To ask for your help to calm me down? (Medical)

[FairyLightFiend]

I was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome / ME about a decade ago. After an initial few visits with a disinterested GP who kept telling me that there was nothing he could do, I gave up visiting and have just muddled through on my own.

My family have repeatedly asked me to go to a GP in our new city, which I did last week, to see if anything more could be done about the CFS and the anxiety that I seem to have suffered from more and more recently. She ordered blood tests, which I had done last week.

Anyway - I just had a call from the GP surgery to book an appointment with me for a telephone consultation with my GP, but not until late next week. The receptionist then told me that I have a “borderline plasma viscosity” result. She had no idea what it meant.

Because I’m an idiot I googled it and am now absolutely petrified that it’s showing high protein levels because I have cancer or something else serious.

Are any of you amazing Mumsnetters able to tell me what that result might actually mean?! How worried should I be?

I'm not qualified to tell you what it meand but I'm have CFS/ME too, with plenty of general anxiety, and just want to give you a hand-hold. Borderline could mean many things, but please don't worry about it for now: wait until you have the facts before you do that Anxiety can be exhausting.
Meanwhile please be gentle with yourself & take care 🌹🌹

What in earth is the receptionist doing telling you your results?!

As far as I'm aware they are not supposed to- all they can say is to make an appointment with the GP if something is abnormal.

No one here can tell you what it means- but if something is 'borderline' that means it could be within the normal range, or just a tiny bit out (which usually is just one of those things and nothing to worry about it).

If it was something awful, they would be wanting to speak to you much sooner than the end of next week.

So don't worry, you will be fine!

The fact that they have booked a non urgent telephone appointment would reassure me somewhat. But I'd ask for an earlier appointment if I was feeling very anxious about it.

*what on Earth

What in earth is the receptionist doing telling you your results?!

Receptionists often pass on blood results at a GP's request. Practices get hundreds of blood test results every day - the GPs do not have time to ring every patient themselves. But the results will have been reviewed by a doctor or nurse - all the receptionist is doing is passing on a message.

And, OP, a borderline raised viscosity is incredibly common and usually means nothing at all. Obviously you should make an appointment as requested, but please try not to worry.

Selma must be different in different surgeries then. At mine, they can tell you that your results are normal, but not what is abnormal.

And the doctor doesn't call us- we have to call for our results and then make an appointment, so won't know something is wrong unless we call.

Luckily I have Patient Access so don't need to faff about with that

Yes, different surgeries have different systems, Giraffe.

I had a “come to the doctors” call 5 years ago and was serious news rmy blood. 5 years on I’m okay, so even the worst of news can be overcome,

Thank you so much everyone. I’m still freaking out, but I’m calmer than I was!

I’m not sure if she was supposed to tell me the results or not. She did it when I asked if I could get an earlier appointment because I don’t want to spend the week worrying. I wish I’d kept my mouth shut now!

I did the stupid look on Google recently and convinced myself I had cancer, it's gallstones . It really is more likely to be nothing than cancer. As pps have said they don't book non urgent appointments if they even suspect cancer.

I had something like that recently but it was related to my pernicious anaemia I think. Out of interest, have you had your B12 levels checked?

I’ve not, no. I’ve had a quick google (because clearly I never learn) and I don’t think I’m showing signs of a deficiency in B12.

Ever doctors I've ever been to you ring up the receptionists for blood results. They read them to you and action whatever the dr has put on them eg 'normal, no action needed' or 'xyz borderline, dr would like you to make a telephone appt' or 'your xyz too high, dr would like you to make an urgent appt.' This doesn't sound urgent at all OP, there isn't need to worry

An update for all of you lovely hand holders. I asked to speak to my GP today to ease my anxiety and received a call earlier. She’s asked me to have more blood tests, but reassured me (after I confessed to my naughty googling) that she’s not concerned about cancer. Lupus and rheumatoid arthritis are the next things to rule out apparently... sits on hands to avoid further googling

Thank you all so much again for replying to my post last night. I can’t tell you how much you helped to calm me down!