Blood Tests

julie47

At first when RA started 22 yrs ago I was on gold injections and i had to have fortnight bloods done.
At that time i had to keep a record of WBC , HB, PLAT

when i stopped taking gold a good few years later i stopped recording these results. After reading these messages on the forum I see that you all know how active your arthritis is by certain results. I have bloods done monthly but only get the result TELL PATIENT OK. The other week though i did get a TELL PATIENT WANT ANOTHER TEST > LIVER

When that result came back all i got was TELL PATIENT IMPROVEMENT

can someone tell me which results i should ask for.


Thank you PF X

jordansmum

hi i believe the results are for ESR and or CRP to show if the desease is active but i am sure someone else will be along shortly who is more knowledgable than me to help you .

dorcas

Hi Julie PF

As I'm on Mtx I have monthly bloods taken. I have to record the results on my 'Shared Mtx Monitoring Card' that rheummy consultant looks at when I go to outpatients. They are
WCC, Haemaglobin, Platelets, AST/ALT (liver function tests), CRP & ESR.

I'm also monitored for Kidney Function which is a separate test and urine tested for blood or protein (also recorded).

I phone docs when I know the results will be back and ask for a printout of my Blood Results..... then pick them up and record them on the Card. If there are any significant changes, particularly in WCC or LFTs then I have to report those straight away. Funnily enough it's not the Inflammatory Markers CRP & ESR that are the important ones for Mtx monitoring.... although they reflect disease activity.??

I also have to phone in my results every 8 weeks to the rheummy Mtx nurse . If I forget to do that, when I go to pharmacy at the hospital where I pick up the Mtx jabs...they won't give me them!

Iris x

dreamdaisy

I have my recording booklet, little purple thing, called Methotrexate treatment. My tests are always for Hb, MCV, WBC, Platelets, Neutrophils, Lymphocytes, ALT, Creatinine, CRP, ESR and ALP. There's a decode chart at the back of the book to tell me what they all mean. I was given this booklet back in December 08, about a year or so after I started the injected meth, I think. DD

julie47

Thank you
Jordansmum, Iris and DD

I will ask for one of these books when i go to rheummy app next thurs.

I have been on mtx for a good few years and never had to record anything.

It was as if the gp kept his record ang the rheumy kept theirs.

The hosp i will be going to i think work more closely with my gp as it is in my area now.

I have got some copies of my last few bloods to present to the new hosp.

Thanks again
julie pf xx

dorcas

Hope it goes well for you PF

Part of the difficulty is that the hossie I attend can't access the computer 'system' that my GP's use so they rely on me ferrying the info back and forward.

Every rheummy out patient or day ward appointment I attend I'm given what's called a 'Rapid Report' to take back to my doc. In it the rheummy records what my diagnoses are, what examinations and tests they carried out at the hossie that day (or are arranging), any changes in my joints, what meds they want me on/ are considering, what follow up monitoring & bloods etc they want the GP to do and when I've next to attend rheummy.

It also lists all previous meds I've been on, when they were started and when they were stopped and why.

Works well and I'm always kept in the know about what's happening!

Iris x

Iris x