guess I should go to the lab today

[NSgirl]

due for some blood work,Oh joy!!
its that time of year again when I go see my oncologist.
its been 4 years now. one more to go before they declare me cancer free!

[yorkcountykid]

i just had a bunch of bloodwork done. i'm anemic and under weight, but i'm not sick in any other way. i can eat all the steak i want --mmmm mmmm good .

[Dave]

My wife has her LAST appointment next month and then it's official: she has beaten the big C. It's been a tough 5 years so I understand what you are going through. It's a fairly exclusive club that you and my wife belong to but we will never be happier than the day she is kicked out, and you as well of course.

[GuardianFlash]

make sure to have a big glass of water after every blood test.

[Dave]

Water? My ass! I was thinking of something with a little more kick.

[GuardianFlash]

You need to have water. Many people faint after blood test.

[NSgirl]

funny you mentioned that. after my blood test i went to the mall across the street. I thought I was going to pass out. I felt very sick and was on the verge of blacking out. I also forgot to bring my cell phone. I sat down and had a small snack and then drove right home and took a nap on the couch. I have NEVER had a blood test effect me like that before.
my arms are slow too for giving blood. the one arm I had chemo in is toast, they can barely get a small drop out of me on that side. My other arm is a bit better ,but I guess I have small veins. the poor guy was poking away at my veins for ever,he could not draw any blood. he had to get some one else to come and find a vein to draw blood from, so 2 bandaids later they managed to get their 3 viles full. they kept appologising for hurting me but I could not even feel it. I guess going through as many tubes as I've  had shoved in my arm in the past ,giving a blood sample is painless.
I feel bad because I know I will never be able to be a blood donor. Not that they would want my blood after all the poison that went through it,mind you that was years ago now.

[yorkcountykid]

thaatt ssonds quite unplleasaant. my vveeins must be  good cuz they got the needle in and  viles full in less  THAN one  minute. geeezz, nsgirl, sorrry to hear  that

[yorkcountykid]

btw, i have veery loow blood pressure. i have a machine to check it, but many times it is too low to reegister. who kknows why???

[Orik]

Is there large quantity's of garlic in your diet YCK. Garlic is a natural way of lowering blood pressure.

I have been anaemic a few times over the past 3 years, enough so I had to go on iron supplements for a time. I since have increased the amount of beef in my diet and a bit less chicken / pork products. I have more tests coming up for iron and potassium levels.

The worst is when the Liver is not working right and I need potassium supplements. They taste god awful. i did not think anything could taste worse until i has to take special K. Special k is a liquid taken orally that is used to help thicken your blood when it is to thin. it increases your clotting ability.

Sighs Like You NS girl it is soon time to do my 1 - 2 x monthly blood work done they run check ups on my liver enzymes such as the Billy Rubin and god knows whatever else they are testing.  Anything from 3 vials to as many as 7. Some tests such as Ammonia tests I have to have done at the hospital...

As it is I will soon be back in hospital for some more tests and procedures. I hate going to the hospital it is never fun and the food is terrible (sometimes it's alright) hopefully if this one goes well I will be in and out in no time. If it goes badly I will probably be in for awhile.

Hospitals Suck.. =(
 

[plasticman]

I haven't been to a doctor in 10 years.

[NSgirl]

I haven't been to a doctor in 10 years.

I found my cancer through a regular yearly screening. You should go for regular checkups,because if you ever did develop some sort of cancer,most are totaly curable if caught early.it is when you don't know you have it and leave it to spread through out your organs ,is when your toast!
think about that next time you say you have not been to a doctor in 10 years!!!
You should go for a routine checkup and get all your tests done that the rest of us do!

[Know It All]

I haven't been to a doctor in 10 years.

You should go for a routine checkup and get all your tests done that the rest of us do!

It can save you a lot of time, should the Drs find something early. It is much easier to treat something in the early stage.
 
 
 

[fuzzbrain]

how do doctor's find cancers when they are early? like if you have no lump or anything?

I'm another one that is scared of doctors

[yorkcountykid]

Is there large quantity's of garlic in your diet YCK. Garlic is a natural way of lowering blood pressure.

orik, i have maybe about one large clove per day, but i don't think that's a lot--is it? i naturally have low blood pressure just below normal. i eat some onion too. i'm trying to eat more beef like you too. i practically was off beef totally for no other reason THAN i like salmon/chicken and turkey so much and they are so easy to cook. now, i get sirloin steak cut into stir fry and that is really easy to cook too. oh, and i've started eating liverwurst every day.

[NSgirl]

how do doctor's find cancers when they are early? like if you have no lump or anything?

I'm another one that is scared of doctors

well for one thing certain blood test will show tumor markers.
when you go for anual dr. appoinments they will just do routine screening of stuff.Then if something looks a little unusual they will order further tests.
I had a sh- load of tests before they told me I had cancer. They kept telling me I was fine,even the surgeon that did my biopsy said he thought I was fine. Then he tells me it was cancer.
Put it this way I am pretty sure I am cured however if I had not gone to the dr. when I did and did not get tested my cancer would of killed me. I would probably already be dead,or dying!
I had a very small but agressive tumor.
prevention and early detection, are your best bets.
Living in fear and denial will more likely kill you then being proactive and looking for stuff!
anyone I've know that has died of cancer has done so because they waited too long to get looked after or had a wrong diagnosis from the start.

[Dave]

Some cancers are just not that easy to detect even with lab tests etc. And then if a person waits too long there is the question of the tumour being accessable. The key to it all is early discovery and that means seeing a physycian minimally once yearly and being aggressive with your questions for the Doc if necessary. Don't don't don't let him/her limit you to 10 and then hustle you out the door with a pat on the back.

[sid]

Smart people go to the doctor when they are healthy. Dumb people only go when they are sick. That's the difference between healthcare and sickcare. I learned this the hard way after not going to a doctor for 10 years.