where are the phlembotomist tonight?

[misdee]

i am having to have some bloods done, and am wondering what all of them are for.

misdee I'm not a phlebotomist but I am a nurse, I might know some of the abbreviations if you don't get a reply from anyone else.

If you post the list, I could also help.

These were the most common ones when I worked in a pathology lab; FBC - full blood count, U&E - urea and electolytes, LFT - liver funtion test, TFT - thyroid function test, RBG - random blood glucose, FBG - fasting blood glucose.
There are dozens of abbreviated terms within these tests, for example the main three in an FBC are Hb, WCC and plts (haemaglobin, white cell count and platelets). What test are you having?

under biochemistry

V+E?
fasting glucose (had diabetes with dd3, just want to check thats all ok)
LFT (liver?)
TFT (throid??)
Bis/folate (??? cant read writing very well)
GRP?

under haematology

FBC
GSR?

immunology
Ana?

rhematoid factor.

i do know what some are but the ones with ? i cant remember what he said.

just ruling out anything else for causing my aches and pains, before we put it down to stress and over doing things.

The AnA (antinuclear antibody) and rheumatoid factor tests are to rule out things like lupus and ME.

Bis/folate will be B12 and folate - specific tests for anaemia.

It's probably that GSR is ESR - erythrocyte sedimention rate, and GRP is likely to be CRP - creatinine reactive protein - common tests for arthritis.

Your GP is basically giving you a through MOT to rule out likely causes of you feeling a bit pants.

thats what i thought. thank you very much.

also got some painkillers, whoo hoo hopefully it will ease up a bit soon.

And also counting those tests you should be having about 5 seperate tubes of blood taken. AnA and rheumatoid factor can be taken from one tube, FBC is another, ESR is another, U&E, LFT, CRP, TFT, B12 and folate can all be done from one but the path lab may need two tubes, and the fasting blood glucose is another tube.

thanks!

[misdee prepares for the needle]

Just come back from shopping, but looks like you got the info. ok. Hope you get some answers and they can help you to feel a bit better.