Just not right:(

[rubynoodles]

I am hoping that someone can give me some comforting words of wisdom.

The last 6-8 weeks have been full of anxiety-I'll tell you the story (sorry that its such a long tale!)

All was going well until a week before christmas when we (my dad, mum, hubby, kids and I) all got a nasty chest infection which lasted weeks and weeks and made us feel really rough(only just getting over it)

Then on the 19th December got a call from MIL to say my hubbys four year old neice had had a fit that turned out to be the worsed news ever, it was a brain tumour which Addenbrookes succesfully removed but so very sadly it has left her 80% brain damaged and with 6 month to live (I cant even begin to explain what state this has left my hubbys family)

Then last week I went to see gp (a new gp ,my old gp who I had been seeing for years and knew my family history of anxiety has retired) I explained that I had still got this cough from the chest infection and that my chest hurt, she said she would run a simple blood test but did'nt expect anything to come back.

Well, I got a call on Tues to say that the results had come back and I needed more blood tests done. As you can imagine this made me really worry. Whilst waiting at hospital to have the bloods taken I checked the form, she had ticked bone, kidney & liver profile, thyriod function, B12, folate, different serums and a couple of others I cant remember and in the comment box had written 'amaemia 10.8'.??

Yesterday I got a call from gp's secretary to say the full results wont be back until mon but gp would like to discuss results with me then.

I am beside myself with worry and now to top it off I have had diarrhea for the last two days ( i have ibs but never had diarrhea like this before), I feel like i'm going to go crazy:weep::weep:

[macc noodle]

OK RubyNoodles - take a deep breath!

What a terrible time you have been having - such dreadful news about your little niece (my heart goes out to her parents and family).

Please don't worry too much about the suite of blood tests being done - I am sure that the new GP will have taken the time to look at your notes and seen your anxiety problems (were you ever medicated?) and is probably doing the full run just to put your mind at rest.

Try and think positively - your whole family have had this chest infection and it is just taking yours a bit longer to clear.

Did you ask why you needed more tests and what the first set of tests showed? If not, ring the docs and ask to have a telephone consultation with the GP - if we don't ask we don't find out. If I was a betting person I would say that you are probably very run down and need some vitamins or a tonic!

Keep positive and try to keep calm (this will help your tummy settle down - the diarrohea is more than likely only because you are all worked up [understandably]).

:hugs:

Jan

[JaneC]

Hi Ruby, I'm so sorry to hear about your husband's niece, that is just awful, any parent's worst nightmare :hugs:

Please don't worry about the blood tests. Your red blood cell count is a little low (anemia) and the doc is trying to find out why. It's really common and chances are you might just need to take an iron supplement. Perhaps you could phone the surgery, tell them how worried you are and ask if the doc could explain a bit more about what's going on xx

[rubynoodles]

Thanks for you kind replies

When I had the bloods taken at the hospital I asked when they would be back and the lady said friday at the latest so I will ring tommorow and try to get through (the receptionists are like fortress keepers, its really hard to get through to speak to your gp and even worse when your not very assertive like me!)

[JaneC]

Give it a try Ruby. I know what receptionists are like but ask if your surgery does telephone appts with the doc - mine started this a while back and I've used it a few times xxx

[Thyme]

Hello Ruby

I hope today is a better day for you. I am so sorry about your neice.

I know a little bit about blood tests and it sounds to me like your new GP is being thorough because she doesn't know you properly yet and so wants to make sure she is up to speed with your condition. I think that is a good thing. May be she wants to get a full picture so that she can do a proper treatment plan if that is what is needed. That blood count for anaemia is a little bit down but not that bad you know.

Are you suffering from what my therapist calls "catastrophic thinking"?
She tells me that I am very good at that....always thinking the worst about something instead of looking for the simple answer. Anyway I hope you are feeling better today.

[rubynoodles]

Thanks everyone

Yes I do have a rather big habit of catastrophic thinking infact I think I have quite high qualifications in it!!

My husband rand the gp in the end and asked them to ring me as I was in such a state, they said they would get the gp to ring me this afternoon.

Anyhow the gp did'nt ring back (typical!) so I rang them and spoke to one of the receptionists she assured me there was nothing to worry about so I will just have to wait until my appointment on mon-just got to tackle these bad IBS symptoms now

Thanks again for your reassuring words xx

[rubynoodles]

Hi all

Am besides myself with anxiety just dont know what to do with myself:weep:

Went to gp today she told me that I am a bit anaemic so will need to take iron, fine could deal with that one. Then she said that my white blood count was low and to wait three weeks to have another blood test to see if it had gone up...well with that I went to pieces.

All I kept saying was 'do you suspect that there is something very wrong are you saying its cancer?' and she kept saying 'no, your saying that I dont want you going off saying i've said you've got cancer?'

They did lots of other blood tests thyriod, bone, liver and kidney profile, ERS, various serums etc and they have all come back normal.

I had a chest infection for 5 weeks over christmas but ive been clear of that for three weeks now.

I have no idea what this could mean but am going out of my mind with anxiety I am never going to get through the next three weeks without some kind of breakdown:weep:

[kah]

Oh hun, I know what you are going through.
In June I was diagnosed with Post Viral Fatigue and after they ran blood tests I was told that I had very low iron levels and my white blood cell count was low. I was re-tested a month or so later and it had gone back to normal. My HA was not as bad then so I didn't worry about it too much but if that happened now I'd freak out!

Just so that you know it can happen and everything can be fine.
Big hugs

K xxx

[ladybird64]

Ruby, you're not going to have a breakdown!

There are loads of reasons for having a lowered white cell count, one of the most common being a recent viral infection.

I'm in the same boat as you but as I don't have HA I am not worried about my low result in the slightest as I know that the infection I had over the Christmas period will be to blame.

Step back and think rationally. I have just given your probably the most common reason for lowered white cell count, do you honestly think if your doctor had the slightest suspicion that you had something serious you would have to wait for 3 weeks?

They are docs for a reason hun, they read and interpret test results. Your other tests are fine apart from the slight anaemia.

What happened with the wee girl was tragic and Im sure will have raised your anxiety levels so it's understandable you are jittery..don't let nerves turn into something bigger.

Take care :flowers:

[rubynoodles]

Thank you so much both of you it does help to have someone to talk to, being a stay at home mum does nothing for anxiety, the walls don't offer much emotional support!! Becky x

[Seffie]

Hi,
firstly just want to say so sorry about your niece, that is really hard to deal with.

A couple of years ago I had to have a blood test & it was about a week after I had had a mild, summer cold. Anyway, the results came back as low white blood count so the surgery rang me to go back for another test in 3 weeks to see if it had gone back up. During that time I was going to a gig that I had been really excited about & also for our annual holiday & as I didn't want to ruin these through worrying I told myself to put these worries in a box & put this box at the back of my mind & deal with it later.

When I went back for the test I asked the phlebotomist if my cold could have affected the results but she said no. Then as I left the room she said 'look after yourself' in a sympathetic voice, I thought 'What?!!!! Does she know something?'
I worried myself silly waiting for the result & every time the phone rang I dreaded picking it up. Then one day I couldn't stand it any more, rang & the receptionist said airily 'oh yes, all back to normal levels!'

Like you I had been catastrophizing. When I went back to see my GP I asked about my cold & she said yes, that would have caused the low white blood cell count.

I only had a very mild cold & it affected my count so if you've had a chest infectionfor 5 weeks I'm pretty sure that will be the cause. Try not to worry, it's pointless & will only exhaust you. I had 4 weeks of worrying & it nearly ruined my holiday & all for nothing. I bet if people got tested every month their counts would occassionally be low but not even aware of it. I am also often borderline anaemic as is my sil. No big deal.
Take care & hope all is OK.
Seffie x

PS: sorry this is so long!