OT: Blood Tests

[Cursitor Doom]

That's the nub of it, yes.

That happened a couple of years ago. I got a "one-off unusual result", got called back for a re-test after which they told me everything was fine. I was particularly careful to not modify my regime *one iota* between those two tests - yet the results improved. I suspect they're refining their test procedures to be more sensitive to 'red flags' on the one hand, and shrinking the 'normal range' on the other in order to catch potential health issues at an earlier stage. But I have nothing to go on but my hunches. Hence the appeal for info from anyone who might have inside knowledge of any such recent changes to testing methodology.

[Cursitor Doom]

Indeed. Lemmy from Motorhead used to drink a bottle of Jack Daniels every morning with his breakfast and he had normal liver function tests right up until within about 3 weeks of his death from cancer aged 70. The medical profession, hand-in-glove with the government, loves to indulge in scaremongering.

[David]

Good point.

My eGFR goes up and down for no apparent reason. At my next test I will try no exercise, no protein, and plenty of water to flush the kidneys. See if that makes a difference.

Cheers

Dave R

[David]

I know that Usenet sympathy isn't worth that much, but have some anyway.

I remember my father-in-law having the bone marrow thing. He didn't enjoy it.

Hope it goes no further than "probably".

Regards

Dave R

[David]

Brian,

speaking as a T2 diabetic, if you are "borderline" now may be a good time to do something about it before you tip over the edge, from whence it is a lot harder to scramble back.

Too much weight is nearly always a sign/problem, but my personal belief is that most of the problem can be down to eating too many carbohydrates (which turn very rapidly to sugars).

If your blood tests are showing pre-diabetic results then you are quite a way above the non-diabetic values. There is quite a wide gap between average normal and pre-diabetic.

Fatty liver and T2 diabetes often go hand in hand.

Hope it goes well for you.

Regards

David

[Jonno]

Cursitor Doom scribbled

Does your doctor arrive at the surgery in a black helicopter ?

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Not sure I believe that. ;-)

[Reentrant]

Do you good folk get actual numbers for your results tests? At our surgery the process is you phone reception a week or so after a blood test and in my case (fortunately, so far) the receptionist just says "all normal".

When I ask for some numbers (eg cholesterol, PSA) she says she's not allowed to tell me and I'll have to make a doctor's appointment to find out, which seems a waste of his time.

I don't see why they can't email or post me the results if I'm interested.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Not really - IIRC it gives the long term results of drinking (and perhaps other things)

If someone is 'done' for drink driving and banned, perhaps for a second time or with a very high blood alcohol count, they may need to take a medical before getting their licence back. The idea being it will show if they drink a lot - therefore likely rarely sober - rather than just testing for alcohol at that point in time.

[The Other John]

Our surgery is more up-to-date then as we have the ability to log in on line and view a condensed version of our history complete with blood test results (actual numbers and graphical display) and consultants' reports. We can also make doctor or nurse appointments and order repeat prescriptions.

[alan_m]

Some conditions can have no noticeable effects until the damage is done.

[David]

Make an appointment, then apologise for wasting the Doctor's time when you get there. You could also talk to the practice manager.

At a minimum you should be given a print out of your results for your records.

There is a lot of (partially justified) concern about releasing test results. Email isn't secure, especially with shared accounts. Phone calls aren't secure because it is difficult to validate who is calling. Letters can be read by the first person to get to them. Major consequences if 15 year old daughter gets a letter saying that despite being on the pill she is pregnant and also has chlamydia and the letter is opened by a parent.

Probably the best way is to have a secure(ish) online account where you can log in and look things up.

I am fortunate to be able to see the results on line, but this is only a test system pending full roll out (all sorts of issues including filtering out the "Normal For Norfolk" comments from GPs 10 years or so ago ;-) )

As a diabetic I can also look at the screen when having my 6 monthly review with the specialist nurse, but it is much better to be able to graph your results on line.

Cheers

Dave R

[Tim Lamb]

In message , "Dave Plowman (News)" writes

:-) I checked my levels on the BMI gadget and came up overweight: just below obese! If they seriously think I could lose 15kg.......

I reckon it is down to having heavy bones as, last time I tried, I don't float in water.

>

[Tim Watts]

I believe that - I have a stubborn gut that won't come off with any "normal" diet. I haven't eaten puddings as a standard course for years, nor do I eat confectionery . My biggest problem is a sedentary job and I tend to eat bigger portions when I'm cooking than I should.

Been trying the 5:2 diet that Michael Mosely spoke of on telly a while back. It suits me because you have 2 days of torture and 5 normal days.

(I drink miso soup all day and bugger the salt, then either have a pre-made chicken and rice salad for lunch or chicken for supper - all under 600 calories).

But the interesting thing is - on the "2" aka fast days, apart from cyclic hunger[1] I feel otherwise a whole lot better - more alert, less drowsy and generally "snappier"

So there's something in it. Have to see if it shifts the gut, but if I eat reasonably on the 5 days, it really ought to.

[1] This is very dependent on situation - I chose a couple of days I am in London as fats days - I am busier there, no notice less and I do not have a fridge full of food beckoning!

[Tim+]

You do know that alcohol is a risk factor for cancer don't you? It doesn't

*just* cause liver damage.

Tim

[polygonum]

The NHS says we all have a right to access our records (of which blood test results are a part):

We are supposed to have had on-line access since last April. All I can do is put in repeat prescription requests and send messages (which are never answered). I think access to basic records is supposed to be universal but...

In my little niche of interest the gap between what medics consider acceptable test results, and what patients find acceptable is like the Marianas Trench. Extremely deep. Numbers (although they can be misleading) are fundamental. "OK" is an opinion. A number (with reference range and units) is a test result.

[Andrew Gabriel]

They're just rolling out a new alcohol tagging scheme after a trial in 4 London boroughs. People involved in alcohol fueled crime (but not alcoholics) can be sentenced to no alcohol for 120 days which is enforced by an alcohol detecting tag, similar to probation/curfew tagging. Don't know if it can be used with drink driving - I think it's more for repeat anti-social behaviour and violence. According to the paper I read it in (Metro or Evening Standard, probably), many people who've been sentenced during the trial found the period of no alcohol enabled them to re-evaluate their lives before ending up with liver damage and/or becoming alcoholics.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

That amount of alcohol can damage just about every organ in the body.

It's total bollocks anyone could drink that much with breakfast anyway. They'd go back to sleep. Then want more when they woke up.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

While it might help in the short term, you basically can't force sobriety on someone who drinks too much. And by too much I mean when it has a detrimental effect on their behaviour. This tends to be deep routed - an illness if you want - and they'll merely start the old habits again as soon as possible. They have to decide for themselves it's time to stop.

[Chris]

You ain't no Lemmy, leftieboy. Don't judge rock legends by your own crappy life experience.