Blood test anxiety - so many tests!

[Pamplemousse]

This last few weeks I've been suffering from lower back pain, and little seems to ease it - certainly not lying down, that makes it worse! I'd been placed on a new tablet for diabetes and that is one of its side effects, so I've been taken off it for three weeks. The lower back pain feels like a recurrence of an old injury but it has been going on for weeks now; normally it resolves in a few days.


So my GP has ordered some blood tests, but the sheer number of them and what they are are causing me to panic. They are (using their codes):


CRP, LFT, UE, URA
ANAE
SFBC
ZESR
PSA

The PSA one in particular is freaking me out. This pain extends (sometimes) from my back to my hips; and I remember the pains a friend of mine had in his legs from his metastatic prostate cancer. Some of these I am used to anyway as they come with the territory of being on statins, but the others? My brain has been running riot unless I distract it, but I know that after the blood is drawn tomorrow, I shall be scared witless of calls to my home and mobile phones and letters from the practice to my house, and I have plenty of time alone :sad:


Any thoughts or support would be welcome...

[lucymarie]

Whilst I don’t know what most of those tests are I did have a quick search for the PSA you were most concerned about. It seems a bit of a jump for your GP to presume prostate cancer from short term back pain so hopefully it’s just erring on the side of caution. Bloods usually come back quickly so hopefully you won’t be waiting too long, I know it’s the hardest part. Try and stay positive, think how many bloods are done on a daily basis and the majority come back fine or only minor issues.

[AMomentofClarity]

Sounds to me like you have pain with no known cause, so your GP is ordering the gamut of tests to cover all the bases. It doesn’t mean he “suspects” anything.

[Pamplemousse]

Had the tests yesterday, got the results today.


'No further action.' :)

[ErinKC]

Great news!!

[Pamplemousse]

You have no idea what a weight off my mind it was... :)


The back pain seems to be subsiding a bit too, so maybe it was all down to the dapagliflozin.

[lucymarie]

Great to hear :)

[Pamplemousse]

Great to hear :)
Thanks :)