BLOOD TESTS ??

[Diddydriver]

Hi hope you are all having a pain free New Year. I had an app. with the nurse at the doctors for a blood test today, on my arrival I was told they did not have any nurses at all, the only thing they would say was that I could have the next available app. which was for the 17th, as I have MTX injections ( in which I told them ) they still insisted that I make a further app. I don't know if I should take up this app. or try to get it done elsewhere. Do I need to contact the rhumy dept at the hospital or I have thought of ringing 111. What do you think I should do????Since Xmas I have had 3 rather bad flairs dispite having a depo jab in Dec. X

[trish1957]

Hi I would contact your rheumatology department and they would be able to do your blood test.

Trish

[Moomin8]

Can you get to your local hospital? We have a walk in with no appointment needed.

[helixhelix in reply to Moomin8]

I always used to use the walk-in clinic as more convenient as I could go when I wanted. But I was registered on their system, so not sure it would work if never used the clinic before and have no form.

[AgedCrone in reply to helixhelix]

Try to find out the waiting time if you go to a Walk In blood testing unit at your local hospital. I waited over 2 hrs & the lady I chatted to whilst waiting had waited 4 hrs the previous week! I soon hot footed it back to my GP surgery with appointment times....even if they are delayed it's a better bet!

[helixhelix in reply to AgedCrone]

Yes, you need to know the busy times at your walk in clinic. For mine, either at 7.30am or between 2 &3pm you can just walk in. Otherwise it's a wait...

[AgedCrone in reply to helixhelix]

Yes you wait at the walk in clinics but at least you don't have to pay!

I recently had some blood tests in a private hospital & it was in the hundreds.........

[helixhelix]

How often do you normally have blood tests? I now only have them every three months as I've been stable on the drugs for many years. So for me a 2 week delay is neither here nor there. But also depends on whether you are stable, have your most recent tests been fine?

But if you feel you need to have one, what about your GP? I've had them do the blood tests every now and then.

[Moomin8]

I always have a couple of blood test forms just in case. It's a bit erratic when I have mine atm as just started Cimzia. I used one of my forms, through choice, as I wanted to see what they were at the start of my new drug. My clinical nurse will always send me a form through the post if I leave a message on the answer phone.

[AgedCrone in reply to Moomin8]

I was told to photocopy my blood forms......that way I can go anywhere in the group that my doctor can access results.

[Diddydriver]

Thanks for your replays, we do not have a walk in clinic ( to my knowledge ) at my local hospital. I would not be able to get an app. with GP within the next 3 weeks as it is not an emergency. Ihave decided with your advice to ring the advice line at my rheumatoid clinic. Thanks for your support. Xx

[DelicateInput in reply to Diddydriver]

Ring the nurse or receptionist and ask for a form to take to one of the blood units or health centre clinics - there are several or numerous ones in my area.

[sylvi]

You can go to the blood bank down at the hospital.xxxxx

[AgedCrone in reply to sylvi]

Sylvi....Daddydriver only wants to give a spoonful....not an armful!!!

Do hospital blood banks actually do testing as well? I thought a blood bank just took donated blood & stored it for future use!

You live & learn!

AC

[sylvi in reply to AgedCrone]

Darling i don't mean blood donations,the path lab if you want to give it its correct title. I always call it the blood bank darling. lol.xxxx

[AgedCrone in reply to sylvi]

Sylvi......One if us has watched too many Tony Hancock

repeats!

[sylvi in reply to AgedCrone]

ha ha ha ha ha ha.xxxxxx

[JacquiThomas999]

Ask them to print out your mtx form and take it to the local hospital. They will do the bloods for you. My lovely vampire told me that it was an option when I joined the MTX club.

Jacqui

[DelicateInput]

The surgery could easily refer you to a health centre or blood unit in your local authority area. Mine have several and you are offered a choice. Most people don't have them at the surgery as there are only two days a week when they do them and there is always a queue of a couple of weeks.

[nomoreheels]

I'm late to this DD, but I must say what a ridiculous state of affairs. Who's ever heard of a PM allowing all nurses off at one time, whether ill or on holiday or not there are agency nurses to call on in situations like this. Does your Practice not have Healthcare Assistants able to take bloods?

Right now, grump over! What I would do is contact your Rheumy nurse, she should be able to arrange for you to go to the Phlebotomy dept at your nearest hospital or clinic for them to take your bloods &, if you hold your own drug monitoring record book, fill in the previous month's results, they'll be on screen so shouldn't be a problem.

Hope you're getting over your latest flare, one after another is rotten. Seems to me like a med review is necessary in the not too distant future. x

[Diddydriver]

Thanks again for all the replays. I did ring the rheumy, and she told me that as my bloods last month were acceptable but not great it would wait a couple of weeks, she also said that I should make an appointment with GP for some prednisalone as the depo appears not to have worked and some pain relief other than paracetamol. She is also chasing up the report from my last visit to the consultant, as I told her that he discontinued lefluamide as it sometimes reduces weight and I am losing 2kg every 2 months I am now down to 43 kg, all my clothes are just hanging on me now and I have no energy at all. A big thanks to you all. What would we do without each other. Xx

[helixhelix in reply to Diddydriver]

Glad you got through to them. And hope that you get your appetite back soon - 43kg is tiny!