Blood test

Lillie, it is infuriating but it's probably not the receptionist's fault. Receptionists do as instructed by the GPs and sometimes the GP's instructions are less than clear.

You know now that you need iron for six months so make sure to request a repeat script every month and book in a repeat blood test in 6 months.

Take your iron tablets with 500mg-1,000mg vitamin C to aid absorption and mitigate constipation and make sure to take it 4 hours away from Levothyroxine.

I think it's a good idea to always get a copy of your blood test results, for your own records so you can keep an eye on things. If you've a query, you can post your results and make sure they have the ranges too. Some things can slip past doctors.

What was your iron level ? Did they test your ferritin too?

Professionals??? Why do you think they call it. Practice!?? May I say, we all think that at one time or other. If the doc did what they are suppose to do and not what the "pharms" then we would all be in a better place.

if your ferritin or folate were below halfway in their ranges you should be taking iron PLUS at least 1000mcg Vitamin C to aid absorption and at least 4 hours away from the thyroid medication

it takes months to get ferritin back up to optimum and sometimes you need to always take iron much depends on menstrual status

a 2 week supply with no instructions is pure negligence

Sorry to hear. My ferritin is low too and my GP prescribed ferrous fumarate (100 tablets), 1 tablet 3 times a day. I have a blood test whenever my course is finished (every 5 weeks or so). My GP wants to make sure my ferritin level goes up.

That's awful and very wrong of the nurse to blame receptionist.

The doctor should have told you .....

but so easy to blame admin staff

I hope you get bloods better soon.

You are quite right to be fuming, Lillie. All the doctor had to do was tell you when you saw him in October when he prescribed the iron what you needed to be doing with it! Indeed, it sounds as if all parties were aware from July that you needed this, so why you only got it in October is another good question. Shocking. You should complain in writing to the Practice. If that doesn't appeal (or as well) there is this website where you might like to vent : patientopinion.org.uk/

It puts up reports from patients on how they are finding the NHS. It's quite fun - the doctors expect sugary compliments and lo, sometimes they get a brickbat instead :-).

I have no expectation that anyone will contact me with test results any more - I even wonder if the doctor even bothers looking at them until minutes before walking into the doctor's office to discuss.

My GP went into meltdown when I arrived one day, with me assuming that all the tests I had had done on my heart would be fine because they would have contacted me if not, surely?? Well, no - I got sent to A&E as an emergency before I even had a chance to sit down. My appointment had not even about those test results!

I don't think we are given a second thought once we have left the doctor's office either.

My GP phoned today regarding my blood test taken yesterday and informed me that my vitamin D is low and will need to be retested in 6 months and promptly carried on by telling me to go to Holland and Barrett for vitamin D tablets. He told me that they sell tablets in 1000mg and to take two a day. I've searched high and low and can't find any which that state 1000mg. After my questioning him about my iron and thyroxin level's, he told me that my iron is low and will need iron tablets for 3 months, but my thyroxin level was ok. Fingers crossed I will hopefully start to feel better real soon.

Vitamin B12 deficiency can cause anaemia,low iron,ferritin,folate.google Sallys book "Could it be B12 ?" There is an epidemic of misdiagnosis happening.It took 15 drs including 7 specialists for me to get a diagnosis from a holistic Gp.Now thanks to delayed treatment I have permanent nerve damage in l arm ,numb feet & hearing loss.I urge everyone to get copies of blood tests so you are not ignored .My b12 was in so called normal range but I had all neuro symptoms.i am having injections & oral B12 to attempt future nerve damage & anaemia.

It is often mentioned on here that I should get copies of my blood results as it's my right to do so, what if my surgery refuses to let me have them?. is there somewhere I can contact to appeal?. Sorry but all this is very new to me.