To be COMPLETELY freaked out by GP

[Caerulea]

My GP just rang two days after I had bloods done. I've never had results back this quick let alone a phone call from the GP themself.

Reasons for the test (& also FIT test - sent off Tuesday) were nightsweats, which I'd just put down to being on sertraline or being 43 & possibly peri.

He rang to say my CRP was 42 & platelets 498, everything else normal (all was normal on prev test in August) & wanted to do a wellness check to make sure I was well enough to wait for the FIT test results.

Like... WHAT? I'm fully freaking out. He said it's an inflammation marker & could signify anything but also said 'you know why we are doing the FIT test, right'? And I said to check for blood to signify cancer, & he said yes.

I've fairly major health anxiety (hence sertraline) & I'm currently sat on the sofa shaking uncontrollably knowing I've at least a week before the FIT test results come back.

Can anyone reassure me or am I right to be losing my crap over this?

YABU

Like... WHAT? I'm fully freaking out. He said it's an inflammation marker & could signify anything but also said 'you know why we are doing the FIT test, right'? And I said to check for blood to signify cancer, & he said yes.

And then what was said? I mean, I’m not sure I would leave it out that without asking what it was that led them to believe it was necessary and were there any concerns?

In the absence of any further information, I would assume that unless I had any other symptoms, this was simply exploratory to rule out anything and forget about the results until they call again.

I say this as someone who has had some health anxiety.

It could be slightly elevated due to you having just had a really shitty virus. The figures aren’t alarming.

I have HA too and it’s awful, but worry is a waste of energy. It just ruins your day. Try to visualise dropping your worries like leaves into a flowing river, and watching them flow away from you. And distraction is key. Don’t get into obsessive cycles of Googling or checking. I know it’s all easier said than done.

@julieca I agree with you there, I do think he's doing the right thing. I've been continually fobbed off by the prev GPs (they keep leaving our surgery) & he's the first one I've seen multiple times & he does really listen. He did apologise saying he can be to blunt sometimes but finds it better than sugar coating. I think my MH preferred being told its all in my head, tests telling me otherwise are a bit ooof.

@Onesipmore the sertraline is helping with that for sure, actual direct help is on that 'when I've got time' list 🙄.

@LyrasOxford this is something that's crossed my mind before. I do wake up in the night in terrible pain in my elbows & wrists, but that's been for a while & prev bloods haven't shown these. For whatever reason the idea of RA scares me far less than cancer even though that's probably illogical.

@NotMyCat Omg why are some men like this?! My dad would do exactly the same!

@herecomesthsun Thank you, your post was actually incredibly helping & grounding xx

@Bellabelloo In Sainsburys?! Urgh, I'm so sorry. Hopefully all your things come back clear & if they don't that it's something manageable or fixable xx

@KevinTheKoala Thank you, I do keep reading about nightsweats & sertraline being really common & long term for some so really had written it off as just that - and it still may be totally separate from the blood results. Given the state of things atm I should probably just be grateful my Dr didn't just write it off & is exploring.

@BoredZelda honestly there's lots of other symptoms but they've all been kinda written off by prev GPs (high turnover at our surgery). He apologised for freaking me out & we left it that we'd wait for the FIT results & take it from there. The thing he's working off is the nightsweats, & dicky tummy.

@Helenahandbasketbing Omg your post was gorgeous, thank you xx

No worries @Caerulea. It helps me but it does take practice. My visualisations are seasonal too. It’s leaves in a river in Autumn, throwing snowballs in Winter, dandelion clocks in Spring and ice cubes in warm water in Summer.

@Caerulea it sounds from your update about him apologising for being blunt, that he is simply telling you that is one of the things they are looking for. It is normal for loads of things to rule out cancer. Basically every time they order a full-blood count, it is usually one of the things being considered. But I wouldn't describe this as a cancer scare. It is simply that because cancer is such a serious thing to have, but can have so many symptoms depending on where it is, they have to rule it out.
Inflammation can mean loads and loads of things.
The one time I supposedly had a cancer scare, a consultant told me I might have it and I was sent for an MRI, I was pretty sure I hadn't. And I was right. I hope you get results soon but try not to worry - easier said than done I know.

I think we can all be grateful that good GPs like to rule things out but it doesn't help with the anxiety does it
hope you get good news soon and it's either nothing at all or something very treatable

The thing he's working off is the nightsweats, & dicky tummy.

Which can be a gazillion things. Worrying won’t change the results. Easy to say, I know, but that’s my mantra when HA is at its worst!

OP there are so many other things it could be there are hundreds of other things that cause inflammation. Don't assume cancer 💐 (I know as it happened to me). I didn't have cancer. It was something else.

Oh and I had night sweats too I meant to say

Thank you for all the amazing support on this post, I have posted again in general health with an update.