Would you read blood test results ?

[wouldyouuu]

I have recently had blood tests done because I've not been very well.

I can see the results are back now in my NHS app. But I'm scared to read them without context and don't want to freak out over them.

Would you read them ? Or do you usually ring the doctor / does the doctor ring you ?

Sounds like you're freaking out a bit anyway so I would read them.

I am freaking out.

Where is the GP comment please?

I can see mine in the NHS App and they are just listed. I can also see them in the hospital patient portal where they are listed and helpfully have a history of earlier results.

Neither place has any GP or other doctor comments, though.

I have really bad health anxiety so I wouldn't tbh. If I was "0.2" out of range, I would blow that up in my head and think something is massively wrong. I would wait for a dr

Read them and stop freaking out. If there is anything that looks an issue, call the doctors for a chat.

They wouldn't have been made visible to you if it was something serious. Out of range results have to be manually authorised by a biomedical scientist or clinical scientist or consultant. They wouldn't be released to your notes without being seen by the requesting physician.

I just had mine done and I had a call a few days later to come in that day. As you can imagine I spent the whole day freaking out. So I googled mine and the one that was slightly elevated was ESR. It was on 30 and I think the normal range for women is up to 29.
They brought me in, examined me further and mentioned the ESR being slightly raised. So they want to re test me in two weeks to see if any change.

Don't panic too much. Chances are that everything is okay/can be fixable and either way you're on your way to getting any medical help if required.

LOOL guys! All normal no action

@AnchorWHAT this is the how the lab flags up an acute kidney injury based on one’s creatinine compared to baseline (to be interpreted in the context of other clinical signs and the clinical situation). Normally has a stage number next to if if present eg 1/2/3.

Great!!

Thank you! So no number is ok then?

I think some haven't come back, like thyroid one. At least I can't see that one.

Thanks for making me look at it.

I always check mine after being fobbed off by my GP repeatedly over my symptoms. My ferritin was severely under range at just 3, my B12 was bottom of range and I had a vitamin D deficiency. All perfectly fine and nothing to worry about according to the GP.

I’m glad I can read mine on the app now. A few years ago when you had to go into the surgery to ask for your results and a receptionist used to say ‘they are ok’ my low Hb was missed, I ended up having emergency surgery and needed a blood transfusion , so my ok bloods were not ok. I’m a nurse too!

I always read mine, my gp sends a copy of them to me. When I've had scans I've been sent a link to view images and measurements.

They managed to put mine as normal for 8 years
I was neutropenic

I always check what mine are. I have hypothyroidism, diabetes and a blood disorder. I want to know what is going on and have had time to read and understood the results before any calls which may or may not come (GP surgery not reliable)

@Rebel2023 That is awful!

I don’t trust a word my GP says any more, I double check absolutely everything. No availability at any other surgeries to move unfortunately.

Yes. I'm suffering badly from primary hyperparathyroidism (unfortunately mine is genetic).. Had first failed surgery in June 2017 and still awaiting second op as they can't find any enlarged glands! Last PTH was 196! With so called normal calcium! Also I'm an ex nurse so have a good idea if the results are abnormal anyway. My dumb consultant says the only symptom caused by my very out of synch bloods (hormone and mineral levels) is severe osteoporosis! I really was that was the only symptom they're causing.