Health Results - why don't people ask?

[RosesAndHellebores]

Having had a health scare over the last few months (all well) I have looked more at health boards, here and elsewhere.

Very often I read, my Dr said my Thyroid bloods were normal or my cholesterol was up but I don't know what my actual results are, looks like I'll be starting a statin soon.

May I ask why people don't ask for their exact results or sign up for the NHS app, or ask for a print out. Instead they go on forums and say "I've got all the symptoms of thyroid but my GP says the results are normal" and then add after questioning "oh no, I don't know what bloods were tested or the exact results". You could insert Vit D, Iron, Cholesterol, diabetes, etc, instead of thyroid.

Why don't people ask for the exact results, what each test was for, and the reference ranges so they can ask about anomaloes and borderline results. Then they could think about various treatment options how appropriate they are and possibly consider alternatives. They can also keep copies of results to track changes and trajectories so they have a baseline and can ask informed questions.

Having said that, it's a poor show if drs don't give the precise results voluntarily.

I always ask. Some Drs tell me and some refuse and some do it after some persuasion.

Well, you don’t know what you don’t know! How do you know what you haven’t been told? I’d assume the doctor was telling me all I needed to know, and so would many people. I don’t go to the doctor often or have tests so how would I know if I wasn’t being given the full picture?

@elliejjtiny they can't refuse and you shouldn't have to persuade. Results relating to your health are your personal information. I'd refuse to see any Dr who refused to provide my results and I'd like make a formal complaint and raise an SDAR if they weren't forthcoming.

@AtomicBlondeRose if your Dr says, hmm, your cholesterol is a bit high, would you not want to know how high, what the reference ranges were and read up a bit about it before consenting to the Dr's suggestion of a drug?

I've had blood tests, called GP for results and had receptionist tell me that everything is fine so no appointment needed. Having an appointment to have a GP explain the results isn't a universal thing.

My GP is very reluctant to share numbers/results. When I ask for my thyroid numbers they are all - why do you want to know? We have told you the results are normal? Googling is not a good idea. They just make you feel like a massive inconvenience and awkward patient.

Exactly, OP. Then they come on this site moaning, complaining and asking random atrangers instead of their experts who treated them.
Prople like this drive me MENTAL.👊😡

I always check the actual results, but doctors most of the time have told me the actual result rather than just saying something vague like "in range" or "too high/low".

Many doctors surgeries aren't signed up to the sharing of results on the app, etc.

That's so strange, why would the GP be reluctant to share the results? What is this weird patronising behaviour from some doctors?

If a Dr has reviewed the results they should be available on the NHS App. Dr's can't legally withhold them. If my Dr said "I've told you it's fine, you don't need them", I'd change Dr. I recall once a Dr saying to me, my daughter's thyroid bloods were fine, so I asked for the TSH and was told "oh that one's not back", so the results weren't fine.

they're only on the app if your surgery has signed up to that bit of it. My surgery shows nothing on the app apart from repeat prescriptions. I can get results on the hospital app instead, but not many people have that if they haven't been to hospital, and I only get them there becasue the lab is connected to the hospital.

Others don't know that the numbers are available, or don't know that they'd come with reference ranges that would help interpret them, or that the GP has those numbers and could give them to them - they might think that the GP just gets told something is high or low or whatever. Lots of people don't have a background where this sort of stuff is familiar to them and wouldn't know to ask - or wouldn't want to know the details, only what they need to do about it.

I personally like knowing, but I then often obsess a bit about the numbers and wonder why something was deemed 'ok' when it's a bit under the reference range, or wonder why the range is different from the one I can see online, etc (I know why, but I can imagine lots of people wouldn't). That will all just increase workload fo GPs and receptionists who then have loads of questions to answer, so I can see why they don't particularly volunteer the information unless someone goes out of their way to ask about it.

And did you accept that? Didn't you want a bit more detail? I have the NHS App so that I can see my full results,though that was uphill work getting my practice to put me on it.
I sometimes think that doctors don't realise that the patient has more than a passing interest in results.

But then I got told off for asking too many questions when I was in hospital. Like it had nothing to do with me?

Even if surgeries don't sign up to the NHS App, patients are still entitled to request a copy of their results from reception once a Dr has looked at them. They can't legally be withheld.

I always look my results up on Patient Access . I think some people just want to trust their Dr . I’ve not trusted a medical professional for years added to which I likely know more about my main condition than any of the GPs at our practice anyway .

I've requested access via the nhs app but my surgery isn't signed up to the service. It would seem they don't intend to any time soon.
So I can get my results but I have to have an appointment with a doctor to do so.

We don’t have a nhs app in Scotland. We have patient access website, the only thing I can use it for is to request repeat prescriptions.

@Stroopwaffels you can ask reception to print it off then. Or even the GP if you have an appointment.

Yes I have another appointment booked in a week as I think I need a total MOT - thyroid, plus tests to make sure i'm actually absorbing the estrogen i'm taking through patches.

They all will be soon. In fact, you'll be able to read the whole consultation soon as well (we've just had training on this).
I always advise people to look their results up on the app, or tell them to call and ask. But if they call they get the receptionist and all they can really say is GP says it's normal/satisfactory. They can't talk you through the results really as they aren't qualified to answer any questions, but they will happily give a printout if anyone asks.
For things like HbA1C and cholesterol, that I (as a practice nurse) deal with, I tell people their actual numbers and where they are within the normal range (or not). I think for most people, the more information they have about their heath, the better as it's empowering.

Once the Dr has seen them can’t you just get the receptionist to print them off , that’s what I did pre patient access .

About thyroid... I thought I read on MN that each laboratory has its own 'reference' numbers, so you have to know the exact lab reference range, to know if your numbers might be unusual. Thus, Google is not your friend on that one. It needs interpretation by an expert who has the other piece of info.

I got told my thyroid numbers were "borderline". I was never sure if they were borderline low or high, since I didn't have lab reference values. I felt fine, so never got tested again.

I have a monitored immune condition and I'm considered a nuisance because I chase up my results and notice if anything's changed or been missed.

I had a colonoscopy last year and the consultant showed me one large polyp which he said ought to be checked for complete removal 6-12 months later. NICE guidelines I discovered. My GP insisted this was unnecessary, said it was a benign polyp and wrote 'health anxiety' on my patient record when I argued.

Doctors don't like curious patients, I assume in case their mistakes are discovered.

As someone who has just had a really traumatic time at hospital who did ask, I was told different things by each Dr who saw me, discharged in a rush to the point where they almost left my cannula in, told in the same ten minute span that my CT results were both fine and then that it showed a bad lung infection and sent home with discharge papers saying I had atelectasis (a bit of collapsed lung) with no one having told me this before I was discharged - and no answer the hundred times I've tried to call the ward to have a Dr explain what is wrong with me - we do ask but increasingly it seems that this is seen as an inconvenience for lots of Dr's.

The NHS is collapsing and so for reassurance people turn to forums etc to get advice and help. Without mumsnet this week I'd have been such an anxious wreck.

I ask what they're testing for. If they come back and every thing is normal then that's all I need to know. Also my phone doesn't support apps so couldn't download it even if I wanted to.