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4 week wait for blood tests?!

6 replies

Underthemagnificentbeechtree · 25/10/2023 17:25

Just seen GP for DS (8) who had Covid 5 weeks ago and has raised lymph nodes & general fatigue despite no obvious sign of acute infection. She’s requested blood tests & an ultrasound of the nodes.

They don’t take paeds bloods at the GP practice - these are done at the children’s ward of our local hospital & have to be booked through the trust’s website - the earliest available appointment is late November - I have booked this and put in the comments that I work from home and are very local so we can attend an earlier cancellation slot with around an hour’s notice.

Am I right in thinking 4 weeks is a long wait for blood tests given the kind of thing that is being (hopefully) ruled out here?! Whenever I’ve needed them it’s been a few days later (at the GP practice).

OP posts:
Sunshineclouds11 · 25/10/2023 17:28

We had a afew weeks wait for DC blood test before too, I think it's because they can only do kids at the hosp so obv is busy.
And takes longer than us adults as need the numbing cream, not as easy etc.

Underthemagnificentbeechtree · 25/10/2023 17:29

We’ve been told to purchase numbing cream and apply at home!

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AlltheFs · 25/10/2023 17:31

We had a 3 week wait last year for DD’s, we had to travel 45 mins for it too. Pain in the arse really but it was necessary so we went.

We were offered one slot and if we couldn’t make that it was another 6 weeks so I think 4-6 seems about the norm here. It’s not great though but in our case it was non urgent (trying to work out why she has persistent chest infections- we have concluded it is asthma).

AlltheFs · 25/10/2023 17:32

Underthemagnificentbeechtree · 25/10/2023 17:29

We’ve been told to purchase numbing cream and apply at home!

How bizarre- how do they know which vein they want? DD had to have 4 places numbed so they could decide which was best.

Sunshineclouds11 · 25/10/2023 17:33

Underthemagnificentbeechtree · 25/10/2023 17:29

We’ve been told to purchase numbing cream and apply at home!

Really?
They checked my DC over for the best veins/places and applied several places

Underthemagnificentbeechtree · 25/10/2023 19:03

Sorry have been running errands!

Quoted from booking email:

”We suggest that you apply a numbing cream 1 hour before your appointment to either the crook of the elbow or the back of the hand and cover with cling film. Numbing cream can be obtained form your pharamcy. Alternatively a quick acting cold spray will be applied at your blood test.”

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