Why are tests always so nerve racking?

My stress about D appointments is vastly reduced if I get a copy of my blood results before I go, especially the HbA1c. I don’t like surprises!

Walking Girl said:

The practice I go to not do labs ahead of the appointment, which seems very odd and backward to me. They take blood after the appointment. But it’s so convenient for me, and it’s by far the largest practice in the area, so I live with it.

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That does seem odd! I just pop to the local hospital’s walk in blood clinic with my request a week before I see my diabetes people, so we can discuss the results when I get there.

Walking Girl said:

Does anyone else get nervous getting tests even at a regular checkup? I always feel like I’m on pins and needles until I get the labs. My heart rate jumps when I see that they are added to the on line portal.

Liver, kidneys all chugging right along. A1c 5.3%. The only thing out of range was vitamin D is mildly low. I’ll up the supplement. Thought I was getting some from my walks, but I guess not as much as I thought and need to be more consistent on taking a supplement.

My prior doctor left so I met my new one. She seems like someone I can work with, helpful but not pushy. She didn’t just rush through.

The only “ugh” is I have to get a colonoscopy. I’m just “of that age” now, no reason to suspect it’s other than routine.

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I never feel nervous when I go to see them, yet my BP is always much higher when they take it than when I take it at home each day, so inwardly I must be nervous. Luckily they are always happy to accept my record. I guess that most of us get nervous.

I find it is always useful to read the test results on-line before the actual visit. What did they do before the internet !!!

Even though I am also of that age, I count myself lucky in that they send a little test kit through the post each year. Good luck with the colonoscopy.

Walking Girl said:

The only “ugh” is I have to get a colonoscopy. I’m just “of that age” now, no reason to suspect it’s other than routine.

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Is that after supplying a sample that would suggest further investigation, or don't they bother with that these days?

I'm 67 now and I've had 5 colonoscopies and although I don't relish the stuff you have to take before the procedure, it's the worst part of the whole thing in my opinion. Although not knocked out, whatever the stuff is they give you for the procedure itself must have made me very relaxed because on one occasion the PC broke down and had to be repaired and water came in from the theatre next door and a bloke came in to mop up, while they paddled about and carried on with the procedure. They did "tell me off" for laughing so much. Must have been the drugs, I thought it was hilarious, just the splashing noise was enough to get me giggling like a school girl.

I think the "all clear" is also a good feeling and although I've had polyps removed in the past, they've all been benign, another good feeling.

All the best with your procedure.

I don't usually worry about what the test results will be. For the last two annual tests they were online about 3-4 days after blood taken.
But this year I had test on 27/8 and the results still aren't online 13 days later. Well the Serum TSH level is, which shows 'normal', but not any of the others.
I'm not anxious about what the HbA1c result will be. I am expecting to go back above 47, into the diabetic range again, but the only worry is about how high.

I rang my GP surgery to ask why my results weren't online and was told I could collect printout. I just went to get it and my HbA1c is 48, back in the diabetic range, but not as high as I had feared.