From the message i received from the last question i asked, from summer a volunteer, she mentioned about getting a blood monitoring book from your GP etc, this book has the normal range printed in them for our guidance, Just wanted to respect this is incase none of you have seen the message,
I also have a Rheumatoid shared card from my Rhuemy, do you all have one of those?,
Hugs and xxxx
Hi shirl,I was given a blood monitoring book by my rheumy nurse wen I started mtx,after every blood test I get I ask for a copy and I write it down in my book,I don't have a shared rheumy card tho love Michelle xx
Hi Michelle, does your card show the normal ranges printed in it?
if not i believe it is a different one, which will help us with our blood results.
Chat soon xx
Yes shirl it does,so I wen I write my blood results in I can compare and see if its ok.i got it the day I started mtx,i also chek it wen inext need a blood test to make sure its a month apart xx
Sorry does it also show what meds you are on?, in one part of the card i have got Methotrexate, the date, weekly dose strength of tablet number of tabs and signature, which was filled in when i had my first appointment,
i think the different between me and yours is my has my meds written down , what my rhuemy want me to have(,even thou i haven't started them yet), and your seems to have the normal range printed for your guidance, does that make sense to you,
shirl xx
Hi Shirl thanx for that info will make sure I ask for one when go back to see rheumy on 12th
crisxx
what is a Rheumatoid shared card ? i have a blood book .
creeky, most NHS regions have a "shared care protocol" for rheumatologists and GPs, where the GP is monitoring your blood tests and prescribing DMARDS for you. Part of the requirements of that is that the patient has some kind of document so that when they go off to see different people (rheumatologist, or GP, or other specialists) the patient actually has the up to date information about treatment and blood tests and can pass it over to the doctor they are seeing.
Unfortunately there is a wide variety of practice in this, and many folk don't get the shared care card or the blood test book. Definitely something to ask about though. It is really only essential for people who are on DMARDs though (because of the need to monitor those more closely).
The Rheumatiod shared care monitoring card,From what i can see it records what medication you are on, it also shows blood results, which i have to take with me on every visit, But from what summer was saying there is also a book that you can get from your GP, which also has the normal ranges printed in them for our guidance i believe it would help us to understand our blood results better, if they are high or low,
I hope this helps,
shirl xx
i will look into this , thank you .
I was given a book to enter my results, but the GP surgery don't want to waste time filling these in as the results are available on the computer screen to the staff at the hospital and in the GP surgery. I can get a photocopy of my results if I insist - but it's too much hassle to do this each time,especially when I'm having fortnightly tests like at present after an increase in dose. I have to ring up and ask, then collect them the following day, and am made to feel a nuisance for having created extra work.
What this sytem doesn't acknowledge is that, as the patient, these are MY results and it should not have to be so much trouble to have them so that I can see them for myself. If I had them each time, I would not worry so much as I would become accustomed to the normal variations and what is normal for me. (And I would know how things are progressing - or not - without having to make an unneccessary appointment with the GP).
Where is this "patient centred" service?
Don't fill bad about asking for one at the end of the day it is your illness, i don't know what you mean about Patient centred service thou, But when you see your GP next, just ask if they have a book or card that you or them can record your meds and blood results in, and also ask if they have a book that has the normal blood range for your guidance, I have been told by one of the nras volunteer that blood results can vary depending on the patient,
Hope this make sense chat soon Xx
Thanks shirl,
Thats kind for the plug re book, my aim is to help all I can as a fellow suffer and as a qualified pharmacy professional.
There is a generic or general book in which you or your health care assistant/ nurse can write your blood results these may possibly be called share care booklets depending on your health authority ;and the national patients safety agency produces a specific booklets especially for methotrexate with hand information re methotrexate and side effects etc all included as well as "normal" blood test ranges.
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