the fear of blood tests

[nhelen79]

hi all,
every year with physical exam, usually doctors ordered bunch of annual blood tests like CBC, lipid panels, liver functions test, thyroid, etc. I've been feeling dizzy lately for a few days (in my other post), so I just went to the doctor. She ordered blood tests for anemia/Iron and pregnancy. I also took blood tests for the other ones (the generic ones ordered from physical checkup a few weeks back). You can guess how I am feeling right now waiting for the results. They said the results won't be available until 2-3 days later. One of my biggest fear is leukemia and that can be seen from CBC tests which also testing for anemia for the dizziness :(

How do you deal with the anxiety waiting for the results? every year, i feel like a big scare when it's coming to the annual blood tests like this. My last checkup was 13months ago (last year)

thanks for reading my post

[ktdid2000]

Not sure, but I get the same. Actually, I used to get in a panic every year because my blood counts are often (benignly) low and my GP kept sending my to a hematologist to get it checked out. The hematologist, of course, was never worried. I think my GP just had to cover their butts causing me all sorts of panic in the process.

I've had low(er) counts for about 12 years now, and now I just get my yearly blood work done at the hematologist office so I don't have to deal with the unnecessary GP freak out. Of course almost all hematologists are in Cancer Centers, so that's fun. :P

I would just get a doc you trust in and realize that year to year things will fluctuate but it dosen't always mean anything. Back when I was getting checked out hardcore when it all started I got my blood drawn once every 2 weeks and the numbers would go up, go down, and stay the same sometimes. Doc was never worried. As long as it stays in whatever your "normal" range is (unique to you, not the lab values sometimes), it shouldn't throw a red flag.

[nhelen79]

Not sure, but I get the same. Actually, I used to get in a panic every year because my blood counts are often (benignly) low and my GP kept sending my to a hematologist to get it checked out. The hematologist, of course, was never worried. I think my GP just had to cover their butts causing me all sorts of panic in the process.

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Thanks for your kind reply. I’m most scared with the CBC blood tests. I’m not feeling better but will try to wait for doctor call. They said they will call after she has reviewed the results to let me check online. The waiting is the killer. With normal people, they don’t get worried till they see the results. With anxiety, the imagination worsens the wait.

[ktdid2000]

Totally agree!!

I know it's hard, but maybe try to do something to get your mind off of it while you wait? It takes a bit to get my engaged when something is happening, but if you can manage it it will definitely take the edge off the worry!