UKC

Had some routine blood tests on Monday - glucose, kidney function etc. With the best will in the world I been thinking "What if they find something...?" By yesterday I managed to persuade myself that if anything had been wrong then I would have heard.

Went to the surgery today to ask about the results: "Normal; no action required"

Does anyone else get a bit worked up about this sort of thing?

In reply to mypyrex:

I'm only bothered if it's a fasting blood test. I'm fine with the others but routinely pass out after a fasting blood test. It's become quite comedic in its predictability; blood test, sweats, lie down, pass out, recover, glucose drink, then completely fine. Takes about seven or eight minutes from rolling my sleeve up to walking out again.

T.

In reply to Pursued by a bear:

I seem to manage this without the need for a fast!

In reply to johncook:


Then you are invalidating the purpose of it being a fasting blood test.

In reply to mypyrex:


I do a bit but have so far managed not to get too worried. We will see how long that lasts though

Glad to hear your results were OK

In reply to Lion Bakes:

I believe it is the fainting that he manages without the fasting!

In reply to girlymonkey:


Of course. I blame it on the boogie!

In reply to mypyrex:

It's called "white coat hypertension."

In reply to mypyrex:

Recently had MRI scan and blood tests, both of which have found minor issues but nothing too much to worry about. Which is both good and bad, since i’ve had 4 months of feeling crap and would like to know why. Or at least an explanation other than ‘you’re 50, maybe you’ve overdone it’. Obviously I don’t want to be told there is anything seriously wrong with me, just something minor yet identifiable and easily corrected by a week of medication !

In reply to mypyrex:

Glad to hear everything's OK.

In reply to mypyrex:

Had my routine (every couple of years) fasting blood test this month, I understand your concerns exactly as I got called back in by the surgery and thought "oh ****" what's wrong. Turned out it was something else they wanted to know and in fine!

In reply to mypyrex:

I'm due for my blood test on Monday, then the unsettling wait for results for an appointment in 2 weeks. It seems this will now be a feature of my life, regular blood tests seeing to what extent the prostate cancer has returned and when the countdown clock starts ticking. Still, worrying about it isn't going to make things better, so on with life and it's sunny, so on with climbing this weekend.

In reply to mypyrex:
Fasting bloods tend to have been discontinued for most samples and the fasting would hardly cause the symptoms you describe.Commonly known as White Coat syndrome,use to see it fairly regularly during national service where you stood in a long queue watching those in front have their shots.Used to suffer from it myself until after joining the Health Service soon got over it.Try wiggling your toes while waiting,honestly it usually works.

In reply to gribble:

That sounds shit. Hope it doesn’t start ticking for a good while yet!

In reply to gribble:

I am really sorry to hear that. You say "to what extent the prostate cancer has returned" so presumably you have already had treatment? I have been through the mill - laparoscopic radical prostatectomy 5 years ago and had my annual PSA test last week - fortunately no change.

Of course there is a slight apprehension every time I have a check up blood test, but as I have no choice in the result, I try not to let it worry me and ever since I was first diagnosed I have taken the que sera sera attitude to this or any other tests so that I just can get on with my life.

The older I get, the more I realise that the clock is ticking. For every one of my friends who have been diagnosed with life threatening or changing conditions, there are as many others who have died suddenly through an unexpected heart attack, stroke, or even climbing or car accident. We don't know what's round the corner and worrying won't change it.

Good luck and keep up your positive attitude.

In reply to mypyrex:

Last time I had any blood tests, the GP said (literally) "I'll send you off for some blood tests just to make sure you don't have leukaemia or something". The way our surgery seems to work is that they only contact you if the tests are bad news. So I waited and heard nothing. Eventually I looked at the surgery's online system which showed me the results of the various tests and whether or not they were normal, although I couldn't understand them beyond that unless I spent a long time on Google.

To be fair, when I booked the appointment (online) I had the choice of an immediate appointment with a notoriously crap GP, or an appointment later on with a better GP.

To answer your original question, even though I can needlessly worry about the smallest of things I don't give blood test results a second thought.

In reply to Trangia:

Completely agree with your thinking. In a strange way, the blood test results are a bit exciting in a reverse adrenalin sort of style. Or something. Yep, prostatectomy (grade 5 cancer), then radiotherapy and hormone treatment. Crap ride, but life has a new meaning now, I'll not worry about the future or even look forward to it, I'll just play the game of life as it strolls on.

In reply to gribble:

Next fasting blood test next week.
Seems last time I had far too much blood in my alcohol stream.

In reply to mypyrex

I actually find them quite reassuring, I get regular blood tests every year and the online medical records post the results and graph them for me so I can see the trends really quickly and easily. Mind you stopping excessive boozing has had a marked positive effect on my general health.