---------- Previous post was at 16:54 ----------
Incidentally I've had periods of low iron before...
Well I cracked and called today- all normal apart from low iron which needed a routine doctor appointment. Don't know whether to worry or not?
---------- Post added at 16:54 ---------- Previous post was at 16:54 ----------
Incidentally I've had periods of low iron before...
No I wouldn't worry. Low iron is so common in women.
As for you caving and calling, where I live (North East) we are usually advised to call for the results anyway. Every test I've had I've called for the results even prior to my anxiety.
So you know that low iron in very common in us females, and easily treatable. You did great by holding off calling until today but read through your post again.
You quickly skipped past the important part - normal results - and when straight to worry mode about the low iron. You are fine. If there was a serious iron issue and a very low count, they would see you urgently, so time to put your worry away.
Well I cracked and called today- all normal apart from low iron which needed a routine doctor appointment. Don't know whether to worry or not?
---------- Post added at 16:54 ---------- Previous post was at 16:54 ----------
Incidentally I've had periods of low iron before...
Women bleed... low iron is normal for many including yourself :) Glad to hear all is good!
Positive thoughts
Thanks both and you know what the difference is? You've told me and I believe you. And I'm not stressing. I teetered but I don't want to fall off the cliff so I won't. I just needed to hear the words. I have an appointment on Friday which I think I will get nervous about come the day but I won't go in with the expectation of imminent death!!
I can't tell you the precise figures (and I know you'd be Googling like mad!) but what I can tell you with certainty is that if your levels were low enough to suggest a serious bowel issue - which I know is your fear - you would be called in immediately x
Well I went to the doctors, shaking like a leaf but the doctor was super casual- said that my ferritin levels were just in the normal range but on the low side so I could have some iron for 3 months. And that was it! I was quite happy it was so light touch as those typical HA thoughts of "she's going to order loads of tests and I'm going to find out I've got cancer.." had begun to creep in. Now I can accept that this is probably one of those things and fingers crossed I'll be 100% soon.
Thanks for the support as ever x
Glad it all went well for you xx
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