Private testing

[twinbulls]

Does anyone ever pay privately for blood tests or scans to be done. It seems that some of you atten dsurgeries where blood tests are done every 3 months; my surgery seems to frown on anything less than 12 monthly. And I have nevertheless been offered a bone scan, before or after taking Alendronic Acid.

[polkadotcom]

I know my surgery does bloods as and when necessary (once a week for a while before Christmas) but I have other things going on as well as PMR. I know from other posts that you do sometimes have to push for these things to be done. It's a bit mystifying that they won't do regular bloods - the cost is minimal to them.

Make an appointment at your surgery and print out the latest guidelines on AA dosing. Take it with you and you may well give your doctor a surprise!

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Had my bloods tested monthly early days, GP didn't like to reduce unless they were okay. But she was a bit paranoid having completely mis-diagnosed me previously. Once I got to lower doses with another surgery, tests done 3-monthly - no quibbles.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Annually as a check on a patient who is healthy is one thing - but not for a patient who has a chronic illness and is on a powerful drug like pred which has a lot of potential side effects. You need your blood sugar and (possibly) cholesterol levels monitored, as well as urea and electrolytes (sodium, potassium etc) for renal function, liver function and full blood count checked, monthly is probably a bit OTT but 3 monthly is perfectly reasonable. If they mean anything for you, ESR and CRP need checking too when you are reducing.

And I would tell them so. Firmly but politely.

[Annodomini]

I can ring up and make an appointment for a blood test as and when I think it would be beneficial, like when I have tapered by a full mg of pred. The GP is keeping an eye on my CRP so I need to make an appointment when they open again on Tuesday.

[piglette]

I paid privately when I was first diagnosed as my GP kept saying I had a virus, so I saw a rheumie privately. I had masses of blood tests which cost a fortune. The following week the rheumie wanted ESR and CRP done as they were very high, so I just ordered a blood test through my GPs' practise without asking anyone. No one seemed to complain and I have carried on like that ever since, I just book a blood test when I feel I should and the nurse and I decide which ones to do. We say I haven't had that one for a while let's do it! I have become a nerd and set up a spreadsheet to monitor the results.

[karools16 in reply to piglette]

Wow, Piglette! You must have a good surgery! Here, I seldom have a blood test, and has to be okayed by the dr. I have very high bp, and I get an ANNUAL appt.Occasionally, the GP will take BP at appt, but not always.He has very little knowledge of GCA/PMR. Here's to 2017 and drs really learning, and acting, on us patients!

[Threeyearson]

Is there a link available for polkadotcom's advice regarding the latest guidelines on AA dosing? Have looked on line but so many it is confusing. Will they also apply to Risedronate?

[tiasbear]

Can I ask what surgery means? Here in the US it means going in to the hospital and being cut open under anesthesia.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to tiasbear]

You in the USA would call it the doctor's office.

[Sallyaches]

We in the U.K. See our General Practioners at a clinic we tend to call a surgery. The Doctors who are General Practioners control weather we see a specialist, have blood tests, X Ray's etc. It can be a bad system when you are tied into an inefficent surgery because you are not allowed to choose another surgery unless you live within its geographic area.