Iwannabethere

Went to the doctors today feeling exhausted (permanently) and various other minor ailments (that I won't bore you with). Got to do a fasting blood test tomorrow morning and looking at the list of tests they want to do I'll be lucky to have any left!!!! I was seen by an intern and she was very thorough and ordered one set, then the 'real' doctor came in and started handwriting more tests on the sheet!

If I start running away from garlic and crucifixes tomorrow, you know what happened!!!!

moneypenny20

I hate fasting ones, you rush out afterwards and eat the closest rubbish you can find which is normally Maccas or something. When I spent a few days in hospital having loads of transfusions (well about three but it seemed like loads), they kept coming in the following day and taking about a pint to check for various things. I did ask what the point was but they just said they were doing their job.

Iwannabethere

Not fussed about it being a fasting one given that a) I cannot be a***d about food at the moment unless I have to do no preparation for it; b) there is a fantastic bakery cafe 2 min walk from the surgery; and c) I live 2min drive from the surgery. Just hope I don't pass out. Not normally a habit of mine but feeling weirdly light-headed this afternoon.

carolinephillips

Good luck with that- make sure they take your blood with you lying down. They took 6 big vials from DD and she passed out, so they didn't get the 7th one they wanted. They said she has to recline before they take blood in future. Amongst other things, they were testing for anemia- well if she wasn't before the test, she was afterwards!!

Iwannabethere

Apparently we are testing my thyroid, also for haemochromatosis, coeliac disease, folate and Vit D levels, liver function (pointless given they know I have mild gall colic but if they are taking the red stuff anyway......) plus a whole raft of acronyms that I don't even want to know about unless I have to!

Other than that the next plan is a sleep study. Though they do admit that sleep apnea in a non-snorer (hubby attests to this!) is highly unlikely!

carolinephillips

That is a very mixed bunch of tests! Are they checking your magnesium levels? Low levels can cause all sorts of things including fatigue. I am wondering why they are testing for too much iron in the blood when anemia is a more likely cause of fatigue, unless you have other symptoms that you haven't mentioned.

moneypenny20

The symptoms of Haemochromatosis and Anaemia are weirdly similar. I've gone years being Anaemic, after various ops of which was major, they now think I have Haemochomatosis and the previous issues were causing the Anaemia and hiding the Haemo.

carolinephillips

Well, I've just learned something new. I knew someone in the UK with Haemochromatosis, and you knew when he needed his blood taken as he'd get angry really quickly- never seemed fatigued that I saw, just revved up.

moneypenny20

Can't remember the last time I felt revved up Fatigued? Hell yeah, the last five years have been appalling. Ahh well life's a bitch and all that.

At least having that much blood taken in one fell swoop should sort it all out and give a diagnosis of some sort.

Iwannabethere

Don't know about the Mg. Checking low and high iron as previous tests while preggers have shown high Fe levels. Plus when giving blood in the UK the drop test in the copper sulphate solution didn't so much sink steadily to the bottom as threaten to crash through with the speed it dropped! The staff used to comment on it. Plus I have a close relative being tested for it in the UK too so I suspect it's in there for completeness. I do have some of the other symptoms apparently but will have to do a Google to find out what they are!

Iwannabethere

Fingers, toes, eyes, you name it - all crossed!!!!

Iwannabethere

Blood all given this morning. Left arm definitely feels lighter than the right

Seven phials filled - 3 fat ones and 4 skinny. And didn't pass out

So getting the results next week.

Dorothy

Seven vials. Pffft - that's nothing. Last time I had bloods checked they took 21. Yes you read right...21 tubes of blood from me. Fasting. Needless to say I had a little something to eat & drink before getting up from the chair to go upstairs to work that day.

Iwannabethere

Blimey! That's both arms and a leg's worth!!!!

Scubaemma

for your results!