Blood Tests

PauloConn

Hi all

Just looking for some advise on where would be the best place to get blood tests done and how much it would cost, roughly?
Just have the list below but would this be for a hospital, GP, clinic? So many options but need one that covers them all.
any help would be appreciated, thanks. P


Cardiovascular risk profile:
Total cholesterol
LDL
HDL
Triglycerides
C-reactive protein
Homocysteine
Liver function tests:
Alkaline Phosphatase
GGT
SGOT
SGPT
Bilirubin
Kidney function tests:
Creatinine
BUN
Creatinine/BUN ratio
Thyroid Panel:
TSH
T3
T4
rT3
Hormones:
Testosterone
Free Testosterone
IGF-1
Growth Hormone
DHEA/DHEAs
Estradiol
Carbohydrate tolerance:
Fasted insulin
Fasted glucose

sam34

there isnt anything there that a GP wouldnt be able to do. but you need to discuss it with your GP rather than present him with the list! some of them may not actually be necessary.

re cost, some GP's include bloods in a routine consultation, others have extra charges for them, so best bet is phone up and ask the receptionist.

Vorsprung

Bit of a random list, some of those tests are very non-specific. Best bet is your GP.

Don Keypunch

GP's dont actually have to pay to get blood tests done, they charge extra for the actual phlebotomy service of taking the samples or if they have a courier service for transport to the laboratory (but alot ot out of hour GP veichles actually transport the samples for them now).

cynder

PauloConn wrote: »

Hi all

Just looking for some advise on where would be the best place to get blood tests done and how much it would cost, roughly?
Just have the list below but would this be for a hospital, GP, clinic? So many options but need one that covers them all.
any help would be appreciated, thanks. P


Cardiovascular risk profile:
Total cholesterol
LDL
HDL
Triglycerides
C-reactive protein
Homocysteine
Liver function tests:
Alkaline Phosphatase
GGT
SGOT
SGPT
Bilirubin
Kidney function tests:
Creatinine
BUN
Creatinine/BUN ratio
Thyroid Panel:
TSH
T3
T4
rT3
Hormones:
Testosterone
Free Testosterone
IGF-1
Growth Hormone
DHEA/DHEAs
Estradiol
Carbohydrate tolerance:
Fasted insulin
Fasted glucose

You forgot HBA1C

PauloConn

Cheers guys for that, I'll be onto the GP about them.
I kow it's a bit of a random list but it's actually for a fitness program i'm on and they recommend getting medicals done annually but also to get a look at bloodwork, just to look at the nutritional factors which may be affected by different things.
Grindelwald, whats the HBA1C? Is that in relation to hepatitus? Sure, i'll add it to the pile.....:D

Tree

Most of them will be pretty easy for your GP to arrange. As mentioned, the HSE doesnt charge GPs for standard testing.

Also, there's no point getting some tests done, it's an unnessecary burden on the laboratory system. Random testing is of no benefit, your gp should send you for tests that are relevant.

Also, homocysteine levels as a cardiac marker arent commonplace yet, and the sampling is a pain as the lab needs to receive it w/i an hour of it being taken.

Hormones such as testosterone arent normally measured unless there's a suspected growth problem or reproductive issue. There are standard batches of liver fucntion/kidney function tests that hospitals have agreed, likewise with basic thyroid function tests and lipids, so no need ot specify which tests you want exactly unless the original results require further examination.

It may be possible for your GP to send your sample to a private hospital lab, this will probably cost a few bob, but im not sure on the prices.

cynder

HBA1c is another diabetic test- it tells you your average 3 monthy blood sugar levels. over 6 is defo diabetic.

The glucose test sees how your blood sugar react to a sugary drink. stays the same or increase's - you normally get that done at a hospital. had it done with each of my 3 pregnancys at the hospital as gp didnt do it.

The hba1c can be done at your gps office.

hepititus would be included in your liver function test (i would think).

Had my ldl done and that was high....oooppps too many cakes....

PauloConn

Yeah, was onto a private hospital lab about getting them done and needless to say i declined.
I'll go into the GP, probably time for a physical anyway, may as well throw a few tests in too while getting these back.
So needless to say, these aren't all relevant unless there's something wrong with me or just a pain to get done.....
Sure i'll see what GP says.
thanks again guys

Vorsprung

grindelwald wrote: »

HBA1c is another diabetic test- it tells you your average 3 monthy blood sugar levels. over 6 is defo diabetic.

The glucose test sees how your blood sugar react to a sugary drink. stays the same or increase's - you normally get that done at a hospital. had it done with each of my 3 pregnancys at the hospital as gp didnt do it.

HbA1c is not a test which diagnoses diabetes. It gives an indication of blood sugar levels over the previous 3 months.

The test to diagnose diabetes is a fasting glucose. There's no point doing tests relating to a disease unless you know the person has it.

Page 3 of this WHO publication has more

mardybumbum

grindelwald wrote: »

You forgot HBA1C

:pac:

I went to my doc to be tested for Diabetes, and he certainly didn't bother with HbA1c

Some of those I have never heard of before ( BUN ratio/SGOT )

cynder

Ive had 3 gtt's done during pregnancy (the last one 3 years ago). since then i have had 3 HBA1C's and im not diabetic, my husband has had at least 6 Hba1c's in the last 5 years and his not diabetic. (he gets bloods done every 3-5 months), some at the cancer clinic and others at his gp's the gp does the HBA1C's for him not the cancer clinic.

Ive tested my bloods on my daughters monitor and i once tested as 12 where as i should be under 7. Other times ive been under 4 and sometimes normal.

I think knowing your HAB1C is very handy when diabetes is strong in the family.

sam34

grindelwald wrote: »

hepititus would be included in your liver function test (i would think).

nope, hepatitis screening isnt a routine part of liver function tests

Tree

HBA1C is a /monitoring/ test for those with diabetes, or who may be glucose intolerant (pre-diabetic - where glucose is hihger than normal but not high enough to be categorically diabetes.) This test is therefore not something the OP is likely to need, immediately anyway.

Women who experience gestational diabetes are known to be at a higher risk of developing diabetes later in life, this may explain why the poster was being monitored.


BUN seems to be urea levels as a marker of kidney fucntion. No point specifically requesting this, kidney function tests as a group will do the job.

Hepatitis is generally put into microbiology tests, the OP seems to have found a random list of clinical chemistry tests. Talk to your GP, no point putting further strain on an already overburdend pathology service without good cause.

RobFowl

Tree wrote: »

Hepatitis is generally put into microbiology tests, the OP seems to have found a random list of clinical chemistry tests. Talk to your GP, no point putting further strain on an already overburdend pathology service without good cause.

Usually a virology request, done in the NVRL in UCD.

beeno67

grindelwald wrote: »

Ive had 3 gtt's done during pregnancy (the last one 3 years ago). since then i have had 3 HBA1C's and im not diabetic, my husband has had at least 6 Hba1c's in the last 5 years and his not diabetic. (he gets bloods done every 3-5 months), some at the cancer clinic and others at his gp's the gp does the HBA1C's for him not the cancer clinic.

Ive tested my bloods on my daughters monitor and i once tested as 12 where as i should be under 7. Other times ive been under 4 and sometimes normal.

I think knowing your HAB1C is very handy when diabetes is strong in the family.

To be honest here, while not having all the info, it just seems like your GP does not know what he is doing. That being said if your fasting glucose was really above 12 then you have diabetes irrespective of what the HbA1c is.

Tree

@beeno67 I think the poster's doctor is well aware of diabetes and associated tests. Its far from an uncommon condition. If you noted the poster said she was pregnant, if her 12 fell during this time, it's gestational diabetes and not quite the same as regular type 2 although she is at an increased risk of same.

@robfowl not all hospitals will send hep for NAT at the VRL. Some will do antibody/antigen screening in house, generally in their micro dept.

RobFowl

Tree wrote: »

@robfowl not all hospitals will send hep for NAT at the VRL. Some will do antibody/antigen screening in house, generally in their micro dept.

Hence the "usually"

beeno67

Tree wrote: »

@beeno67 I think the poster's doctor is well aware of diabetes and associated tests. Its far from an uncommon condition. If you noted the poster said she was pregnant, if her 12 fell during this time, it's gestational diabetes and not quite the same as regular type 2 although she is at an increased risk of same.

You would be astounded at the amount who believe HbA1c is a valid test for diabetes. (indeed from the posters comments it seems she was told this is what it was for) Do you believe it is reasonable to test HbA1c yearly in a person without diabetes?
To quote from the WHO guidelines
"Currently HbA1c is not considered a suitable diagnostic test for diabetes
or intermediate hyperglycaemia."

Also the poster never said she was pregnant when her glucose was 12. It is an important issue. If her glucose really was above 12 then she has diabetes. This has major implications for life assurance or possibly for changing health insurers and for her general health even if her glucose is now normal. She needs to go back to her GP and get a proper explaination of what is going on and why he/she is doing HbA1cs

QuiteInterestin

Agree with some previous posters, HbA1C should only be used for monitoring diabetes, not for its diagnosis. Unfortunatly some doctors don't seem to be aware of this and may order it as part of a full medical even though its of no use.

Some of the tests mentioned by the OP are usually known by alternate names i.e. BUN is blood urea nitrogen (American term, we use urea levels in mmol/l which about 1/2 the value of BUN) while SGOT is more commonly known as AST and SGPT as ALT so I'm guessing its a list downloaded straight from an american website as these terms aren't really used in Ireland.

A full medical would usually include an FBC, Renal, Liver and Lipid profile, B12/ferritin/folate, Thyroid function tests and male or female hormones and thats more then enough to cover the requirements of any fitness program OP.

If you did find a GP that was willing to carry out all of the tests mentioned well then I don't think I'd trust their judgement as a doctor. Some of the tests mentioned are extremely specialised and totally unnessecary and would only be required in the investigation of specific diseases.

Also have you any idea of how expensive some of the tests mentioned are? Unfortunatly many doctors are happy to order unnescessary lab tests on their patients as they don't pay a penny towards their analysis and by doing a few blood tests they feel they're giving the patient value for money. All of laboratories funding comes from HSE which isn't exactly awash with money at the moment. There are plans at the moment to split up routine GP work from inpatient samples and test these in seperate 'cold' labs. Don't know who will be controlling them, but if they go to a private commerical company instead of the HSE I'm fairly sure they won't be providing the service free of charge to GPs nor will the GPs be shouldering the bill so the OP could get all of his mentioned tests done but he'll be paying a fortune for them!!

beeno67

QuiteInterestin wrote: »

Agree with some previous posters, HbA1C should only be used for monitoring diabetes, not for its diagnosis. Unfortunatly some doctors don't seem to be aware of this and may order it as part of a full medical even though its of no use.

Some of the tests mentioned by the OP are usually known by alternate names i.e. BUN is blood urea nitrogen (American term, we use urea levels in mmol/l which about 1/2 the value of BUN) while SGOT is more commonly known as AST and SGPT as ALT so I'm guessing its a list downloaded straight from an american website as these terms aren't really used in Ireland.

A full medical would usually include an FBC, Renal, Liver and Lipid profile, B12/ferritin/folate, Thyroid function tests and male or female hormones and thats more then enough to cover the requirements of any fitness program OP.

If you did find a GP that was willing to carry out all of the tests mentioned well then I don't think I'd trust their judgement as a doctor. Some of the tests mentioned are extremely specialised and totally unnessecary and would only be required in the investigation of specific diseases.

Also have you any idea of how expensive some of the tests mentioned are? Unfortunatly many doctors are happy to order unnescessary lab tests on their patients as they don't pay a penny towards their analysis and by doing a few blood tests they feel they're giving the patient value for money. All of laboratories funding comes from HSE which isn't exactly awash with money at the moment. There are plans at the moment to split up routine GP work from inpatient samples and test these in seperate 'cold' labs. Don't know who will be controlling them, but if they go to a private commerical company instead of the HSE I'm fairly sure they won't be providing the service free of charge to GPs nor will the GPs be shouldering the bill so the OP could get all of his mentioned tests done but he'll be paying a fortune for them!!

Agree with most of what you said there except for the part about cold labs. The contract for the cold labs will be between HSE and the labs. This change alone will not affect the cost of blood tests to a GP or to a patient.

Tree

HbA1C is a usefull monitoring tool for glucose control in patients who are diabetic. Presumably the GP thinks the pre-diabetic state is enough to warrant regular monitoring.

MrCreosote

Most of those tests are completely pointless for a fitness training plan anyway. Waste of money- what is the point of them? To get a baseline or to see how the training is progressing?? There's easier ways to do that without blood tests.

Most "annual medicals", especially in younger healthy people are a waste of time.

Fair enough a fasting glucose, lipids, FBC. Maybe for Creatinine (but not urea), ALT/Alk Phos, and TSH (not full thyroid bloods)/ferritin/b-12/folate if symptoms or some particular reason to check.

The rest?? Save the taxpayer some money and forget them!