Embarrassing question over test results

[EmbarrassingQ]

Wasn't sure where to post this - it's a bit embarrassing but hoping someone can put my mind at rest.

On Monday I had a long awaited GP appointment. (I'm 40+ and had a baby last year and hormones haven't recovered). Anyway long story short the Dr referred me for a blood test immediately and said I'd be texted if the results were abnormal in any way.

Yesterday I received a text asking me to book an appointment for 5 days time to discuss the results, so something must be abnormal.

My husband got me worried as he asked if there had been alcohol in my blood at the time of the blood test. Now it just so happens that there would have been. On Sunday, the day before my GP appointment I went out for a very boozy afternoon tea to celebrate my friends 50th. We ended up drinking a lot of Prosecco and moved on to a bar afterwards. It was the first time I've been out with friends for two years (thanks to baby and Covid) and I must admit I let my hair down! I was with trusted friends and we all got a bit sloshed and I had a great time, but I'm sure I must have drunk equivalent to at least a bottle of Prosecco to myself over the course of the evening, maybe a bottle and a half . This is not normal for me but this is what happened. (No judgement please).

The next day I felt fine as I'm lucky enough not to get hangovers particularly, and when the GP suggested a blood test it didn't occur to me to declare the alcohol consumption the day before.

Will they have detected this and will it have flagged a concern? My DH got me worried. What if they see a huge amount of alcohol in the blood and think I'm unfit to look after a toddler? I'm not breastfeeding but still?

Does anyone know if this will be a concern?

No it wouldn't be, don't worry. They don't measure for blood alcohol levels in normal blood tests. Was your DH trying to make you feel guilty for having a night out? Seems such a bizarre suggestion from him.

It really won't be that, don't worry. There won't be a "huge amount" of alcohol in your blood the day after, and even if there was, parents are allowed a night out!

Was your husband a bit miffed that you went out and he's trying to make you feel bad about it?

Great minds namechange30455

Even if they detected it, it won't be huge amounts. I'd assume they'd just ask for a repeat if there was an issue like this

No, the blood tests would have been for vitamin or mineral deficiencies. Perhaps one to check hormone levels, thyroid function.

They would not have snuck in a drug test for alcohol, or other drugs.

I deal with blood tests every day. They will not have done a test to detect alcohol. If you went for a hormone blood panel then it will be related to that won't it?

More likely you need iron or vitamin b12 or something.

Ok phew, thank you!!!! I had visions of social services coming to check in my baby

No, my husband wasn't saying it in that way. I was worrying over what the anomaly might be and being over anxious about the results. I think he suggested the alcohol levels as a way to try to calm me down as I was thinking about serious illness etc. As in "it might just be alcohol levels?"

It's not illegal to have a few drinks anyway!

You're overthinking this totally...

Thank you!! I am a total over thinker!!

There is nothing embarrassing about going out for an occasional night out with friends when you're a mum

Yes @XiCi however the GP said "we might as well test for a range of things" and ticked a load of boxes as well as hormones, so I wasn't sure exactly what they would have been testing.

I had visions of social services coming to check in my baby
Do you think you might need to speak with the GP about anxiety? Your reaction seems very extreme.

Can you imagine how busy social services would be if they had to check on every child who's parents had had a few drinks on a rare night out

I have bloods every 12 weeks
If something is very very wrong you know - they sent an ambulance to my dad the same day after seeing blood results
When something was very wrong, they rang me at 7pm
When I had low vitamin d they made a standard repeat appointment
Hopefully that helps! If I get a letter or asked to do a repeat it's usually something is a bit off like iron or vitamin d or they need to repeat it as an issue with the test

@EmbarrassingQ

Yes *@XiCi* however the GP said "we might as well test for a range of things" and ticked a load of boxes as well as hormones, so I wasn't sure exactly what they would have been testing.

They would have been testing for full blood count, liver and kidney function, thyroid levels, vitamin D levels as well as general hormone levels. None of these pick up blood alcohol levels and this would have had to be specifically asked for (and is not likely to be on their radar even!) the only way a GP might get an insight to alcohol consumption would be from liver function tests (but they would only indicate something is affecting/impacting its function and then would discuss lifestyle aspects with you as part of a wider discussion.

It’s far more likely some of the results are ‘out of usual range’ such as hormone, vid d or thyroid levels; or, somethings been lost and needs repeating. Lastly, it may be they want to repeat some of them with an additional test covered to confirm or rule out a previous result.

Absolutely not.

I got called back in too btw and it was just to discuss low iron levels

My job is to monitor blood test results at a GP practice - I have never once seen blood alcohol levels!
In women in their 30's / 40's we most commonly see low iron levels, low b12 underactive thyroid or pre diabetes.
Sometimes elevated liver enzymes in big drinkers or diabetics. If really dehydrated maybe a drop in kidney function but we would generally just repeat liver / kidney function tests in the first instance rather than speak to GP.

Also, alcohol leaves your system at a rate of about one unit/hour, so if you started drinking at four pm (afternoon) and stopped at one am, drinking one glass an hour, most of the alcohol would have been out of your system by six am (ish) anyway...