Blood Test Results ????

[Golf-1]

I am trying to be very grown up about this PMR condition, the medication and side effects.

This Forum has been extremely helpfull along my journey - now trying 7.5mg again🤞

BUT;- I do not really understand Test Results, what to look for, what is relevent.

The above is the latest GP test result from a few weeks ago with some itms highlighted in red, they tend to happen every 2-3 months. I have to ask for the results and on this occasion have not had any feedback.

I also have monthly tests at th hospital (one today) but do not get to see these Results from the Rheumotology Dept. and I know they do not share Results which I find very strange.

Any advice/information would be very much appreciated.

[123-go]

Here is a link that I hope you will find useful (posted in FAQs by MrsNails).

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

You do have the right to see your own blood test results- see here:

patients-association.org.uk....

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Those are all - as they say - Satisfactory for this patient.

The figures highlighted in red are ones that are out of range but all are associated with the fact you are mildly anaemic which is quite usual in patients with chronic autoimmune disorders. If one is out of kilter, the others will be too to go with it, Neutrophils, the other low number, also tend to be low in autoimmune disease. So all those flagged results are to be expected because of your diagnosis. Also, sometimes the flagging is done automatically by the computer, it is out of the quoted range, but the computer is unable to take it in context. And that is why results are not issued until a doctor have approved them,

I think there is an assumption that patients are not capable of understanding lab results. It is one I would challenge for myself - I worked in the field - but for many patients it is true, they are meaningless. They often fixate on "but it says that is abnormal, it must mean something bad" when in fact it fits fine with other results and/or the diagnosis. But a refusal to share the results - which is probably illegal on the UK these days - does come over as patronising.

[piglette]

You have the right to see your health records under the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR). If they refuse, you could try making a 'subject access request'.

commonslibrary.parliament.u...

[Paulagcl]

I think it's chancy to interpret one's own blood test results and I have begun to wonder if it's a good idea to try. I have had some scares over the years but it turned out that the numbers did not worry my doctor so I now don't worry about it unless the dr thinks there's cause for worry. Sometimes they are out of context with related numbers. Of course now with online access we all can see our test results sometimes even before the dr gets the report. But try not to panic until talking to your doctor.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Paulagcl]

They are not supposed to be made available until a doctor has checked them and released then - and that includes the receptionist telling you as well as online.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Of course now with online access we all can see our test results sometimes even before the dr gets the report.

Shouldn’t do …Dr should review them and comment or action before they get on your records….

and as there is a comment - “satisfactory for this patient” and a name in brackets - then that has occurred.