Waiting for blood tests

[Clarice1]

I have really bad health anxiety which I have previously had CBT therapy for with some success.

I am in the middle of a huge panic at the moment. I have had stomach / bowel problems / excess wind and really bad abdominal cramps for two weeks.

I saw an out of hours doctor at the weekend who thinks I have viral gastro-enteritis. As the symptoms have continued I went back to the doctor today who has sent off for blood tests, including a tumour market test. I think maybe just to humour me.

Now I am obviously worried sick about the whole thing, how long would they take to call me if something was seriously wrong? I had the test at around 11am this morning, not sure when they were sent to the lab. I am so concerned about bowel / stomach / pancreatic and ovarian cancer, I am going of my mind :(

[Worrywart84]

I know that feeling and it is truly the worst. Did they say when/how they would communicate the results? Do you have a patient portal that would be updated? I honestly would call to get an idea of when they will be back and when and how someone will relay them to you so at least you know that. Then if it’s for sure not going to be today, you can stop sweating by the phone and try to distract yourself.

[Clarice1]

Thanks for your reply.
They said a day or two.. I kind of wish she hadn't done the tumour marker test. I think she offered it to me as reassurance but it has sent my health anxiety out of control.
I am single mum to two young kids :(

[Worrywart84]

I absolutely understand that. It’s why I am dreading getting my gum biopsied. I won’t even be able to breathe while I wait for someone to call me about that.

Just try to get as much info about when/how the results will be in so that you can regain some control during the waiting period.

Then the other way I try to snap myself out of the spiral is if God forbid something was wrong, I would WANT to know and these tests would simply reveal what is a reality vs making it so. If that makes sense.

[Clarice1]

So kidney, liver, inflammatory and tumour marker tests all good.
Lymphocyte count was low though, do you know what that means? she said they will repeat it in two weeks... can't google so any advice anyone?

I hope your gum biopsy goes ok Worrywart84 - were you born in 1984 by the way? I was!

[Worrywart84]

Glad everything came back normal for you! Did they say anything about being concerned about low lymphocytes? I’m sure they would have said something if they were concerned.

I haven’t even been referred yet to get a biopsy so it’s just a future worry I get to carry around.

And yes, born in 84!

[Clarice1]

Has anyone had this? They are repeating the test in two weeks.
I am freaking out I have leukaemia. Please help

[RadioGaGa]

Have you actually been diagnosed as having Neutropaenia?
There can be many causes of this - what have your doctors told you?

((I assume by "neurophils" you mean neutrophils?))

[Sparky16]

I thought they said you had low lymphocytes. They are two different things - which was it?

[Clarice1]

Sorry it is both.
Low lymphocytes and then I got the print out of my blood tests (big mistake) and it showed low neutrophils, 1.8. My normal is 3-4.5 out of 7.