Just had results back from my annual blood tests - curious to know what tests/results others rate as important to keep AF at bay.
Also would appreciate any tips on why my 'Serum Vitamin B12' might be so high at 924 ( normal range 130-800), which is a big jump from 487 in 2020.
Thanks!
Hi,
Just curious and at the moment I can't reply. BUT - are these blood tests to check against a range of medication you maybe on -or are they routine blood tests to check against a medical condition you may have ?
Why I ask I only have one set of blood tests per year to test against whatever my medication is doing to any organs, kidney/liver for instance. In any event my surgery never gives me details ( such as you have provided in your post), even if I phone to check they just "say all tests are normal. Dr would call you if there was a problem" ............ end of !
Would say that I have no blood tests ..... as you say, to keep AF at bay.
thanks,
John
I have to request an annual range of tests for general wellbeing (as I am 69). You are right the surgery just says 'normal' or 'one is outies normal' and 'the doctor will call if there is a need'. However I obtain access to the NHS records and keep a record of trends on certain ones re AF/drug use eg Thyroid, Kidney. I believe trends over several years tell you as much if not more than spot checks as to when action should be considered.
The Afib Cure book by John Day refers to some tests and the level they should be at to reduce the risk of AF.
Thank you very much. I shall explore this with my surgery, I think they have a facility whereby one can ask for ongoing access to ones records. A new project.
I must say I am a great believer is statistics, knowing how to use them is almost like reading a book ( nowhere near as thrilling at as Lee Childs Jack Reacher novels though). Stats were part and parcel of my management life in a galaxy far away and I so agree ........ trends tell you so much more than random spot checks. Then we get into Medians and standard deviations etc.
Many thanks again and to everyone else who commented.
John
If you sweet talk your GP they can send you a graph of trends for your main readings of interest. I recently requested my thyroid bloods from 2015 and could clearly see the nose dive from 2021 to 2022. Cholesterol, blood sugar, liver and kidneys obviously important. Platelets I guess you're already aware.
I wonder which GP I should sweet talk. I’ve seen 7 different GP’s at the same practice in the last 3 years.!
I’m interested if this graphical feature is an automatic system that comes from the testing labs or whether your GP is unique. Surely it would involve entry of all the data manually otherwise to produce an historical graph.
All I can say is this: I requested it prior to a conversation about the possibility of thyroid meds because I'm concerned about interaction with AF re hypothyroidism. Evidently the GP I spoke to on the phone had then data in on a document online and he offered to send me the graph. Seemed very chuffed that they could do it. I'm in rural Wales so it's hard to believe it's not available elsewhere. Say you'd like to see the trend across time.
I have had some done today at my GP. I just go on the NHS app and get my results on there.
Hiya Gillybean,
So this NHS app .............. I've installed this on my Tablet (Android) and the only damn thing I get from it is my list of medications. Great ! ........ why bother ........ I can get this from Patient Access anyway which I use to reorder my meds (repeat prescriptions).
To get all this other stuff that everyone is yakking on about on here ... does that mean I have to tell my surgery what to do ........... do I need a magic wand or a sabre light from Star Wars. My surgery website is so convoluted one almost needs to be a Rhodes Scholar majoring in I.T.
Any guidance you can offer would be a help. 😱😱😂😂
John
John, hi, We have something here called MyChart online. Does this, or the equivalent, exist in the UK? It would be worth campaigning for. Every patient can sign in (from home) and all of my tests and records and appointment times etc. are there; I can request or cancel appointments from home, or message my doctors any time. To my amazement, my GP will respond very quickly. All of the hospitals offer it in the area so even if we see providers at different hospitals, they can all pull up my X-rays, blood tests, MRI reports etc. It has made life so much easier in terms of having my own tests to review at home any time I want, or in the dr.’s office. I remember the days of carrying my own kidney X-rays in a huge package to my dr’s office to view 😺. MyChart is like a miracle of ease! Just thought it might be of interest. Best of health, Diane S
You are entitled to have your actual test result, together with normal/expected ranges.
Yes, you always have to ask but not usually a problem, sometimes, like for my copy ECG, they refer for doctor permission first.
in my area my NHS app gives me detailed results of all my blood tests.
Yes, its great isn't it.
Hello Carneuny
I have two Blood Tests a year, and when I ring up as you have done and ask how it was they gladly say all ok if that is the case, then I ask for the Test Results to be Emailed to me so as I can see them, and sometimes they sound a bit surprised, but they do do it, and you can examine your results and see if anything is above or below normal range, it’s them up to you to question it if you feel so inclined, hope this helps you. John
I have quite complex bloods done every 12 weeks, including certain vitamin levels but that’s for more than lone AF. My GP occasionally does electrolytes and I notice my Sodium levels are rising at the moment. Complex iron & B12, FBC, liver & kidney & inflammatory markers which is I think important - CRP especially.
The book Cure AFib Dr John Day - has an excellent chapter on which blood tests are useful for AF.
In England and the Isle of Man both the Airmid and NHS apps can be downloaded to your mobile phone. The NHS app can also be accessed from a PC. Both give access to your medical records and the results of tests. The Airmid app also allows you to send messages to your medical centre and receive replies.
Yes, I have only just done this on my PC, used to request paper copies. I still need to explore all the records but was amazed bloods & other tests go back a number of years.
Does this work in Wales do you know? A lot of the English stuff doesn't. Vaccine certificates for example...
It appears that Wales does not have this service. I have changed my original comment accordingly.
Other than the NHS app it depends which system your GP practice has signed up to.
I agree. My GP Only uses Patient Access which doesn't show blood tests and the medical history is extremely brief. I believe t he surgery can switch on or off certain information on it. I used to be able to book appointments ( Hahahaha ) and leave messages but no longer.
Same for me - my surgery has removed the ability for us to make appointments or leave messages or see test results. All of which we could do pre Covid. I don’t understand the logic in this as patients ringing up and asking for test results to be emailed to them must be far more work for them than opening up access to your records 🤷♀️
I had to do that yesterday but it took a lovely helpful receptionist almost 20 minutes to sort out who had asked for what tests and which had come or not. I've never been able to see test results but we could send messages and boo k appointments. Eeerm, what's an appointment?
My surgery uses something called ‘SystemOnline’ and I can access medical records, referrals, test results, letters etc as well as make appointments and order medications all at a touch of a button. Blood tests go into details and show all the ranges too. I guess I’m lucky my surgery provides this.
Yes I have just got similar data going through a portal (I think that is the correct term) called "Patient Access' and then linking to the NHS from there. It was relatively easy just asking for personal details incl NHS number.
I 100% rely on Patients Access for everything including repeat prescriptions, I think it is a brilliant system, it is a shame it doesn't include hospital results though, but I guess that is a step too far. . Our Doctors also use a system called Engage and Consult for same day response to a urgent issue , which is also a great tool.
"shame it doesn't include hospital results"
They are getting there.
My trust now has a system where I get appointments, copies of letters to GP, test results etc online.
It is separate from the one GP surgery uses.
I have patient portal through NHS as well. Although it’s good it isn’t as comprehensive as the one my GP surgery uses.
As others have said, it's worth reading the AFib Cure book. They mention 10 biomarkers to look for, some of which you can get on the NHS:sodium potassium and calcium, blood sugar, cholesterol, thyroid, liver, kidneys are the ones of the top of my head. Vitamin D is also important but you'll have to request that. High levels of B12 is good but I don't know what it means to be over the normal range. Have you changed your eating habits recently?
I'm on bisoprolol and Apixaban for nearly 2 years and have never had any blood tests. Should I be having them annually then?
I would but depends on your age as to what you get under the NHS.
As a male of the species and of certain age - getting old. I requesting a PSA test. Along with the liver function. I understand that is what they check annually when taking Apixaban.Whilst it was not as straightforward as I felt it should have been, requesting the PSA. I'm glad I did. My PSA had jumped and am now awaiting a Urology appointment. 6 weeks later and still waiting! I'm in Wales after all.
I have just had my PSA test, moved up from 3.7 to 4.4, still in normal range and when I turn 70 next year the range extends to 4.9. If you need a second opinion/specialist care Guildford is a centre of excellence prostatecancercentre.co.uk/
Thanks second try. Mine is 7.9 after being in the 3's. One of my GP friends who I go on fishing holidays with announced at the last trip in Sept. That he has diagnosed Prostate cancer. I asked what his PSA reading was....yes, you've guessed 7.9. I've had the usual checks at GP and whist he couldn't locate any bumps or lumps referred me. If it's anything like my hand, been waiting over 2 1/2 years for an appointment with trauma clinic. Just awful.
I’m in Wales too, literally on the border with England, which I can see out of my bedroom window. It looks beautiful. My GP practice asks new patients where they live because different rules apply. I’m actually considering moving so that I can get access more easily to procedures where they don’t have the skills in Wales, like a Mini maze.
We must be neighbours. The Lugg runs through our garden- Herefordshire is on the other side...
close! I’m in the Wye Valley on the Welsh side of the hill. I can get to England on a skateboard in about 45 secs but they’d have to take me straight to hospital as it’s a bit steep and I’d only have the river to stop me.
LOL. Nice part of the world.
It is best not to rely on the GP phoning you if there is something unusual. Always best to double check for yourself. When you get the results you can ask questions. Sometimes something important is missed. If they accept a result which is unusual you can ask for an explanation.
It can work both ways. I have experienced a GP being too fussy.
With suspected but not yet diagnosed AF I just had a whole raft of bloods; kidneys, liver, thyroid, B12, vit D, can't remember the rest.
it is always interesting to read the variety of useful responses to a question like this. I live in the US, and at least in my state with the health care providers I use, they all have patient portals — and I get all my results as soon as they are available. Until I got used to this, it was a mixed blessing as I would look at the results myself and see something that was registered as too low or too high, and worry about what that meant — even if I didn’t know what that metric was evaluating. 😳😁 I would call my GP, he would do the overview, and put things in context, and it that alleviated my worries, and/or set up a course of action to address the issue. Now I appreciate getting the results fast as I can intrepret them a bit better, and can look for trends.
Strange, as I had the same thing happen to me recently. I had blood work done for something, and when I checked the test results online, I saw a couple markers flagged as being too high or too low compared to normal, even though my GP told me my "tests look normal."
I usually challenge such GP comments. to be fair to them, I have noted 'normal range' can often change and of course is sometimes dependant on age and medical history; that is why I value trends for the individual.
Hi
Are you taking a B12 supplement or having a monthly injection?
When I was found to be deficient in B12 I took a nugget of Solgar Gold Top B12 every day. The Dr and I monitored. It went from 150 - 950 in 5 weeks.
I stopped taking it and it fell.
B12 eliminates so there is nothing to be worried about. If you bring it down by stopping your supplement to say 400-500 would be good.
They have now said that those over 60 yrs should have a higher B12 like 400-500 or more.
I would take note of any HIGHS or LOWS and your Dr would want to talk to you about them.
TSH Thyroid should be about 2.0.
Note Cholesterol which best at 4.0 and Trigly... 2.0 or under.
Blood Platelets are important with those on anti-co.agulant.
Kidney and Liver tests... Normal
and the mineral count and others like potassium, iron, calcium. salt etc
I keep mine to compare for a couple of years but I have a blood test 3 mthly because of heart pills, anti-co.agulant and thyroxin (ca thyroidectomy).
It is interesting to keep a check as you have noticed.
cheri. JOY. 73. (NZ)
Hey, thanks Joy that is very good to know re B12 and some relief too!
You also mentioned 'best cholesterol ' levels. Just one person's experience but I wouldn't panic if that level is a tad higher. I have a record of mine at or around total 6.6 for 20 years, hdl/total 25%. 8 years ago I had heart & carotid artery checked all clear. I suspect statins are over prescribed. Enjoy your day 😁.
hi
It was the National Cardiac Specialist who said Cholesterol 4. Just 2 mths ago. I read that women have a higher cholesterol reading. I am anti-statins.
If you remain on 6.5 where I have been I would not worry.
I eat 1 x pasta meal week and made fish & chips an oven baked meal and this reduced my cholesterol.
I read that monitoring cholesterol CANNOT be done. A page interest on it.
Once one hits 80 dont worry about levels.
You are doing well having done carotidartery scan and thyroid scan. Better as my thyroid blood tests were always normal at 1.9 and 2.0.
The Dr will drag you in if they are concerned.
Keep up the 'healthy'.
I guess your AF is controlled.
I had to close my eyes to Elli's diet!
cheri JOY
Hello,
One more (late) reply. My blood test is to monitor impact (if any) of medications. Currently Bisoprolol, Apixaban and Atorvastatin. All is stable with me. This testing was initially done after 3 months then spacing out to annually. I ask the Practice for a copy of the feedback from the NHS lab. which I have now received for the second year. There are 37 measures reported. For each one, there is also the acceptable range quoted. Any measure out of range is flagged as an exception. I have three such out of range which I look up, and also compare with the previous years readings. I'm assuming if any were way out of range (mine aren't) then my GP would presumably wish to discuss/progress. As a matter of interest 'Serum Vitamin B12' is not one tested although there are numerous 'serum measures' under the liver function test section. I asked for mine mainly because Cholesterol tests are included (HDL/LDL/non HDL etc.) and you can actually do something about these if they were looking out of the ordinary.
Flecainide and blood tests 
Blood tests a worry
Starting over - learning what's important for patients
Blood tests with DOACS (Rivaroxaban and others)
warfarin blood tests at the beginning -- how frequent?
