Monthly Blood Tests

[Oneta]

Blood tests - has anyone been advised when to have monthly blood tests, day of medication or day of folic acid, or any other day - is there a protocol?

[juneann]

Whenever the NHS can fit you in, doesn't need to be a specific day.

[Oneta in reply to juneann]

Thanks for your quick response, but I did read somewhere about having a blood test close to medication days

[Beckywood89]

I get them done whenever I can. Around work and childcare etc. No one has ever said it should be a specific day so I assume not

[Oneta in reply to Beckywood89]

I must admit no one professional has mentioned a specific day.

[PinkLamb]

Just when you can fit them in,

As long as you get them done, doesn't matter

[Oneta in reply to PinkLamb]

Thanks for that

[Ruth12345]

Ive been 2 weekly, 4 weekly and 8 weekly for blood tests with no connection to meds as others have said.

[Oneta in reply to Ruth12345]

Thanks for your quick response

[Bookworm55]

It doesn’t need to be a specific day in my case but I do have to make sure that I have one the week before my rheumatology appointment so the results are up to date.

[Oneta in reply to Bookworm55]

Good idea

[TPaine]

If you are on methotrexate then it is advised to not have blood test just after so avoid the next day. I take methotrexate on a Tuesday lunchtime and then had my blood done on Thursday lunchtime. If it's done too soon after taking methotrexate it can affect the results. The rest as far as I'm aware don't matter. Hope that helps.

[Oneta in reply to TPaine]

I did read something similar somewhere. A bit like not drinking alcohol the day before, the day off and that day after taking methotrexate, have you heard that?

[TPaine in reply to Oneta]

Yes it was my specialist nurse that advised me so I follow that. I do avoid alcohol on day of and day after MTX out of respect for my liver. It's dealing with enough on those days. My liver results have been mainly ok doing that. I did have raised ALT once which may have been due to a virus the consultant said in the end as it settled back down, it did make me more careful though with alcohol.

[Jillyanne]

I have had monthly blood test for the past 11years Doesn’t matter what day , just every 4 weeks

[Bailybiscuit]

I have never even thought about it. When I was first told I just booked a month from the last one.

[Hidden]

I book it on a day that suits me, never been told to avoid a meds day. I take meds every day so can’t avoid a specific day anyhow..

[Oneta in reply to Hidden]

Cheers

[Mmrr]

I don't think it matters, but I had my bloods taken on a Monday morning and injected on a Monday evening. I was on weekly bloods, due to WCC issues. That way I could separate out which weeks injection was affecting my bloods.

[nomoreheels]

I've always been told it doesn't matter when drug monitoring bloods are taken in relation to the med it's for. I have tested the theory out, only when controlled not if I've been flaring, & made the appointment for the day before, the day of & the day after taking MTX & there's basically no difference in values so guess the theory is correct in my case. The most important thing is to have them done as regularly as requested really, usually every 4 weeks except when new to MTX.

Re alcohol. It's best to avoid until you know whether MTX causes raised LFT's or not. Some say don't drink on your MTX day but it's dependent on whether it affects liver or not. That said common sense says the less strain you put on it the safer in the longer term so if I drank alcohol I'd not drink on MTX day.

[JEM95]

I used to just fit them in as and when, but about 18 months ago I saw and advanced nurse practitioner instead of the consultant, and she spent ages with me going through everything in detail. It was the best appointment I’ve ever had!

We talked about bloods, and I now do my test on my MXT day - bloods in the morning, MXT before bed.

I also don’t drink on MXT day or the day after - I’ve got non alcoholic fatty liver disease and the blood results are more consistent now.

I guess each medical person has slightly different ideas, but it works for me!

The upside to 4-weekly bloods is that I know all the nurses at my practice now 😀

[Mmrr in reply to JEM95]

This makes so much sense to me and what uve been doing.

[Pulfs]

I too make sure I have my blood test either day before or couple of days after taking methotrexate. Was told it can alter results. X

[Oneta in reply to Pulfs]

Thanks for that information, I had a feeling that such a strong drug must impact your blood tests.

[Hidden]

I have a district nurse come out to do my bloods every 6 weeks, usually on a Wednesday morning. MTX day is a Friday morning. I was told by the Rheumy registrar it's OK to have them every 3 months!!!

[Oneta in reply to Hidden]

Cheers

[JEM95 in reply to Hidden]

I managed to get to every 2 months once, but had raised LFTs, so back to every 4 weeks again. I know the NICE guideline is every 3 months if there are no issues.

Guess it depends on each person’s situation.

[Oneta in reply to JEM95]

Thanks for your reply, I have monthly tests, but more concerned on the day of the week to have the test, prior to medication day or on the medication day or a few days later. The General consensus is that it does not matter which day you have blood tests.

[bgeorgie]

I was told to have my blood tests when the levels of the meds are low in my system so I would have them in the morning of the MTX day (and have the MTX in the evening).

[Oneta in reply to bgeorgie]

I actually might try that myself, have them before I take the medication, see if it impacts on my results next month