GP says my routine bloods are normal. Really?

suddha I am NHS

• the NHS has calibrated analysers and the normal results for that analyser and for the measured value are given after the result in brackets, highlighted in red if abnormal. So the results range is accurate. As I said other countries use both different units and different analysers so can't directly compare.

• if a result is at lower limit of normal then in the context of the clinical picture a repeat in a certain time span might be needed, or general monitoring
• some tests can only be repeated after a certain time including B12, Folate , ferritin as stores last for specific periods so you have to wait until the stores may have been depleted think it's 3 months but the lab states it on the results form and rejects earlier samples.
• both GPs and hospital Drs follow guidelines regarding red flags, electrolyte replacement, hypothyroid treatment etc. they are guidelines, we can still treat slightly differently with good reason on clinical judgement but that has to stand up to scrutiny. Some treatments will be based on clinical experience and expertise of what has worked before- guidelines are great so all clinicians can easily find them and use them but experienced clinicians can use judgement too.

It has taken 8 years and my hitting peak don't give a shit peri for them to admit perhaps I have a malabsorbtion issue.
My partner has been discharged with heart failure rather than admit he may have not completed the angioplasty he stopped, then rushed properly. So blond faith in the nhs is not a good idea

GP means no evidence of disease which appears true.

You may benefit from vitamin d and inc iron in diet. But sounds like your low mood is the problem.

I only tried one pharmacy, maybe I should have looked further afield. I imagine if you’ve had that experience then it was a one off problem with the pharmacy rather than a general issue.

Gp marked my ACR result of 33 as normal. A quick Google says it's not normal. The app also says patient informed. I haven't been informed by the doc. I know i have kidney disease and my results are probably what they would expect but would prefer things to be labelled as abnormal but expected. By saying something is normal I feel it is denying that I have a problem.

I do get where the pharamacists are coming from. Routinely low iron should be investigated, in practice most GPs don’t bother as they put it down to periods if you’re female. Easier to throw iron tablets at you and not think about anything else. But potentially someone could have a malabsorption issue like coeliac disease and should be tested, they could even (unlikely) have internal bleeding/cancer and there should be some sort of discussion to rule that out.

That's weird. I've asked in a number of pharmacies around here and in the next town over time (as it tends to be one of those things I'll get when I am out and about for other things,) and the only time they've said no is because they don't currently have any in.

Rather than buying supplements which are poorly regulated can cause issues if taken in excess how about looking at your diet? I would suggest tracking on cronometer for a few days to see what you are lacking and addressing that way. I found out my b12 intake was 800% of the rda but b5 was just 25% so I have made sure to adjust my food accordingly.

https://www.everydayhealth.com/news/supplements-risks-every-women-should-know/

You can buy it online for less than £2, cheaper than a prescription https://www.mypharmacy.co.uk/product/ferrous-sulfate-200mg-tablets/?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA8NKtBhBtEiwAq5aX2IuGd-I7IdGus2Q1KQ1k67inwfIj95KZ6HcG7qw92sza5REI-ZPwmRoCpuAQAvD_BwE

When I was in this position and my doctor told me I was being silly (was actually a lot more patronising) My pharmacist said no, not without prescription. It was off the shelf 15mg or nothing.

Alright then let me rephrase. The NHS uses too low of a range for blood results and has been widely criticised. They will tell you your result is ok but in other countries the same result would put you on supplements. Many people report being told by the NHS they’re within normal range and don’t need supplements, but they have all sorts of symptoms that are subsequently cured by supplements. I advise ignoring the NHS and supplementing yourself, because the NHS ranges are set too low.

Agreed. I suffer from restless legs and started taking Floradix which is liquid iron with vitamin B complex and Vitamin C. Big improvement!!
OP I suggest you take this as well, Boots do their own version which is cheaper.

@Nttttt is correct about different countries having different ranges (certainly for vitamin d) and it’s nothing to do with different equipment or measuring systems. The nhs seems to look at a deficient/sufficient level cut off where as other countries will say there’s a deficient/sufficient cut off but also a higher optimal range. Which the nhs ignores. There’s also a lack of holistic care, maybe some people are ok with a vit d level of 30, others won’t be. Experts say that the UKs vit d cut off is not evidence based and should be higher.

https://www.nutraingredients.com/Article/2021/05/06/UK-vit-D-sufficiency-threshold-set-too-low-say-experts#

https://www.vitamaniathemovie.com/vitamin-d-levels/

Yes the ranges are the same but the explanation behind the results is vastly different. Especially if they have many previous tests to compare with. A private endocrinologist would be alarmed if hormone levels dropped off a cliff despite still being in the reference range.

I'm not knocking the NHS/GP's they can't and don't offer the intricate level of detail they would like to provide every patient with because they'd only be able to see about 4 people a day at best.

Take some vitamin D supplements and accept the results are within range ( apart from vitamin D).

If you want to take other supplements- then do so.

Getting blood tests privately is not going to be any different as the ranges are the same.

This is why I think anyone who is luckily enough in a position to do so should get regular blood work done as a routine. One random blood test tells us absolutely nothing about our health, yes you may be in the reference range for everything but without regular tests you could have slipped from the very top end of said range right to the bottom. While still technically being acceptable I can guarantee you'll feel a hell a of a lot different.

Another sweeping statement. Ranges on different labs and with different testing methods and analysers can give different ranges.
But yes if you have your own private medical degree, experience abd biochemistry/ haematology technical knowledge please enlighten us all ???

Right well that makes perfect sense !
Interesting perspectives on the thread.
Of the bloods are in range, they really are in range- can be rechecked after a few months but the range is there for a reason.
A private dermatologist who can't even prescribe- great.

Please go and see another GP with a copy of your bloods so you can discuss further. There is so much anecdotal advice on this thread and it's quite dangerous to make medical decisions for yourself based on this. A good GP will look at other factors with you ie heavy periods, the possibility that you are not absorbing iron properly even intestinal bleeds. Your family history is an important part of the puzzle too . Waiting until bloods fall below the lowest level before starting treatment is terrible tertiary medicine. Good luck with your health and I hope you get some proper support.

@MumblesParty I think op gets the messsge, no need to keep kicking.

I always ask for a print out now
Spent 8 years back and forth with constant infections, loads of bloods, told all normal, no reason for my infections
Back at the doctors again and saw a locum GP as I was now having night sweats and had bloods done. Got a phone call that evening from her telling me I needed to go to hospital now and sending me to haematology

Severely neutropenic. Had been on and off for years and nobody had noticed it. I kill off my neutrophils. This was 2016 ish

I got a print out of my bloods from 2008 and it says on there I had low neutrophils with left shift, which is because I kill them off. Nobody mentioned it. Changed doctors as I had lost all faith in them

this is good advice. however I would reccommend a registered dietician and not a nutritionist (although some dieticians call themselves nutritionists). @NotSoIronMan you can visit the British Dietatic Association Website to find a dietician in your location. they will advice on optimising Diet as well as supplements. also need to think about whether there may be other causes for your symptoms eg. poor sleep due to sleep apnoea? thyroid or autoimmune issues?

Happened to me and got worse and worse but it was in the “normal” range to my dr. Then it only got picked up on in pregnancy.

A family member just had the exact same issue they signed everything off as normal even though she had a lot of issues including pre-diabetes!

In other countries the normal ranges are wayyyyy different. NHS give a lot of leeway so they don’t have to fix anything.

No it doesn't. You can ask the pharmacist. I get ferrous sulphate 200mg, same as I was originally prescribed. I had ferrous fumarate once, as they didn't have ferrous sulphate in, so that's also an option.

I take it when I'm on my period, but not the rest of the month, and that is usually enough. I did fail to give blood last week as my iron was too low, but I did have a horrifically heavy period the last one, and it wasn't much below, and the blood service has higher thresholds, as donations deplete it.

Ah the wonderful world of NHS blood tests - GP said all was fine despite me being exhausted, palpitations, dizzy and low mood. Put me on antidepressants. I went to give blood and was told I was severely anaemic and needed bloods done....were shocked when I said I had been told that same week all was fine. Went back to doc and he very begrudgingly gave me folate for 30 days without any other checks. I had to wean myself off the antidepressants with zero suggestion from him that it was in fact a deficiency causing my "depression". I've had a very bad week of not being listened to by men in NHS and am pretty angry that women get so easily dismissed and put on medication that is damaging and unnecessary while proper tests that would give long term benefit and prevention of future disease are deemed too expensive.