The Follow Up Blood Test And Results
Do you remember that about a month ago I was banned from giving blood due to my low iron count? Well, this is the update you may have been waiting for if you wanted to know what was going on.
After explaining why I was there and how we'd got to this point and the Doctor looking at the notes from my phone conversation before the blood test and my previous appointments over the last few years (there hasn't been that many!) he was able to notice a trend that was giving him an idea about what my diagnosis should be.
So.
The day after I was banned from giving blood, I phoned my Doctor's surgery and arranged to have a telephone consultation as there is a rule that you can't book a blood test without having spoken to a doctor first, which makes sense, but also means I had to wait longer to book in the blood test and I wanted to give blood, so I needed to know as quickly as possible that this was a mistake and all was well!
The Doctor on call that day was a woman and I don't know if a personal experience made a difference or not, but the Doctor wanted to know not only if I had a low iron count by confirming I should have a blood test, but she was also concerned about finding what was causing the low iron count.
During the short conversation, she questioned me about my diet, my menstrual cycle, my exercise habits, my new job, my sleep schedule and other activities that I took part in and said that she wanted me to make another appointment a week after the blood test so that I could get the results and the doctor I would see for this appointment could discuss further what we had discussed on the phone.
I went for the blood draw and all was well. I didn't pass out, my blood flowed freely and I even made it into work on time. Then a week later and I went to see the Doctor for the follow-up appointment.
After explaining why I was there and how we'd got to this point and the Doctor looking at the notes from my phone conversation before the blood test and my previous appointments over the last few years (there hasn't been that many!) he was able to notice a trend that was giving him an idea about what my diagnosis should be.
My TSH level was practically "normal" (it was 10.2) but the Doctor thought it would be sensible to put me on Levothyroxine because he believed that all my symptoms show that I have an underactive thyroid.
So, now, I'm on medication for the rest of my life but hopefully, I'll stop being so tired, my iron level will return to normal and a tonne of other symptoms will vanish and allow me to be my usual happy self. Well, here's hoping anyway!