GP mucked up my blood tests

[jt1952]

I feel like crying right now.

I saw my GP with a suspicion of an under active thyroid. He agreed with me and said he would book in the following blood tests:

FBC
Liver function
Renal function
Thyroid function
Tests for ferritin etc
Vitamin D
Cholesterol

I have had the blood test and got the results today. He only ordered FBC, renal function, liver function and HBA1C.

For full context I am overweight, I’ve lost 10 stone and I am still losing (intentionally). The GP has messaged to say the blood are all fine and as far as he’s concerned that’s the case closed. I can access my results.

I feel so frustrated that half the tests he promised haven’t been done. Now I need to start the entire process again, wait four weeks to speak to a GP and wait another four for a blood test, wait a week for the results and see if I actually get the tests I need.

AIBU to make a complaint? It really feels like he was trying to pull a fast one with the HBA1C, and blame this on me being pre-diabetic. In actual fact it’s at the bottom of a normal range!

Because the message said, and I’m copying word for word from the voicemail transcription.

“Hello JT, it’s [receptionist] from [surgery] here, Dr [GP] has reviewed your bloods and has asked me to let you know that they’re all normal and there’s no need for a further follow up, thank you.”

Nope. No way to access it. Stinks of a coverup.

And all that does is show that they've reviewed the bloods they've received, it doesn't say "all your bloods" or "all your results".

Are you just trying to get people to rant about the state of the NHS?

Agreed. I'm not particularly overweight but have had underactive thyroid for years. I've had lots of the symptoms of diabetes because they are so similar, and am tested for it whenever I have my routine testing.

What symptoms have you had?

Why are you determined to invalidate my experience of what’s happened?

This. In some laboratories, Thyroid function tests are only done once a week. The results may come back next week.

Because you're being silly.

Am I? If the GP knew there’s more to come he wouldn’t say they’re all fine and no need to follow up.

A cover up? Are you usually this dogmatic in your approach?

PPs have probably already said this but in case they haven’t, pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes are often without symptoms and can be present for a long time before being picked up. If you are overweight (which I am inferring from your posts - apologies if I have misunderstood) then there is increased risk of being diabetic so the blood test was very much justified.

I don’t know why you haven’t got your thyroid results - maybe it wasn’t ordered, maybe it was taken, maybe the sample was not sufficient or not suitable for processing.
Just ask calmly and hopefully it will be easily rectified.

Yes, yes you are.

I think it must have been a simple error.
HBAC1 is tested routinely with thyroid, looking for autoimmune conditions which often go together. The GP was just being thorough, but either they or the person doing the blood test made a mistake, or a mistake in the lab in not testing thyroid. Can you see what the GP ordered, or just what results came back?

My 6 year old routinely has thyroid, ferritin, FBC and HBAC1 along with TtG every 6 months. She is very fit and healthy, not in anyway overweight. It's a very routine test

Some blood tests take longer to come back than others, the TtG for example takes at least 2 weeks, sometimes longer. So not all of yours might be back yet

With this GP practice I am. They’ve done this to our family on more than one occasion.

Really you need to get a grip. If you have an under active thyroid (IF) then you aren’t going to die of it between now and the time you can have another blood sample taken and have it diagnosed. And in answer to your question “is this what we have to put up with now? - yes it is. The NHS is on its knees. Be grateful we even have an NHS. If you’re so worked up about “being gaslit” (ludicrous use of the term) over a blood test then go and pay for one privately. Or find something more important to get worked up about. No one’s missed your cancer diagnosis, you aren’t going to die because a blood test for thyroid problems wasn't completed properly.

So you’re saying that the only time you deserve good care is when you’re dying. No wonder it’s on its knees (it’s not), when people accept substandard care as the norm.

I believe you and get why you're annoyed.
It could have been a mix up, the GP could have made an honest (or dishonest mistake) or the lab results could still be pending.
You don't known yet, and it's probably better to do what will get you progress faster rather than getting angry (yet).

Could you contact the surgery and say there are tests that were agreed missing, and you didn't want to burden them with another appointment, so could they just request the bloods again?

If they eff around and say you need another GP consultation, that's when you get mad :-).

No, I’m saying the NHS is broken and the only time you can EXPECT expeditious and correct care is if you have a life-threatening condition (and sometimes not even then). It’s not 1960, it’s 2026 and this is how it is now. An error on a blood test is a minor inconvenience and you’re behaving as though you’ve got a terminal illness. Get a hold of yourself. Pay for a blood test if it’s so upsetting for you.

I have never once acted like I have a terminal illness.

But yes it is in fave incredibly annoying when I’ve organised my work day around this test, and they can’t even get it right.

Jesus you are precious. I hope nothing ACTUALLY bad ever happens to you.

Grow up OP, you're sounding like a petulant child.
Stinks of a cover up???
Good grief.

Surely they could book you in for a cancellation (can you be flexible?) given the situation, or in my area we can just go along to the local hospital and take a ticket and wait for phlebotomists to do it. If I got at 8:30am is I’m often 1st or 2nd in the queue. Results on the app in couple of days …

They will read the annotations on the result. Which is likely to say “normal no action”.

OP - I understand your frustrations. I’ve also had a phone call like this, just before the weekend, that has left me reeling until Monday morning.

ive had blood tests recently where the results came through (on my app) in dribs and drabs - nearly two weeks between some of them.

In your shoes I’d contact the surgery and say that it looks like some results are missing, can they confirm that these were included in the blood request and go from there.

I'm sorry op, it must be frustrating but hopefully its just a case of the other results not being back yet. I'd give it until Tuesday or Wednesday, if no further results come in then give the surgery a call and ask if they were ordered or not. Hopefully you won't need to get a new appointment simply for ordering new tests.