Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Covid

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

Shielded Group - should i go for blood tests??

28 replies

aWeaponCalledtheWord · 05/04/2020 21:12

evening all.

i’m in the Shielded group as i take methotrexate for Psoriatic Arthritis. i also have a large substernal thyroid goitre and am on levothyroxine. the thyroid is scheduled to come out whenever normal NHS service is resumed.

i’ve been in isolation for 3 weeks now. my GP surgery called me on thursday to say i need to go for blood tests. they will come out to the car to draw the blood.

but, i live alone with no transport. i would have to ask a friend to drive me. i’m notoriously difficult to get blood from, and it’s usually a struggle to tap a vein in my hand.

i explained to the receptionist that i’m in the Shielded group but they are insisting i go for the tests.

my methotrexate dosage has been stable for over 6 months now. i last had a thyroid check with the consultant in January after a failed attempt at surgery. because my thyroid has grown so large, my trachea is all squished to one side and they struggled to keep me oxygenated under anaesthetic so stopped the operation as it was unsafe.

so. if i catch coronavirus and become seriously unwell i’m going to be hard to ventilate. i’m only just 47. i don’t want to die.

should i break my isolation at this point to go for blood tests? i don’t want to, but am aware that i might not be thinking entirely rationally at this point.

anyone with any guidance or ideas? please help - my mental health is also shit and i have anxiety and OCD amongst other delights.

i just don’t know what to do for the best.

OP posts:

mrsbyers · 05/04/2020 21:13

You need to listen to medical advice and have the tests

BigFatLiar · 05/04/2020 21:15

I have a blood test tomorrow. It's not something they can do over the phone Looking forward to it - a trip out , how sad is that.

iVampire · 05/04/2020 21:20

Ring back, tell them you cannot attend in the way they suggest as you have no car, and as you are shielding (which they should know from your medical notes) you should not be within 2m of even other members of your own household (let alone a cabbie)

Therefore you require a home visit.

It’s the sort of thing they probably wouldn’t provide in normal times, but these aren’t exactly normal, are they?

(Fellow shielder here, I had my bloods done just before the shutters came down, next due just before the 12 weeks are up, as is ECG: I shall either walk or run to wherever those tests are being conducted at the time)

Ontheboardwalk · 05/04/2020 21:21

Follow medical advice and go. They will make it as safe as they can

I had to take shielded relative for mandated blood test and it was a military operation at the Drs.

Obviously they will take every precaution they can. I'm liking they will come out to the car to take the test

They are doing the right thing what needs to be done for you

iVampire · 05/04/2020 21:23

‘Looking forward to it - a trip out‘

I know what you mean!

F2F medical appointments are the only thing we shielded types can leave our homes for!

AndWhat · 05/04/2020 21:23

Have you only spoken to the receptionist? I would speak to the dr first on the phone and explain what you said here

LittleLittleLittle · 05/04/2020 21:24

You need to have the blood tests.

The worry at the moment is that Covid-19 will cause the death of people like you (and me) because we can't get normal treatment due the number of Covid-19 cases.

Rabbitjam · 05/04/2020 21:26

They should be able to refer you to district nursing for this.

user1019273703 · 05/04/2020 21:29

Are there specialist nurses you can speak to? That is the advice of where I work.

Camopetals · 05/04/2020 21:36

Some ignorant posters on this thread who clearly don't know what the shielding instructions say. OP you need to insist on a call with your doctor, the car appointment sounds like a sensible measure for most people but a receptionist won't have the power or discretion to override it.

Stilllivinghere · 05/04/2020 21:41

Please talk to the GP/Nurse. They may not have access to your hospital bloods. They can phone the lab. Are the bloods “due” or late?

Personally, I’d not be keen to have a blood test in the week leading up to the peak.

symbioticpatriot · 05/04/2020 21:44

I wouldn’t OP. I would leave it at least a few weeks and review the situation. Like others say perhaps try to speak with a doctor first. If your dosage has been stable and you feel well I agree to be very cautious about breaking your shielding. I wish you good health.

symbioticpatriot · 05/04/2020 21:47

I also wonder if I would post in Auto immune or find a more specialist PsA board if you can. This is a general board and lots of people like to say stuff like “oh just follow medical advice” when this is just a receptionist ringing you for a routine test based on a computer reminder. The only medical advice was given long before we found ourselves in this situation.

Original poster

aWeaponCalledtheWord · 05/04/2020 21:50

thank you all for responding. i will call tomorrow and ask to speak to a doctor. the idea of district nurses hadn’t occurred to me.

i know the bloods need doing (last done in early Feb) but am loath to break isolation as my only transport option is either someone from another household or a taxi.

all food for thought, thank you all so much.

OP posts:

Ontheboardwalk · 05/04/2020 21:50

Your GP would have made the decision for you to come in.

My tablets require a blood pressure test every 6 months, they never ever let me have more tablets without the blood test.

2 weeks ago I was switched to phone appointment for my tablets. My GP admitted we could go 12 months, even 18 at a huge push without a test if my last reading was normal (which it was)

Please listen to your Drs

Original poster

aWeaponCalledtheWord · 05/04/2020 21:57

my last bloods were 10 jan, all results as expected.

everything is complicated by psych meds and the buprenorphine pain patch i wear.

i’m just going to have to suck it up, aren’t i. covid vs liver failure - rock/hard place.

OP posts:

knackeredmumoftwo · 06/04/2020 07:03

Book a taxi, wipe your seat clean wear gloves and a mask and good luck x

nononever · 06/04/2020 07:09

Please go for the blood test. I went for mine recently and when I arrived at the surgery I had to phone for them to open the door. I was the only person there. Someone arrived early for their appointment and were asked to wait in their car until their time. I hope you are able to arrange transportation, good luck.

Original poster

aWeaponCalledtheWord · 06/04/2020 14:40

i’ve decided not to go. receptionist today was very understanding and will pass my message and concerns to the GP. a doctor will call me if there’s any further discussion to be had.

thank you to do everyone who took the time to respond. i feel like i’ve made the right decision for now.

OP posts:

WiseUpJanetWeiss · 06/04/2020 15:26

I think you have made the right call OP.

Waddellart · 09/04/2020 07:03

Hi
I came across this thread looking for something else.
Methotrexate on its own for arthritis is not a criteria to shield. Obviously I am not inviting you to share any other info , but if you have a look on the BSR website, you can see the criteria for shielding . Methotrexate on its own, you are higher risk than others in general so you should be strict about social distancing, but shielding is not necessary. Many people have got shielding letters that do not fulfil the criteria and it has caused a lot of anxiety.
I hope this helps

ChardonnaysPetDragon · 09/04/2020 07:06

Walking is safer than a taxi.

Can you walk there? Keep away from people on the street and you will be fine.

Waddellart · 09/04/2020 07:08

Of course o5er medical issues may be a reason to shield- just referring to the arthritis side of things

cptartapp · 09/04/2020 07:31

I'm a practice nurse still doing loads of bloods on patients like yourself. DIstrict nurses do not have the capacity to take this on. They are on their knees with palliative care.There are hundreds of similar patients at our practice alone in a similar predicament. I saw six people alone yesterday for blood monitoring.
We are all gowned and masked up. Check with your specialist if unsure.

Dunlurking · 09/04/2020 08:59

I went for my Methotrexate bloods yesterday. I’ve had the shielding letter as I’m on a significant dose of steroids as well. The practice had a separate door where you turned up exactly on time. They wiped it to let you in and the healthcare assistant wiped everything again when I went out. Then room was only a few steps inside the building anyway. There was a nurse as well so they were watching each other. Both wore masks and gloves and aprons. All potential infected patients were seen in another building and all regular patients seeing a doctor had a different entrance altogether so your paths didn’t cross. I felt sooo safe. I was lucky as I could drive myself in my own car that no one else in the family has been using. I think the getting there is the most risky ask so thinking about how to do that safely is the key issue.

Flip

1 2