Bloodwork this morning and in such a panic

[dancer67]

I have to get my iron panel done every 4-6 months because I have had Iron Deficiency Anemia for about 2 years now. I freak out everytime I get this done because I had to have IV Iron before and it made me deathly ill and I passed out. I am so afraid I will have to have that done again if my numbers are bad.
Plus, my primary care ordered her yearly bloodwork on me and it was fasting. So I had cholesterol, metabolic panel, Liver, CBC/diff,fasting blood sugar, and urinalysis.
The unrinalysis scares me. Seems sometimes I have red blood cells in it, and I don't want to have to see a urologist. I am afraid my FBS will be high. Last year it was 101.Cholesterol was ok last year but not great. It was 196. Plus I haven't taken my fish oil.I don't know but I am scared to death. Is this normal? I can get my results after 1:30, but I am so scared. Do any of you freak out when you get bloodwork done? How do you stop this anxiety over tests??? This is going to consume me until I call. I need to stop having these horrific thoughts. Advice?

[toworryornottoworry]

I am waiting for biopsy results to see if I have Celiac, want to trade? Anaemia is common and caused by various issues, I wouldn't even be worrying if I was in your situation.

Have the doctors ever looked into why you have recurring anaemia though? Such as malabsorption?

[dancer67]

I am waiting for biopsy results to see if I have Celiac, want to trade? Anaemia is common and caused by various issues, I wouldn't even be worrying if I was in your situation.

Have the doctors ever looked into why you have recurring anaemia though? Such as malabsorption?

It is from my periods. I am 45 and tend to get them heavy now. I had a colonoscopy to rule out anything there and that was all normal. I don't know if I have a malabsorption issue, and even if I did, it wouldn't matter. There isn't anything they can do about that. I know I have no issues with absorbing B12. Since taking iron(3 pills a day) my bloodwork has been good in the past. But I still worry. And the other stuff makes me worried as well.
I know lots of people with Celiac. It certainly is life changing. But I heard that once you get off the triggers, everybody says they feel 100% better. But I will pray you do not have it.
I am tired of worrying that consumes me. I just want to live my life. I do not want anything to be wrong and then freak out for who knows how long if I need to see another specialist for some reason, or have more tests. I want all to be good so I can go and live my life and not have to deal with this again for another 6 months. As long as I have my period, I will need bloodwork done ever 5-6 months. And this one was especially hard because my primary ordered all that other stuff. I hate it. I have a knot in my stomach.

[nabila12]

Dancer,

I am so sorry you are going through this. I went through the exact same thing (truly--all the same tests) just a few weeks ago and your kind comment on my thread definitely helped me pull through until I got my results. I truly understand your fear of IV iron, but if your CBC has been good in past, that is a good indication that it will be this time, too. Good luck and PLEASE let us know what you find out.

Nabila

[dancer67]

Dancer,

I am so sorry you are going through this. I went through the exact same thing (truly--all the same tests) just a few weeks ago and your kind comment on my thread definitely helped me pull through until I got my results. I truly understand your fear of IV iron, but if your CBC has been good in past, that is a good indication that it will be this time, too. Good luck and PLEASE let us know what you find out.

Nabila

Nabila,
I am trying to keep that in the back of my head. It is just I had SO many tests I am worried about ALL of them. Like, what if my blood sugar is high and I am a diabetic? Or my Cholesterol is so bad they want to put me on meds? Or my white blood cell count is severely elevated(It is generally always high, not supposed to be over 10.8 but I usually get between 11-13), so what if that jumps up really high? Or they find blood in my urine? I hate getting this done. I look at people around me, and they are so non-chalant about it. They don't even know, or care to know what their numbers are. They just wait for results, never ask for numbers, and deal with whatever comes their way.
Me? I walked down to Hematology this morning, and spoke with the nurse after waiting a half hour for her, to ask her like I always do, if I can call later today to get my results. She always says of course, because "We all know how you are". And it's true. What normal person does that?
And normal peopel should not know lab numbers by heart like I do. I know what all the norms are for every single test I have ever had. My husband says it is just not normal to know all of this stuff.
Anxiety has a way of taking over my life. I truly do not know how I got so bad. At one time, I would get this done and not think twice. I think the big thing is my age. As we get older, more things tend to go wrong. (I am 45). Where my daughter, who is 20 I always hear, she is young so chances of this or that are very slim. With me, I hear "Well, you are about that age you know". I can call in about 45 minutes. I just have a gut feeling something isn't going to be right. But I will update when I know. Thanks so much.

[nabila12]

I really, really feel for you, Dancer. I know exactly what you mean about having the reference values memorized for the tests and scrutinizing every test, trying to ascertain how it portends doom. I know for me it is hard to be nonchalant about lab work anymore because finding the anemia was such a surprise. Now I always worry about what other "surprises" will come up. My FBS was elevated last time, but most likely from a medication I am taking for anxiety, not diabetes. I am sure your lab work will be fine, too!

[floridaguy65]

Hi Dancer, my ol' friend:)

Well, you have anxiety issues / health anxiety and you always will. Me, too....so what?:)

The so what is that we try to live as best we can alongside our mental health challenges by doing the 'good things' as best we can and moving away from the obsessive habits as best we can. We have to look this 'as best we can' component and be honest with ourselves in our assessment, as well. It's all we can really do...do as much as we can for ourselves and then accept that we can't know the future. When things happen in life, we have to handle them and move on....and most anxiety peeps actually do a pretty good job of handling things when they pop up. We feel (we see it in our anxious minds) that we will crumble, completely, and life will come to a screeching halt...but overwhelmingly this just doesn't happen, as we know by now.

Since you've not been here nearly as much (if at all) over the last year, it looks like to me, then what has been going on with your anxiety that has 'allowed' you to move away from seeking lots of reassurances here?

Your blood work has always been an 'HA hotspot', so to speak. Just remember that your anxiety (and the 'what ifs?') are ramping up now...there is no reason for you to believe that the results will be bad. I'm not telling you to just not think this....we do think worst case scenarios when we are struggling. But, all we can do is try to ramp up our own actions and habits and mindsets (and NOT google stuff) that can help us cope a bit better and help us maybe not get hit with some yucky lifeflow interruptions:)

Peace and Feel Well, D:)

[PennyPanic]

Dancer,

I am so sorry....I know how you feel.  hugs.

[dancer67]

So I got my results back. Iron panel was good(thank goodness). But my fasting blood sugar was 107 after a 12 hour fast. Last year it was 105. So I am scared about that. I don't want diabetes. My cholesterol was 210(up from 191 last year). Good and Bad HDL were good. But Trigs were high at 197. (Up from 142 last year). I only spoke to my hematologist. He said to cut out the sugar(and I drink sweet tea all day long plus 3-4 tbsp of sugar in my coffee 2X a day). Plus exercise. I tap dance 1X a week, but will have to up my exercise another 2 days.
Not sure what my primary care is going to say about this. But I am sure she will not be pleased, which means more bloodwork I am sure. For now, I guess I need to stay off the sweets, and the sugar. Well, probably permanently. I do not want to go on any cholesterol lowering medication. So I am a little scared.

[gcalex]

Reduce carbs and sugar.  Do more exercise.  Look into cinammon and chromium supplements.  And stop worrying, you are nowhere close to diabetes, and this is all easily within your control.  Be glad, not scared.

[vardnas]

Yes, don't be scared. What happens to your health at this point is well within your control. I recently cut out all (well, most) refined sugars and grains in order to lose weight (blood sugar's fine) and have lost over 20 pounds since October. I can tell you—once you start to make changes and see how good you feel/look, you'll be compelled to work harder. It's gonna suck at first to cut out all the sweet tea and to exercise more, but you will definitely see and feel positive changes. And your body will definitely thank you for it!

[kazoo]

I have about the same blood sugar numbers as you (I am 49), and I do think that anxiety raises blood sugar.  It's the fight or flight mechanism.... stress hormones pump extra glucose, and extra cholesterol, into the blood as you perceive danger, to boost your energy so you can run from the threat.  What I am saying, I guess, is that your numbers may be artificially high, because you were very nervous about the test according to your description.  Your results may be inconclusive, and at this point I don't think you can say if you are prediabetic or not.  There is a better blood test for blood sugar (HA1C or something)  which is a single test that measures the average number over the last couple of months. Personally I think that would be much more accurate and less subject to anxiety skewing the results.  I am supposed to have that done, but I went through an incredibly stressful period from late September through early November, which is when I was going to go in... so I am putting it off at bit longer.

By the way, if your good/bad cholesterol ratio is OK, you probably do not need to go on meds.  Not with a reading of 210, unless you have a bunch of other risk factors.  My doctor only goes by the ratio (mine is 3, which is good) not by total cholesterol numbers.  The ratio is more important.

[dancer67]

Well, I have high blood pressure. I take the lowest dose of Lisinopril, and Atenenol. My father had a cerebral aneurysm at 48(still living he is 71, but totally paralyzed on one side). I do not know how to figure out a ratio.

My numbers were
Cholesterol:210
Trig: 197
LDL:124
HDL: 47

Last year my trigs were 142. That is a huge jump. My good cholesterol went up from 40 to 47. LDL stayed the same.

I had the A14C test a few years ago and it was fine. She may order that. I just wanted to avoid all of this so I didn't need any more stupid tests.

I am cutting back on sugar, and carbs. Will exercise two more times a week. I don't want top be a diabetic, nor do I want to drop dead of a heart attack either.

[kazoo]

If you cut down on carbs significantly, your triglycerides will drop...a lot. 

If you've been eating more carbs lately because of the holidays, for example, that could explain the rise in triglycerides. My trigs vary extremely widely, so I don't think what you are seeing is a 'huge jump' at all.

Your ratio is 210 divided by 47, which is 4.5 or so.  I think that is pretty good.  If your triglycerides drop, that ratio will  most likely improve.

[dancer67]

If you cut down on carbs significantly, your triglycerides will drop...a lot. 

If you've been eating more carbs lately because of the holidays, for example, that could explain the rise in triglycerides. My trigs vary extremely widely, so I don't think what you are seeing is a 'huge jump' at all.

Your ratio is 210 divided by 47, which is 4.5 or so.  I think that is pretty good.  If your triglycerides drop, that ratio will  most likely improve.

When you mean carbs, does that include wheat bread, pumpernickel, etc? I eat white bread every day. I didn't really change my eating habits or drinking though from last year to this year. I guess that is what is concerning. I will do what you say. I am scared to see what my primary care Dr. is going to say now. ((sigh)). Thank you so very much for the help. I feel like I am going to have a stroke or heart attack any day now.

[gcalex]

White bread is mostly empty calories.  I personally think too much of ANY bread is not great for you but whole grain is better.  And I would think long and hard before taking a statin drug, they RAISE blood sugar this is well documented.  Take fish oil too.

[kazoo]

Technically, carbs include sweets (sugar, candy, soda, pastries, cake, etc.) and starches (including bread, pasta, potatoes, rice, cereal). 

They say that sweets and refined (white flour, like the white bread you mention) 'simple' carbs are more of a problem than slower digesting 'complex' carbs.  The sugar in the simple carbs gets into the blood faster.  Serious low carb diets (which I am not on) restrict ALL carbs.  My husband has been on a low-carb diet for years and has lost significant weight, but I am not overweight and so have not gone this route to as great a degree.

I don't think you have to give up all carbs, because your numbers aren't bad.  Really, they aren't!  But limiting sweets, sugar, white bread, would be a good start, just because I think humans eat way too much sugar nowadays.  Protein and fat (believe it or not) might be OK for you.  Lower carb automatically means higher protein and fat.  I used to eat cereal for breakfast, and orange juice, but now it's scrambled eggs, low-carb toast with butter, and a non-sugary drink. 

Frankly, if your primary care doctor is a gung-ho reactive type, I'd go to someone else.  We HA people need gentle, reassuring, low-key doctors who don't rev up our anxiety.  I am concerned that you seem afraid of your doctor's reaction.

[dancer67]

Technically, carbs include sweets (sugar, candy, soda, pastries, cake, etc.) and starches (including bread, pasta, potatoes, rice, cereal). 

They say that sweets and refined (white flour, like the white bread you mention) 'simple' carbs are more of a problem than slower digesting 'complex' carbs.  The sugar in the simple carbs gets into the blood faster.  Serious low carb diets (which I am not on) restrict ALL carbs.  My husband has been on a low-carb diet for years and has lost significant weight, but I am not overweight and so have not gone this route to as great a degree.

I don't think you have to give up all carbs, because your numbers aren't bad.  Really, they aren't!  But limiting sweets, sugar, white bread, would be a good start, just because I think humans eat way too much sugar nowadays.  Protein and fat (believe it or not) might be OK for you.  Lower carb automatically means higher protein and fat.  I used to eat cereal for breakfast, and orange juice, but now it's scrambled eggs, low-carb toast with butter, and a non-sugary drink. 

Frankly, if your primary care doctor is a gung-ho reactive type, I'd go to someone else.  We HA people need gentle, reassuring, low-key doctors who don't rev up our anxiety.  I am concerned that you seem afraid of your doctor's reaction.

Well, my hematologists reaction was just "Cut down on sugar and sweets and exercise and those numbers will come down in 3-4 months". I love him.

My own primary care probably won't get to excited over it, but I know she is going to mention retesting again for both blood sugar and cholesterol. And she may even suggest a statin. She knows I have anxiety and generally she is reassuring. But she is more test happy then I would like her to be.

For now, I am cutting way down on sugar and cutting out all white bread. And no more sweets. Ansd as you know, we HA people try to figure out why this happened. And that makes me nervous thinking about it because I know my diet has not changed from last year. I still had a lot of sugar then. Not sure why such a difference this year. It always makes us think there is something else going on. Like maybe I really have diabetes. But, my blood sugar was only 107. My SIL who is a diabetic says they only worry when it is over 140 on a fast. And you have to be tested twice.

I feel like I can't get a break here. Okay, I should be happy that nothing turned out to be life threatning. Well, unless that trig number is going to give me a heart attack.

I really hate getting old.

[gcalex]

Trig number will come down very fast in response to diet exercise and fish oil.  Mine at one unhealthy point was something like 400, it didn't kill me, was just a wakeup call.  Under 150 now.  Don't worry about it.  You aren't close to diabetes, just (generally speaking) pre-diabetic which is easily reversible.  Cinnamon extract, chromium, magnesium, watch high glycemic carbs, exercise. 

[kazoo]

Until really recently, fasting blood sugar up to 110 and triglycerides up to 200 were considered perfectly normal.  They changed the normal range, and now a whole bunch more of us are outside the range.  But what is considered 'normal' has an arbitrary nature to it.

You absolutely do not have diabetes.  Nobody is going to call a blood sugar of 107 diabetic; not even close.

[gcalex]

Absolutely right.  You don't have diabetes, you aren't close.  At the same time, that isn't a llicense to live a bad lifestyle, far from it, because over time people do progress to it.  It's a wakeup call, in plenty of time.  Count your good fortune, relax, and implement some changes.