Blood Test Needs to be Repeated (Can't stop crying...)

[87sal87]

I know this will probably sound pathetic but I've been worrying about all aspects of my life lately...from kidneys to breast cancer.

So, my doctor sent me for an 'M.O.T' blood test to check for everything and I have a blood test phobia (it's quite bad) so it took me awhile to get the courage up to go for it, anyway, last friday, I managed to go and I was so happy and proud of myself....

BUT, this morning I get a letter saying that it needs to be repeated. The Tests on the form show CALC, VITD, MAGN2, & PTH2. I phoned the doctor but she couldn't tell me what the reason was over the phone.

I know some of it is Thyroid related by googling the abriviations, but the CALC is worrying me as it mentioned it being something to do with Kidney Failure. :weep:

I can't stop crying. Not only do I have to put myself through another blood test again, but now there's the added worry of there being something ACTUALLY wrong with me. :weep: All my sister said was to 'suck it up.'

I've no one else to turn to and I don't know what to do.

[ToasterOvens]

They always repeat blood tests that are slightly out of range.

You need to be careful with catastrophic thinking. There are countless reasons why any one blood test would be out of range. I myself have had many blood test parameters out of range. Potassium, Magnesium, White Blood Cells, Red Blood Cells, Absolute and % Neutrophils, % Lymphocytes, RDW, absolute Reticulocyte.

Those were all in the course of a year. When retested, sometimes as early as 2 weeks later, the values were drastically different.

BTW I am healthy with no underlying health issues. All my blood parameters and retesting happened two years ago.

Get re-tested. Its normal protocol. I too had a BIG fear of blood tests. I recommend deep breathing. My doctor ended up prescribing me a beta blocker so I could relax for tests.

[unsure_about_this]

I had a blood test redone last year as I had cold, some my white cells were a bit high the first time round.

[ktdid2000]

I've had lots of numbers out of whack too. I've had low white counts for almost a decade (always get called back to repeat that one until I started to go to a hematologist for my yearly bloodwork; she knows it's normal for me), and high potassium one time because I squeezed my arm too hard on the little ball thing they give you to pump up your veins. Turns out squeezing the ball too hard can burst blood cells which releases potassium into your bloodstream.

[87sal87]

Thanks guys, that's helped a bit. I'm still going to be worried though, as is the fate of the HA sufferer :( I'm not in as much as a mess as I was this morning when I recieved the letter, but I'm not exactly relaxed either. I'll go in a week or two and get it sorted. From looking at what they're testing, it looks like they're checking for something called Parathyroidism.
I guess there's nothing I can do until I've bit the bullet and got the repeated blood test done.

Any tips on relaxing for blood tests? They can never get any blood out of me. Once a nurse bluntly refused and aborted it, because I was 'taking too long.' I was crying and ready for passing out and she was so rude and horrible with me just because she couldn't get any blood out of me. It's not my fault! :(

I drunk loads of water last time beforehand and that didn't help either. Only made me need a wee all the time. I've got awful veins and the blood comes out really slowly...I don't know why.

[zcb]

Isn’t calc and vitd simply Calcium and Vitamin D? This sounds like a normal routine retest as deficiency is very common. Additionally, vitamin d and calcium go together as you can tell by the many over the counter supplements.
Please relax.


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[unsure_about_this]

Thanks guys, that's helped a bit. I'm still going to be worried though, as is the fate of the HA sufferer :( I'm not in as much as a mess as I was this morning when I recieved the letter, but I'm not exactly relaxed either. I'll go in a week or two and get it sorted. From looking at what they're testing, it looks like they're checking for something called Parathyroidism.
I guess there's nothing I can do until I've bit the bullet and got the repeated blood test done.

Any tips on relaxing for blood tests? They can never get any blood out of me. Once a nurse bluntly refused and aborted it, because I was 'taking too long.' I was crying and ready for passing out and she was so rude and horrible with me just because she couldn't get any blood out of me. It's not my fault! :(

I drunk loads of water last time beforehand and that didn't help either. Only made me need a wee all the time. I've got awful veins and the blood comes out really slowly...I don't know why.


Last time I had one this year at the hospital the nurse struggled to get blood out one arm/vein (i have nf) she asked me whether I had blood test done recently but this was for something else.

[ThroatGoat]

I just look the other way when they're taking blood. Seems to work for me, have you tried that?

Just a silly little suggestion. :D

[Pkstracy]

Yeah those abbreviations sound like your low in those they need to retest to make sure maybe.

[tan235]

I've had heaps of blood tests retested, sometimes the way they take the blood test is wrong, I"ve had high iron and really high potassium - that's kidney's and then had to get retested to find that they were fine - you'll be ok... x

[ToasterOvens]

Whoops. Accidentally deleted my post instead of editing.

Nurses have trouble getting blood out of me too. Phlebotomists don't. I think its all about selecting the right blood vessels to poke. I don't think you're the issue.