Oh, fuck (I think). The doctor wants more blood for tests, just a few days after

[Redstone]

I gave them the initial batch.

Not having been to a doctor for a physical for a LONG time, I don't know what this means.

Should my reaction actually be "oh, fuck" or "not to worry?"

Redstone

[LeftyFingerPop]

1. I would say "not to worry"...

and it may ease your mind to ask him what tests he is ordering and what he is looking for.

Best of luck.

[Haole Girl]

2. Don't worry...

Doctors just take pleasure out of making us worry. I refuse to give them the satisfaction anymore.

Though, all of this might change with my next doctor's appt! lol

[Redstone]

8. And hey, at least this doctor hasn't whipped out any scalpels yet.

Redstone

[jobycom]

3. Maybe they lost the first batch

It happens. If they discovered something in the first batch, they'd tell you about it, and why they need a second batch, I would think. I wouldn't worry about it. I remember having an ultrasound once because of an odd pain I was having. I watched the ultrasound tech like a hawk, trying to read her expression. She looked positively grim, so I looked at the screen to see what she was looking at. She stopped everywhere--kidneys, lungs, heart. I could see how grim her face was, and I could clearly see lumps and spots on every organ she examined.

It was all in my head. Nothing wrong at all. She was concentrating, and I misread that, and I had no idea what the heck I was looking at anyway. Wasted a week in panic waiting on those results.

[flvegan]

4. Because they simply can't believe how healthy you are.

Optimism. It's what's for dinner.

[Redstone]

7. Actually, they DID say:

1) Low potassium. Big fuckin deal, I gotta eat a banana every day. I like bananas.

2) High iron, yeah, I need to get blood drained more frequently, because hemochromatosis inevitably leads to leukemia. But I knew that.

3) Elevated liver stuff, so it may have to come down to a choice between alcohol and Vicodin. I'll choose Vicodin.

4) High triglycerides, so take a fish-oil capsule every day. I can manage that.

I ain't worried yet. My body's been trying to kill me for 54 years, and hasn't been able to yet.

Redstone

[LeftyMom]

15. The low potassium thing is a big risk factor for heart disease.

My late stepdad's mom had some potassium absorption problem, and even with supplementation and her being careful to get a lot of potassium in her diet, she died of a heart attack in her early 50's because of it. They might be wanting to do more tests to make sure there's not a bigger problem there, because potassium deficiencies are a potentially big deal. Especially with the high triglycerides, which are also bad news on the circulatory front. FWIW, potatoes are a better source of potassium than bananas.

They might also want to screen you for hepatitis, if they haven't already, because of the elevated liver stuff. Hep C is very common in people of your age group, so if they haven't checked for that yet they should.

[Redstone]

16. Thanks for the info. I'm going to go eat a potato now. But about the Hep C: Where do you

"catch" that? My brother had it, but he was a stone alky and cokehead for years. I do drink, but not like THAT, and don't do coke, never really did much at all when younger either. (In case you're wondering, my brother is clean of the Hep C now after a long treatment of interferon, and hasn't had any alcohol or drugs for, I think, 16 years now.)

Redstone

[ismnotwasm]

21. Blood transfusions in the '80's

Before HIV started more stringent blood testing. IV drug use, even one time with a dirty needle. Hep C is easier to get than HIV, and much harder to kill outside the body, but fortunately it isn't usually transmitted sexually. I work on a transplant unit and we see lot's of Hep C patients that need to be transplanted.

What I wanted to say though, in response to your earlier comment about the choice between alcohol and vicodin was be careful of your tylenol intake. That's what stresses the liver. In fact, I'd talk to your doc about pain management choices with those elevated liver enzymes.
Blood work is merely a diagnostic tool, and a handy one. They may simply want to see any changes, if any. Glad you're watching that potassium.

In all this, and all else though, best of good wishes.

[Redstone]

22. Yes, I'm taking the Vike EX that has the LEAST amount of tylenol. I wanted the hydrocodone alone,

with NO tylenol, but apparently nobody makes that. I have no idea why not.

Maybe it's a conspiracy/plot to kill off people who have chronic pain by poisoning their livers?

Redstone

[GCP]

32. Hydrocodone alone is Dilaudid

And it is available on prescription.

[Rambis]

20. Juice boxes

my son had some cramping problems (turned out to be influenza B induced paralysis which went away after a coupla days, little scary) but the docs said to feed him those because they had several times more potassium than a bananas?

[Redstone]

23. And I think that beer has lots of potassium. If so, I'll go for that source.

Redstone

[Rambis]

27. Guinness it is then

[Redstone]

28. Oh, yes, it is, then. You know, I used to know an old black guy who told me that back in

the early part of the century, the doctors told pregnant (and lactating) women to drink Porter because it contained so many vitamins and minerals.

And hey, with the resurgence of so many "craft brews" in the last decade, I'll bet I could find a Porter with all those vitamins & minerals intact.

Redstone

[Rambis]

30. 100% true

the la leche person I know prescribes Guinness to her mothers if there milk is going away.

[bigwillq]

5. I'm not a doctor

so I really don't know what this means, nor do I have any past experience with this kind of situaiton.

Good advice is Prepare for the Worst, Hope for the Best.

If it's the worst, you may sulk for a few days but then you will do whatever the doctors say, you will face it head on and you will beat it.

If it's the best, you will have a drink and a smoke, kiss the wife and kids and live life to the fullest.

Sending my best vibes. :hug: :) :hi:

[Redstone]

9. Nah, I'm NOT sulking for a few days. We leave Friday for a few days (or more) in Vermont;

we tend to wander on vacations, so we may be gone three days or a week, and I'll be damned if I'll worry during that time. It's our time off the Interstates, off the Internet, and off the damn phones.

I'll deal with whatever needs to be dealt with when we get back, and not a minute sooner.

Redstone

[bigwillq]

10. There you go.

Sounds like an even better plan. Enjoy the vacation. :hi:

[Stop Cornyn]

6. A careful physician is nothing to fear

[Shine]

11. You're reminding me I gotta get my ass into the doc for a physical, too.

It's been too long.

I'd advise you NOT to worry until and unless you know more info. Otherwise, it's just wasted energy.

And you need all the energy you've got for lovin' and livin' LIFE!! :bounce:

:hi:

[Redstone]

13. I am NOT to start advocating that you do so. "Doctor denial" has worked very well for me

for a very long time. Ever since, actually, my idiotic acceeding to two shoulder surgeries plunged me into the Living Hell thst's populated by us Chronic Pain People.

As you know.

Redstone

[Ptah]

12. I think it means the professionals want to be sure

Oh, worry, not to fuck.

[petronius]

14. I would call it "not to worry" until there's actually something to worry about

I've had times when labs needed a bigger sample, because a test came out inconclusive - it's never implied a higher likelihood of a bad outcome. I've also tried to read the expression of the x-ray tech, like someone up thread mentioned, and I scared myself unnecessarily. I wouldn't give it a second thought, and ask them why the extra sample when you go in for the sticking.

Glad the results they gave you are good!

[jus_the_facts]

17. money money money...MONEY....

....don't worry...just get ready to pay for them to FIND something wrong with you so they can get their kickbacks from big pharma...yes I'm hopelessly cynical and jaded. ;-)

[southpaw]

24. You sound like my republican brother-in-law!

:hide:

Good to see you on the board! How you feelin?

[jus_the_facts]

31. I'm okay...

...thanks for askin'...always nice to see you around too! You doin' okay these daze?! :hi: :loveya:

...but you get THIS for the repub comment mister! :spank: :D

[TZ]

18. Probably didn't have enough blood to test

Or it clotted so they couldn't get serum out for different tests as well.
I worked in a lab doing diagnostics for years (animals not humans) and it was common to have to ask for rebleeds because of laboratory issues.
I wouldn't worry at this point. You may have some things they want to recheck or confirm (false positives perhaps)

[Crazy Dave]

19. Makes you feel like a pin cushion sometimes

That and when you're in the hospital they always have to draw blood at least twice during the night when you're trying to get some sleep.

[Redstone]

26. Hey, DtheW, long time, no see. The GOOD part is, the needles they use these days

are absolutely TINY in diameter compared with the old ones, which were about the diameter of a pencil lead.

Not that needles bother me, or ever have; it's just more comfortable overall.

Redstone

[NewJeffCT]

25. good luck

hopefully it's nothing major.

[Redstone]

29. Thanks for the good wishes, but I'm not worried. My body has tried to kill me in the past,

and I beat it then, so I figure I can beat it now.

And if it turns out that it's time for me to say goodbye to alcohol and nicotine, so be it. But if that's the case, I can't promise that I'll be able to keep my sense of humor intact.

But I'll try.

Redstone