Just been handed my own bloods to take to the hospital !!!

[pinboard]

Saw Gp just now.

I am nearly 2 years post NHS gastric surgery (roux en y)
I was 'on the pathway' for 5 years and lost 3st during that time.
I lost a further 5st since the surgery.
Whilst I am grateful my bmi is better, I have felt ill since surgery.
I am dizzy, my hair is still coming out in handfuls, I have awful insomnia (awake for at least 3 hours between 12 and 6am) and the 'brain fog' is unreal. I really regret the surgery, I feel so exhausted.

Despite waiting so long i was not well prepared and have only been seen by a dietician annually since, who simply asks what I'm eating.
I saw her recently and reported all this (again) and she was off on maternity so told me to ask GP to 'do my bloods'. I also mentioned that i've had a small weight bounce (very standard she said) and am terrified of food now.

I've just seen the letter she sent the GP which said that I am 'comfort eating again' and that she's referring me to a Psych! I feel upset.
The GP has just taken some of my bloods. I asked her if some of my symptoms could also be menopausal (I'm 52) but she said - 'you can only tell if you've gone through the menopause a year after your periods stop - most people have no trouble, if you do then take something herbal from the chemist'.

To top it all i've just been given my 4 blood phials and told to drive them across to A&E at the hospital (10miles away) myself as the courier has already picked up today'. I was told I could make another appointment (though she knew it was for blood tests) but it was awkward as their was a med student in as well.

I am not squeamish but i feel a bit weird about taking my own bloods in (specially as I said I feel giddy driving) and quite brushed off about the rest of it.

I’ve had to take bloods to the hospital before.

I would be glad they'd done the bloods and not told you to come back next week. You will have results by Monday if you drop them off. I would take them.

Ah, Dobby maybe it's not so unusual then? that's useful- thanks.
Tbf, she did give me the option of attending another time but I didn't want to delay it any longer as some of them take a month to return and I feel bloody rough so if there is something up the sooner the better

bobsters
yes, GP didnt have another appt for a fortnight and said the bloods take 3/4 weeks so it would have pushed it forward quite a bit.
I am happy enough to take them I guess, I'd just never heard of it.

To be honest it's really awkward when the collection has already gone. I work as a community nurse, if the collection has gone we have to take them to the hospital or find someone such as a health care assistant who's got 5 min spare (not very often). I'm always so grateful if family offer to samples to the hospital as it saves us a job, meaning our skills can go on direct patient care rather than acting like a courier service. But yes I get where you're coming from. Where I worked before we always had a 2nd late collection , around 3pm. Where I work now you're praying they're going to late about 11 am! It's silly!

With all due respect, you sound as though you are getting a lot from the NHS, probably tens of thousands of pounds worth of treatment and input. Personally I wouldn't mind helping out a bit by dropping my own bloods off.

I've dropped them off.
I don't especially mind, I was just quite surprised.

I was simply trying to establish what symptoms are still from the surgery - nearly 2 years on - and what might be menopausal and whether there was anything I could do to help them as I am a single disabled parent to two disabled kids and feel quite ill despite following NHS advice carefully

@Mlou32 - 'tens of thousands of pounds worth of help' ...
I gained weight slowly as i am severely disabled and physically restricted and was also given a lot of steroids over a long period (3+ years) which is when my weight became a problem but feel free to be judgemental of me for that.

@pinboard it's not about being judgemental, it's just pointing out a fact.

I have and still have all these symptoms linked to the menopause, started when I was still having some period.

These symptoms can also be due to b12 deficiency which is quite common after weight loss surgery. My understanding is that this is normally monitored regularly. Most likely part of the blood tests done.

@Mlou32
Are you sure your facts are correct though?
Do you know exactly what my surgery cost the NHS?
My GP & the SWMT were clear that bariatric surgery would improve my health AND save the NHS money over time as I would not go onto develop issues due to obesity. They said I was doing the right thing.

I have had helpful replies re the bloods - it's obviously not uncommon so happy to stand corrected on my surprise re that.
But I asked about that (and possibly menopause / symptoms) NOT for comments on 'how much I'd cost the NHS'.

Are you on multivitamins and B12 injections these should be long term after weight loss surgery? If not then you’ll almost certainly be deficient.

Useful reference

www.sth.nhs.uk/clientfiles/File/PIL1716%20vitamins%20and%20minerals.pdf

Hope you feel better soon. We only have a midday sample collection at our surgery and so bloods taken in an afternoon have to be taken to the lab by patient/family.

@myfirstbornisacollie

Oh, thanks, I'll have a look at that.

Because of a communication lapse (the SWMT person went off on maternity and wasn't replaced) I didn't get my B12 shots after surgery for the first year. When I had my last annual bloods done I was deficient in B12, D and iron / ferritin so maybe that's why I still feel ill? Hope so as that should be fairly easily corrected though I do take a multivitamin. Be interesting to see the bloods in a few weeks.

Sounds crap all round. I've never been asked to physically take my bloods anywhere, seems odd to me.
The GP is right in that they don't use a blood test to diagnose menopause but many of them still do even though against NICE guidelines. What she should be doing is a full peri menopausal questionnaire to establish if you'd benefit from HRT. ALL your symptoms are also symptoms of this.
A herbal bloody tincture is not going to replace your estrogen or progesterone
You don't have to have hot flushes as a symptom, low energy feeling shite, hair loss etc could all be down to it.
See another GP.

It's very unlikely those deficiencies will be sorted without high dose prescriptions, multivitamin tablets unlikely to be sufficient

Sounds like your aftercare has been lacking...

GinandGingerBeer
I am beginning to have 'flushes' - don't feel especially hot but a weird flushing sensation across my body - I did tell GP about that plus:
insomnia, hair loss, unreal brain fog, lethargy - my periods are beginning to change from every 28 days on the dot to between 26 and 34 day cycles (random atm) so surely menopause might be on cards?
If so, I could investigate what, apart from chemist herbal stuff, might help me get a grip on feeling better, but GP really not interested

Trouble is some of those things can be after effects of the surgery / deficiencies of B12 / D / iron/ferritin / general stress too.
That's why i was keen for no delay on my bloods, but last year they were deficient and no action was taken other than a multi-vit and B12 jabs (which lapsed as' no-one avail to give jabs').

@RandomMess:
Yes: I am in a very rural area and general NHS care is patchy.
The dietician who is leaving (and not being replaced) wrote to the GP - do the tests 'if you think necessary' whereas they are supposed to be annual for life. I hugely regret the surgery - I just feel constantly rubbish despite being very careful to follow NHS advice to the letter.

Hope you get some answers and help..As others have said completely normal to take bloods yourself to lab.