Waiting is awful......blood results

[DL45]

How long does it generally take from blood results to get back to GP? Taken at community hospital then sent to Lab at main hospital for processing.

If there was anything awful would the lab alert GP immediately??

I had them done Monday afternoon, just cannot settle to anything while waiting, which obviously makes my anxiety worse 😢😢

Thank you

[glassgirlw]

Our healthcare system over here is different than yours so I don’t know if timelines are different too? In my experience the lab reports are usually read in 2-3 days and then we can view them on our patient portal. Kind of a catch 22 because we aren’t qualified to read and interpret them so can sometimes cause unnecessary panics (I don’t do it for this reason lol but my mom is notorious for reading/interpreting/jumping to worst case scenario). But typically my doc office calls to go over results whether normal or abnormal, within a day or so of receiving the results from the labs.

[DL45]

thank you glassgirlw, so maybe I will hear tomorrow, otherwise this panic continues over the weekend!

[glassgirlw]

I don’t think it’s out of line to ring the GP tomorrow and ask if they’ve seen results? You’ve waited what I consider an appropriate amount of time - unless it takes much longer over there than it does here. No point in worrying yourself needlessly over the weekend if they have the results and everything is normal!

[anom]

As someone also from UK and had some bloods taken a couple of weeks back..I can say for reference:

I had the bloods taken on Wednesday Afternoon - the nurse told me they would maybe have the results back by Friday (but I doubted it)

I ended up getting a text message on Sunday Morning with the results.

I would say having bloods taken on a Monday - You should have had your results back within 3-4 days tops.

As a note however, I did have some bloods taken 3-4 years back, they said they would contact me if there was any problems, I've never heard anything about them! so I just assumed it was a no news is good news sort of thing

[DL45]

Thanks anom,

nothing today, my GP was working last weekend so I assume not this weekend, so I expect Monday. I will bite the bullet and ring if I haven't heard.

I am terrified, yet I know I have to be brave now because I am sure there is a lot to be dealt with, which is why I can't think along the no news is good news line! Thank you

[anom]

^ I'm not taking my own advice very well, I've been waiting for CT scan results for nearly 6 weeks now and I'm trying to tell myself no news is good news but I'm also too terrified to find out if I've actually had the results and not that the NHS have just lost them somewhere!

That does seem quite a while for bloods, I thought GP's were moving a bit quicker at the moment (when I went to doctors a couple of weeks ago it was set up so you could only have 3-4 people in the waiting room due to covid - there must have been 3x as many staff as patients!)

Does your GP have an online message type thing? I was surprised to get my results sent over to me via a text on a Sunday! (I didn't even know they had my number for one!)

[DL45]

Hi again......did the text list your results or just say everything normal?

I would ring about your CT results definitely....it will be back with GP after so long, and if not, they can chase it for you!

What is going round in my head now is if something in my bloods came up as highly abnormal, would the lab alert the GP there and then and not just send it into GP mailbox as routine?

[pulisa]

Yes definitely. Highly abnormal does not equate to "routine". There is a very quick response from the lab to the GP if something is highly abnormal needing urgent investigation.

[DL45]

Yes definitely. Highly abnormal does not equate to "routine". There is a very quick response from the lab to the GP if something is highly abnormal needing urgent investigation.

Thank you Pulisa for your reply, but as this is the first time I have had this test the Lab may just think the numbers are normal for me! I know I can't change anything by worrying. I have been having triple therapy for H Pylori - today is last day hurrah! - which has made me feel nauseous with diarrhoea, but I haven't been eating much, I've lost 1st 4lbs since beginning of March, but today the tops of my legs have no power at all, and I have just done some ironing and then hoovered the stairs and afterwards felt really clammy, despite having a porridge pot for breakfast. I am such a mess, but it has made me focus and I am starting to get my will and certain letters together because whilst I feel so blinking awful it has made me realise that even if I am to survive whatever it is, I could get knocked down by a bus tomorrow.

[pulisa]

Highly abnormal is highly abnormal whether it's your first test or your hundredth. The lab will just be on the alert for highly abnormal readings. They won't know your history. You're just a blood sample to them.

I appreciate that you are weak and low after your H Pylori-it's a very nasty infection and the treatment is aggressive. I hope you get your appetite back and start to feel mentally and physically stronger very soon.

[anom]

Hi again......did the text list your results or just say everything normal?


I had 3 text messages (I don't know why 3) They all just said your results are back and no follow up needed, they didnt go into anymore detail than that, I took that as a win!

[NancyW]

Waiting for test results is top of my list of torture. Hope you get your results today. 🙂

[DL45]

Thank you all for your patience with me.
I rang yesterday and they were back and had been checked by my GP....NORMAL, no follow-up required.

Hurrah! And within hours I felt like a new woman

BUT it has left me with more questions than answers.......the pain is still there, I have had it for years, and I know that the system there will deteriorate permanently if not treated properly. I have requested a follow-up appointment, and will be requesting a scan too before I can accept I have no long-term damage.

Have a lovely sunny day today.....I believe we could have snow for Easter weekend!!

[NancyW]

Glad to hear the good news.

On to a new worry. :-(