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Medical Forum / General / General / May 2005should I be worried about health test results?
So I'm a 34 yo male. Went into the docs last Wed. for sinus problems, and while there, asked for a general health screening. Don't know exactly what they're testing for, never had one done, but I know it's at least cholesterol, blood sugar, and she said something about "seeing if your liver and kidneys are working properly." So today I get a call from the office, asking if I could make an appointment for Thursday to come in and talk about the results. They had said last week that they probably wouldn't call me to come in unless there was something of concern. So, how much should I be concerned? If it was something REALLY serious, like...something contageous like hepititus, or something really suspicious about my white blood count, they'd want me to come in right away, right? Not wait until 4 days later? So, what possibilities could it be where it's important enough to come in, but not so much that it can wait until Thursday? Thanks for any opinions! Liam > So I'm a 34 yo male. Went into the docs last Wed. for sinus problems, > and while there, asked for a general health screening. [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > So, what possibilities could it be where it's important enough to come > in, but not so much that it can wait until Thursday? Rather than getting yourself all worked up over speculation, why don't you just call the doctor and ask the results? HMc >>Rather than getting yourself all worked up over speculation, why don't you just call the doctor and ask the results? << Because you know what happens if you try to call a doctor. Unless you're another doctor. Hmmm. Maybe you DON'T know what happens when you try to call a doctor and you're not another doctor. Okay, let me clue you, Howard: it usually doesn't work well. And if you (the patient) are trying to extract any real info from your doctor way, like what your lab tests *mean,* it REALLY doesn't work. Forget it. Unless maybe the doc is a personal friend or you've been patient for years and years and years. Cause he's working for free in that case, and he knows it. Now, here's your chance to say YOU discuss their new lab results by phone with your patients ALL the time!!! And my chance to say "bullshit". Or something like "Yeah, but only because you're a surgeon and it usually doesn't *matter* what their lab tests are." :) Except maybe if the CBC's low and your nurse is calling to say "take iron." :). SBH >>>Rather than getting yourself all worked up over speculation, why > don't you [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > > SBH I don't know how it works where you live, Steve. In my practice, I take calls from patients asking about their lab tests if they get impatient waiting for my letter. And while I don't order much in the way of blood chemistry or other such lab tests, I have many, many patients that are curious about the polyp I took out of their colon, or their breast biopsy, or whatever little thingies I might have taken out of them. I respond to their emails, and return their calls. My home number is listed in the phone book and it's on my business card, along with my email address. My surgical partners and I have an online support discussion forum for bariatric surgery patients - sign up and ask a question about your gastric bypass...it will probably be me that answers it. No, I don't engage in 40 minute phone discussions about every test I order or organ I remove, but when a patient calls my office, or my home, or emails me with a question that's causing them anxiety, we do whatever is necessary to ease the anxiety. The situation posed by the OP wouldn't happen in my office because we'd explain the reason to him when we schedule the visit. While I certainly acknowledge that some doctors have lost sight of the fact that patient care is the reason they have a job, that's not the culture of our particular medical community. The arrogance of a physician that would let a patient stew rather than return a phone call is admittedly not uncommon around the world, but tragic nonetheless. HMc >>So today I get a call from the office, asking if I could make an appointment for Thursday to come in and talk about the results. They had said last week that they probably wouldn't call me to come in unless there was something of concern. So, how much should I be concerned? If it was something REALLY serious, like...something contageous like hepititus, or something really suspicious about my white blood count, they'd want me to come in right away, right? Not wait until 4 days later? << COMMENT: Nah. You probably have cancer, and they're going to wait till Thursday to tell you, since Friday is golf day and chemo's on Monday. See how it works? Don't buy any green bananas, man. SBH PS. I hope you know I'm kidding. Hepatitis or AIDS at most. Cancer's hard to tell from a routine test. BTW, This is a problem with screening tests in general. What do you do with bad results? The kind thing would involve a telephone call, but most health plans don't pay much for phone time. Only for face-to-face time with the patient. Translation: patients get screwed with another doctor visit. > >>So today I get a call from the office, asking if I could make an > > appointment for Thursday to come in and talk about the results. > > They had said last week that they probably wouldn't call me to come in > > unless there was something of concern. > > > > So, how much should I be concerned? If it was something REALLY serious, > > like...something contageous like hepititus, or something really > > suspicious about my white blood count, they'd want me to come in right > > away, right? Not wait until 4 days later? << > > PS. I hope you know I'm kidding. Hepatitis or AIDS at most. Cancer's > hard to tell from a routine test. Well that's comforting. =/ Actually, doctors don't test for HIV unless you specifically ask to, right? Anyway, if it was something transmittable or contagious, they'd want me to come in to discuss it right away, right? Not wait 4 days? I mean, it seems like if it were something like Hepititus or something, they'd be REQUIRED to, no? Thanks for the reply! Relax. Before they do anything, they'll repeat the test to make sure it's not some lab mistake. SBH >>Anyway, if it was something transmittable or contagious, they'd want me to come in to discuss it right away, right? Not wait 4 days? I mean, it seems like if it were something like Hepititus or something, they'd be REQUIRED to, no? << Which is why they don't test for hepatitis without asking you for permission, either. Really. Relax. SBH >Actually, doctors don't test for HIV unless you specifically ask to, >right? AT least in Indiana, you not only have to ask, but you have to give the okay on multiple part carbonless forms. It isn't something that the doc can just "do", at least locally. -- Army Liason to the Office of Naval Contemplation >Actually, doctors don't test for HIV unless you specifically ask to, >right? I have been tested for HIV at least six times and I never specifically asked for the test. Two of the times they did not even tell me beforehand that they were doing a HIV test which is illegal in my state.  SignatureNot everyone thinks I am useless. My cat thinks I make a good chair, a good bed, and a good step ladder. He also thinks my face makes a good pillow. > >Actually, doctors don't test for HIV unless you specifically ask to, > >right? [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > tell me beforehand that they were doing a HIV test which is illegal > in my state. It depends on who is giving you these HIV tests. For example, if you donate blood, they test for HIV and various other types of diseases. If your family doctor is giving you a HIV test--that should not happen unless you asked for the test. You should ask the person that is giving you the test to explain why he or she is giving you the HIV test. I have never been tested for HIV--even during the yearly physical exams. Perhaps some doctors do give the test during the yearly physical exams. Please post if your doctor gives you a test for HIV during your yearly physical exam. SignatureNEWSGROUP SUBSCRIBERS MOTTO We respect those subscribers that ask for advice or provide advice. We do NOT respect the subscribers that enjoy criticizing people. > So I'm a 34 yo male. Went into the docs last Wed. for sinus problems, > and while there, asked for a general health screening. [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > Thanks for any opinions! > Liam While a call like this could mean there was something serious, in a lot of offices the nonphysician calling isn't allowed to discuss abnormal test results at all. So if your cholesterol level were high and the doctor wanted to bring you back in to discuss whether you needed to be placed on a statin, it might conceivably generate a call like this. That said, I think this is not a nice practice. Much better to say, "Your cholesterol level was high and the doctor wants to talk to you about it." SignatureDavid Rind drind@caregroup.harvard.edu |
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