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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Redoing blood tests

13 replies

Panda1234 · 26/11/2011 12:49

I did all the usual blood tests at my booking in appointment three weeks ago. Today I got a letter through saying that "one of the blood tests could not be processed", and asking me to go back to get it re-done.

I know I am being a bit hormonal and mad about this, but I keep worrying that Something Awful has gone wrong. Has anyone else been recalled for a blood test? I can't phone them up and ask what's happened as it's a Saturday. Also, presumably if something really bad had happened, they would have called rather than written?

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VintageNancy · 26/11/2011 13:03

I got recalled for one - apparently the sample was mis-labelled. It may well be something like that but I know I worried too until I asked the midwife why I needed to have it again.

cairnterrier · 26/11/2011 13:08

This happened to me too! The lab had changed it's procedures and needed 4 points of identification rather than the 3 previously so the sample was chucked. Nothing sinister, just the hassle factor of getting back in to get the sample taken again. Midwives were very apologetic and cross on my behalf!

You're not in Norfolk by any chance are you???

TeaandHobnobs · 26/11/2011 13:13

Panda same for me. In my case it was the one determining blood type - very important it is identified correctly as this is the one which is important in the case of transfusions etc, I believe. It is very easy for one of the point of identification to be missed; as cairnterrier says there are four elements of identification.
The midwife has asked that I get that one redone when I have my blood taken for the combined test.
I'm sure there is no need for concern - try not to worry

pugtastic · 26/11/2011 13:17

I went and had a blood test re-done privately as I was suspicious of the results that came back to me from the hospital (it was for the combined nuchal test). Whenever I get my blood taken I keep asking the nurses whether they're going to label the tubes - I've never once left the hospital seeing them with my name, so I'm going to start bringing my own! Most recently, they took some blood and then it became apparent that the paperwork wasn't even for me - it was for someone else, then it took 20 minutes to figure out what happened to mine. I don't want to start losing faith in the NHS because I believe in it, but my confidence is starting to erode and next time I'm going to insist sitting there until I see my details on the tubes.

By the way, the blood test I had re-done privately got results that were different by a factor of FOUR - quite significant. I can only think that because of cost, the NHS and private labs test differently but I do wonder if there had been a mix-up...

pugtastic · 26/11/2011 13:20

Sorry my post wasn't all that related to yours...didn't mean to hijack!

Poweredby200mgofCaffeineaday · 26/11/2011 13:25

It doesn't necessarily mean there's something wrong. Might just be that it got contaminated or mislabled or something. Which isn't great, but it doesn't necessarily mean there's a problem. My mum has had quite a few of these sorts of things and quite often they get messed up and have to be redone for no ominous reason, so try not to worry.

AlexTasha · 26/11/2011 19:03

panda I did 7 vials at my booking bloods, 4 of which were 'lost' by the hospital and I had to get the midwife to take another 4 and then another 2 for my nuchal test. Was the human pin cushion for a week! Don't trust the NHS AT ALL with blood tests. I actually complained about the lady that took my blood too, cos she was so unproffesional, so maybe she conveniently mislabled them or something....

Original poster

Panda1234 · 26/11/2011 21:09

Thanks all. I think the hormones are making me overreact - I burst into tears when I got the letter and my husband looked at me like I was going nuts!

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Oeisha · 26/11/2011 23:36

Just FYI (though this doesn't sound like your scenario at all OP) to anyone that's reading this thread, and has has early bleeding:

Early bleeding can often lead to a re-test of the nuchal & combined bloods. I had a fair bit of early bleeding, and had bled a little the weekend before my nuchal. They're ideally looking for a 14 day window of no bleeding before test. Was told to 'expect' a call back, but not to worry about it as it was very common but was told it was a case of "it's worked, or it hasn't". In the end, I didn't need another test...

bmm39 · 27/11/2011 22:44

I had to retake mine because they had labelled them up wrongly. Apparenting it's quite common. Dont worry. xx

elslil79 · 28/11/2011 19:51

I have just been for my bloods re tested today after spending a week worrying what was wrong. It turns out the midwife had just put the wrong coloured lid on one of the samples so my haemoglobin had not been tested. Easier said than done but try not to worry-it's usually something wrong with their technique rather than your results x x x

popcornchicken · 30/11/2011 20:34

they probally just got lost and bloods are useless after 24 hours at least you got called back they lost my bloods and didnt tell me only noticed because i asked midwife if they had come back yet and she couldnt trace them so had tohave them all retaken x

herethereandeverywhere · 30/11/2011 20:44

This has happened to me twice this pg. First time they didn't have enough blood in the test tube for the test they needed to do and the second time they didn't get to it quickly enough and it clotted in the tube before the could test it . All's fine with my results though.

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