View Full Version : Finding ways to deal with weekly blood tests anxiety
Hi all
I’m at 28 weeks pregnant.
I got my CBC blood test (4th time in 7 months so far) for pregnancy check and I see some ab numbers:
Immature Grans ABS at 0.2% (normal range is 0.1%) -I’m worry. first time seeing this
Neutrophil at 8.2 (7.3 max) -this has been the same through 4 tests since pregnant.
RBC = 3.79 (3.77 min) -1st time low in 3rd tri-semester
Everything else is normal (WBC just got back to normal, platelet count is 246 normal). I’m on iron supplement for anemia. My doctor just released the results without calling me. I called her office and the nurse said doctors only release results if they re okay without calling. But to be sure, she has left my doctor a msg and she will call back later today because she is in surgery.
So now come the waiting period for her call. I don’t want to google but for serious stuff, other numbers in CBC must be out of whack too right? And since she didn’t call before releasing the results, it must be okay?
Thanks for reading my post.
Any reason for you not to trust the nurse? Or not trust your drs decision to release the information?
I'm proud of you for not googling, nothing good comes from it.
Those numbers are not totally whacked at all. When my wife had her blood work done and they found an issue with her TSH levels (thyroid), the numbers were WAY off. Her doctor called right away to order a re-test to confirm and she did that when they posted on MyChart.
You're pregnant (congrats btw!) and your numbers are bound to go a little bit bit wonky.
Positive thoughts
Any reason for you not to trust the nurse? Or not trust your drs decision to release the information?
I'm proud of you for not googling, nothing good comes from it.
I think it’s the health anxiety that makes me not trusting :(
---------- Post added at 19:42 ---------- Previous post was at 19:39 ----------
Those numbers are not totally whacked at all. When my wife had her blood work done and they found an issue with her TSH levels (thyroid), the numbers were WAY off. Her doctor called right away to order a re-test to confirm and she did that when they posted on MyChart.
You're pregnant (congrats btw!) and your numbers are bound to go a little bit bit wonky.
Positive thoughts
Thanks Fishmanpa. I don’t think I want to go through another batch of blood tests. I will try my best to survive the last 3 months of pregnancy. This CBC is part of pre-eclampsia testing. For some reasons, I’m always scared of CBC although I never have issues with it pre-pregnancy. However, since starting it, CBC numbers are always whacky.
I think it’s the health anxiety that makes me not trusting :(
I know honey, mine was horrible when I was pregnant. Sad because it's supposed to be such a happy time. While you wait to hear from your dr remind yourself of the positive things you know right now... I hope your dr calls soon so you can put this worry out of your head.
I know honey, mine was horrible when I was pregnant. Sad because it's supposed to be such a happy time. While you wait to hear from your dr remind yourself of the positive things you know right now... I hope your dr calls soon so you can put this worry out of your head.
thank you :)
I have health anxiety on and off pre-pregnancy and our members here have helped me a lot. whenever it flares up, instead of googling, i will go to this board and share my thoughts. I'm in debt for all of your advices.
With my 1st one 6 years ago, i didn't have health anxiety so it was a breeze.
however, with this 2nd pregnancy, it is flaring up a lot more. I haven't been able to enjoy it because of all the tests that we have to go through as part of the screening and how the numbers on the tests are whacky sometime.
My health anxiety is back again. 2 weeks ago, I had CBC blood test and my white count was back to normal at 10.8 (it was between 12-13 in the past 6 months of pregnancy or so).
Then I was diagnosed with pre-eclampsia last week and was ordered to have weekly blood tests to mionifor my condition. Surprisingly with a real diagnosis, I feel okay. I’m focusing on trying to stay healthy and didn’t feel anxious.
Yesterday, I went in and took a TDAP vaccine shot, and about 2hrs later, CBC test and liver/kidney tests for preeclampsia monitoring. Result are back this morning and my white count jumped from 10.8 to 15.1 in 2 weeks. Lym,ABS increased from 1.2 to 3.4.
I asked the doctor and she said she isn’t worried because it’s normal in pregnancy. Question is I need another set of blood test next week. I wonder if the vaccine can be the culprit here in raising my WBC? I will ask her tomorrow but now anxiety is back. I never have such a high WBC of 15.1 before.
I wonder if the vaccine can be the culprit here in raising my WBC? I will ask her tomorrow but now anxiety is back. I never have such a high WBC of 15.1 before.
That would make sense. just like you can feel a bit off when you get the flu vaccine. Your doctor isn't concerned nor should you be.
Positive thoughts
Update: my platelet count is normal 324. My RBC is just below the min because I’m mildly anemic and have been taking iron supplement.
I also will ask her for UTI test just in case it’s an infection that raises the WBC.
The hidden fear is: if it’s something super bad like C, the white count has to be very high right?
---------- Post added at 22:17 ---------- Previous post was at 22:16 ----------
That would make sense. just like you can feel a bit off when you get the flu vaccine. Your doctor isn't concerned nor should you be.
Positive thoughts
Thank you fishmanpa. I have not been feeling well entire morning because of this number
spacebunnyx
30-11-18, 07:54
Hi,
If the doctor isn't worried I wouldn't be. For reference I took a medication whilst pregnant that made my WBC jump to 90+.... Now that gave them something to think about! I and my twins were fine. Good luck. Xxx
I had pre-eclampsia too and was really calm, which was SO unlike me. I was just annoyed I was on bedrest haha. My WBC went from 11 to 16.8 in 8 days (I just went and looked to get exact numbers). I didn't even know it until I went back and looked at my results later. I was more worried about the liver/kidney part at the moment.
I’m going through another batch of weekly blood tests tomorrow. Will try my best to stay calm but I know it will be super hard.
This week will be my 31st week. I’m hoping my white count can go down (they blamed it on the stereoid shots I received a week before last blood tests and my flu shot). Also hoping my liver and kidney are hanging good. Surprisingly, I’m more calm about my real condition (preeclampsia) over this white count thing.
Hi moderators
Please merge my thread if this is the same. It’s the same issue but I have different questions.
I’m at 32 weeks pregnan5 and because of my preeclampsia condition, they make me take weekly blood tests. Among them is CBC and I couldn’t believe that this weekly stress is bringing up my anxiety over the proof. I know my White count is elevated(around 12-15) with Nuetrophil around 8-10. I’m mildly anemic. What bothers me is Immature Grans ABS is increasing from 0.2 to 0.4 in 3 weeks of tests. I asked doctor about it and she keeps saying it is normal in pregnancy on every test.
Now I’m at the point where I am considering not to know my future blood tests and only ask her to let me know if they are OK or not every week. Or shall I consult with my GP for 2nd opinion? Not knowing specific numbers might help with my anxiety or might make it worse. I don’t know. I’m feeling like crap/scared. It’s not healthy for my baby but I couldn’t help it.
Any advice is very appreciated
Thanks
I think that's reasonable. Obviously, you need the blood work due to your condition but explain to your doctor that getting the weekly results are raising your anxiety and you don't need to know the details. A simple "Everything looks good" will suffice.
Positive thoughts
Hi
This is just a courtesy reply to let you know that your thread was merged with another of your threads.
Please when posting on similar topics add it onto your previous post rather than starting a new one.
It is nothing personal it is just to make it easier for people to follow your story and to give you advice as a whole.
Elen
I think that's reasonable. Obviously, you need the blood work due to your condition but explain to your doctor that getting the weekly results are raising your anxiety and you don't need to know the details. A simple "Everything looks good" will suffice.
Positive thoughts
Hi Fishmanpa,
I just emailed her confessing my anxiety. She also suggested that I shall leave the worrying to her and not look at the numbers by myself. I’m bending this way but I’m afraid not knowing is also a different way of stressing out. I think the issue is that I don’t trust doctor, and yet I need these tests because of my condition. Shall I do that and also run the tests through my GP which I have known for longer time and tend to trust her more like 2nd opinion.
Since it's your health anxiety making you not trust the nurse, I think you need to draw the line and trust her. She's in agreement about letting her deal with the results and all she's doing is looking at numbers. To worry she's misreading them is truly unfounded. Your GP would be consulted anyway if something were questionable.
You're only looking at a couple of more months anyway ;)
Positive thoughts
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