Blood Work Precautions

I needed to go in for blood work this week. A nurse met me at the door and took my temperature and made sure I was wearing a mask. Then she asked what type of car I was driving and where I was parked.

I went back to the car and they came and got me when it was my turn. They took me immediately, did the blood work and I left. No sitting in a waiting room. I was impressed how they are handling people during COVID.

I go in tomorrow morning.

Last year, the PA in my bariatric clinic told me to skip taking vitamins the day before (I know some say longer), so I'm not taking any today. I always wondered why some medical people recommend that since my normal blood levels are based on taking my supplements every day. . I don't remember having to do it the first couple of years - but maybe there's been more recent research - or maybe they just forgot to tell me to hold off on the vitamins for a day or two.

I have never been told to hold off on vitamins the day of blood work. But I remember my husband being told years ago to stop drinking coffee the day before a stress test. That was because caffeine affects the heart rate.

I agree that you take daily supplements, then then they should not have an effect on the blood work. I think that is just a personal belief of some medical people and a day without vitamins is not going to hurt anything.

I agree with you - it doesn't make much sense to me. But the one thing I DO do is wait at least a wee****il after I take my megadose of B12 (I take it once every two weeks). I try to schedule my labs somewhere around a week after when I'm sort of in the middle - so my B12 levels aren't too high or too low, since that might make them think something's up when it's not. I figure having them test me when I'm in the middle of the cycle is probably ideal..

I went to my primary doctor yesterday for the first time - 6 month follow up on HBP. Same exact protocol. Even had to get some bloodwork - they do their own draws and everything was great. No waiting around.

I took my dog to the vet the other day and didn't step foot in the office. They met me at the door and did all the paperwork on the phone. I printed out all the forms before I came, gave them my id and credit card and waited for them to copy them.

I did have blood work last week and went to the lab. It is in a major university hospital and there was only one or two others in the waiting room so no problem keeping my distance. Of course masks were required. I used hand sanitizer before, during and after the visit, as well as washing my hands before I left. They had bottles of sanitizer all over the place. I was still nervous but felt it was about as safe as possible.

My partner has to take a covid test a day before any visit for labs or anything. Then he drives up for the test and never leaves his car. I guess there is no way to completely avoid all risk but they are doing the best they can.

Ladytazz!!

Great to hear from you. It has been a while.

I decided to postpone my blood work.

When I am going for blood work, I try to skip the multi for one day. And get blood work at the end of the time I take some of the once a week vitamins. I.e I get B12 shot once a week . So I make sure I wait at least one week after the B12, same with D3, or some others I take once in a while. When I get B12 injection, immediately my B12 results may be high, or high normal. Most people don't need B12 shots more than 1 x month. And their B12 remains normal for that time. But my body is processing B12 very fast, so I need to make sure my dose and frequency is good enough. To maintain my B12 at optimum levels. There was time when my B12 was around 500 a week after injection. And my blood markers indicated chronic low B12. I had to increase how often I got B12.

Lately, my B12 hovers around 1000 at the end of 7 days. My blood markers still indicate some small deficiencies, but not like before.

It does not bother me anymore, but at first I used to pack a lunch and eat in the car before driving home, because I was so weak from fasting and all those blood withdrawals.

I passed out the first time too and after that I would only do those massive blood withdrawals while lying down. If I sit in a chair I am still afraid I would pass out again.