Blood tests

[John Gray]

The availability of the NHS App website -> GP Health Records has enabled me to determine that my recent blood draw gave rise to 34 separate test results. Yes, 34. Is this a record?!
Of those tests, I think I understand about five...

 

[Bruce Stephens]

The availability of the NHS App website -> GP Health Records has enabled me to determine that my recent blood draw gave rise to 34 separate test results. Yes, 34. Is this a record?!
Of those tests, I think I understand about five...

Doesn't sound that extreme. I used to ask the GP receptionists to print out test results (back before the app) and while it was only half a page it was quite small type with lots of results.

 

[s'nic]

Is that 34 different test categories, or 34 result parts?
I can't see my results online so I asked for a printout of my last bloods, and got 5 pages of them, gotta admit I didn't check how many individual results there were

 

[rebrascora]

Oops! I read that as you getting a 34 result for your HbA1c.... hence awarding you a gold star.... now changed to a "Wow"! Clearly not paying enough attention! 🙄 Yes, 34 different results from an annual blood test does seem a lot!

 

[Sharron1]

A GP at my practice is very keen on blood tests for loads of stuff because he likes 'to see a trend' Make of that what you will.

 

[Eddy Edson]

Doesn't seem at all excessive. I've just counted up the lines from my bog-standard (in Oz) annual test and they add to about 40.

- LFT/electrolytes: 22
- HbA1c: 1 (or 2 if you count reporting in both NGSP and IFCC)
- Lipids: 6
- Blood cells: 12

All of these are meaningful.

 

[wantonnoodle]

Sounds about right. I had 34 separate tests across 8 different categories (Urea and electrolytes, Lipids, Liver function, Folate, B12, Thyroid, Full blood count and HbA1c) on my last review. This is pretty normal at our surgery. When I was being reviewed every 4 months or so before my HbA1c dropped to 46, the surgery were still checking everything except Folate, B12 and Thyroid, so I'm used to handing over (figuratively) 3 vials of blood at a time to the NHS.

 

[helli]

And at the other end of the scale, my GP surgery considers a full set of blood tests for diabetes to be HBA1c only.
No cholesterol, liver function, etc. Just HbA1c.
Seems a waste of my blood if one draw can get @John Gray 34 results, especially when the blood bank are not interested in it.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Seems a waste of my blood if one draw can get @John Gray 34 results, especially when the blood bank are not interested in it.

A PINT?! That’s very nearly an armful!!

 

[Maz2]

When my GPs do a full health check there are quite a lot, possibly in excess of 25. They look at hba1c, cholesterol, thyroid, immune system, full blood count which includes white blood cells, red blood cells, neutrophils, iron levels, platelets. In fact, I think the full blood count itself is possibly about 12. They also check kidney and liver function too.

They will usually state on the notes that something is abnormal. Normally, they will either call you or text or write to you if there are concerns and you need to be seen. Is there anything on there that is concerning you? I know what some of them mean as I worked in the NHS for many, many years but I am not a doctor or nurse so have no idea what to do about them. If you are concerned about something if you ask the surgery they should get a nurse or a GP to talk to you I would think.