Re: Why don't they do all possible blood tests?

[Guest guest]

I have to go next week and get my Vitamin D checked. My family doc says she thinks my vitamin D may be low and that is why I am tired all the time. I already get B12 shots once a month. Also, she said she wants me to come in fasting, so she can check my glucose because my last blood sugar was 137 and she want to make sure I am not diabetic. Guess I will do that some time next week.

Bruce, why did they decide to check your vitamin D level, if you don't mind my asking?

CaroASTHMA 1976,OSTEOARTHRITIS 2002, COPD 02/06, IPF 08/07, UIP 01/08, RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS 03/08 SJOGREN SYNDROME 07/08Mississippi

Subject: Re: Why don't they do all possible blood tests?To: Breathe-Support Date: Friday, August 22, 2008, 2:39 PM

ZenaIt's been over 100 degrees here for two months with air quality index inthe red so not much sunshine one could spend time in. Yes, the foodsthat seem to be fortified are ones I can't do too....like milk. She saidit would take such huge quantities anyway to get me back. My vitamin D,25-Hydroxy was 9.4 L and the normal range is 32-100, so I'll boost itand then try to maintain it.Oh, I know insurers would object to all inclusive blood testing but, inmy case, it probably would have saved them considerably as I've had hugegroups of tests but then can't remember the last time I went to anydoctor, except my pulmonologist, I didn't have some additional. I hadblood tests a couple of weeks ago 4 days in a row...lol. And a couple ofthem weren't avoidable because they were before and after type tests.And, doesn't really bother me or bother me they find more things as Iunderstand how little

still at this point they really know. Trying tolimit to the critical stuff but seems like many of the things they keepfinding they feel are very important. Some are sort of funny. Myneurologist had already pretty much agreed with my lung disease no needto see him more than once a year, but my rheumatologist wanted me to seehim. Now, my gastroenterologist says unlikely he'll ever do anymoreendoscopies or anything in my esophagus, but he sends me todermatologist because he wants a skin biopsy done. lol.And, while I'm not traveling and waiting for nice weather, I'm takingcare of all these appointments but when I'm back on the road or havebetter things to do, living takes precedence over seeing any of them.> >> > Ok, tossing this one out. Every time I see an additional doctor orone> > in a different field, I find myself having more blood tests for> > different things. The nephrologist found several things that the> > primary, pulmonologist, hospital and rheumatologist didn't test for.> One> > seems so simple but it was a huge Vitamin D deficiency. I'm just> > wondering why with patients known to have complicated illnesses or> > several conditions that one can't run all the tests at once for all> the> > doctors to ultimately use. Now, many of mine have been used by other> > doctors but there is just always more.

The nephrologist also found> > another thing that meant a referral to another specialist> > -hematologist/ oncologist. I would have thought 22 tubes of blood in> > Chicago would have been enough...lol. But each doctor looks at allmy> > blood tests which have been done and then orders just a few more.Just> > seems to me that with all my trips to a doctor and blood taken,> finding> > an extreme Vitamin D deficiency should have been done long ago.> >>

[Guest guest]

Carolyn

I'd had more tests than one can imagine, but my new nephrologist has an

additional group of tests she always runs. The woman is quite unique but

I'm very impressed by her. She talks so fast I have a very hard time

keeping up. Her last two questions to me were " Are you having fun? " I

said yes and " are you happy? " and I said yes....and she smiled and said

then all is good. However, on top of traditional blood and urine she ran

Vitamin D, Magnesium, and Parathyroid tests.

Vitamin D deficiency subjects you to potential osteoporosis but also

many believe subjects you to higher risks of autoimmune disease, cancer,

and other diseases. One site I found referred to it as the " most

underdiagnosed condition. " It is an immune system modulator and could

actually be the cause of many things that are leading others to suspect

autoimmune disease. It also can cause hyperparathyroidism as a secondary

condition.

Now, coupled with that my PTH, Parathyroid, was high at 72 versus a

normal range of 12-65. This can be a result of kidney failure, vitamin D

deficiency, calcium deposits in organs, decalcification of bone, but is

most frequently due to a parathyroid tumor, which is usually benign.

These are both fairly normal tests for those with kidney insufficiency.

So, these two factors lead to a prescription for heavy vitamin D and a

referral to go see my hematologist/oncologist.

So, I suspect I'm on to more tests and probably some monitoring and

waiting and seeing. I see the hematologist/oncologist next Friday and

return to the nephrologist in three months.

I think I could ultimately be fascinating research upon death as I have

so many weird things going on. No telling what they would find. Might

actually figure some things out. Meanwhile, not letting any of it bother

me and just enjoying life. Now you see why I'm the leader in the number

of doctors poll. But, I'm really doing quite well for the condition I'm

in, whatever all my conditions are. Do wish I could go to one doctor

though without them referring then referring me to another. I continue

to agree to most tests except the really invasive ones. My VATS was

enough of that. I've held off a lymph node biopsy since they were found

enlarged for over a year (at recommendation of oncologist) and they

haven't grown. I think ultimately my body has just reacted to lots of

things in some autoimmune or similar ways. However, all the answers are

unknown and likely will remain that way. Most of my life I would have

had an urgent need to know but I really don't.

> > >

> > > Ok, tossing this one out. Every time I see an additional doctor or

> one

> > > in a different field, I find myself having more blood tests for

> > > different things. The nephrologist found several things that the

> > > primary, pulmonologist, hospital and rheumatologist didn't test

for.

> > One

> > > seems so simple but it was a huge Vitamin D deficiency. I'm just

> > > wondering why with patients known to have complicated illnesses or

> > > several conditions that one can't run all the tests at once for

all

> > the

> > > doctors to ultimately use. Now, many of mine have been used by

other

> > > doctors but there is just always more. The nephrologist also found

> > > another thing that meant a referral to another specialist

> > > -hematologist/ oncologist. I would have thought 22 tubes of blood

in

> > > Chicago would have been enough...lol. But each doctor looks at all

> my

> > > blood tests which have been done and then orders just a few more.

> Just

> > > seems to me that with all my trips to a doctor and blood taken,

> > finding

> > > an extreme Vitamin D deficiency should have been done long ago.

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Well, I guess it will be a good thing to go ahead and get it checked then, just to be on the safe side. You sound like you are going through quit a lot right now yourself!! I hope all your tests go well. You are always so helpful and so full of information. I wish I could be more like you. Some days I am on so many meds, is all I can do just to function enough to get through my 8 hours of typing and then I am totally exhausted and oh, yeah, BRAIN DEAD!!CaroASTHMA 1976,OSTEOARTHRITIS 2002, COPD 02/06, IPF 08/07, UIP 01/08, RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS 03/08 SJOGREN SYNDROME 07/08Mississippi

Subject: Re: Why don't they do all possible blood tests?To: Breathe-Support Date: Friday, August 22, 2008, 4:11 PM

CarolynI'd had more tests than one can imagine, but my new nephrologist has anadditional group of tests she always runs. The woman is quite unique butI'm very impressed by her. She talks so fast I have a very hard timekeeping up. Her last two questions to me were "Are you having fun?" Isaid yes and "are you happy?" and I said yes....and she smiled and saidthen all is good. However, on top of traditional blood and urine she ranVitamin D, Magnesium, and Parathyroid tests.Vitamin D deficiency subjects you to potential osteoporosis but alsomany believe subjects you to higher risks of autoimmune disease, cancer,and other diseases. One site I found referred to it as the "mostunderdiagnosed condition." It is an immune system modulator and couldactually be the cause of many things that are leading others to suspectautoimmune disease. It also can cause hyperparathyroidism as a

secondarycondition.Now, coupled with that my PTH, Parathyroid, was high at 72 versus anormal range of 12-65. This can be a result of kidney failure, vitamin Ddeficiency, calcium deposits in organs, decalcification of bone, but ismost frequently due to a parathyroid tumor, which is usually benign.These are both fairly normal tests for those with kidney insufficiency.So, these two factors lead to a prescription for heavy vitamin D and areferral to go see my hematologist/ oncologist.So, I suspect I'm on to more tests and probably some monitoring andwaiting and seeing. I see the hematologist/ oncologist next Friday andreturn to the nephrologist in three months.I think I could ultimately be fascinating research upon death as I haveso many weird things going on. No telling what they would find. Mightactually figure some things out. Meanwhile, not letting any of it botherme and just

enjoying life. Now you see why I'm the leader in the numberof doctors poll. But, I'm really doing quite well for the condition I'min, whatever all my conditions are. Do wish I could go to one doctorthough without them referring then referring me to another. I continueto agree to most tests except the really invasive ones. My VATS wasenough of that. I've held off a lymph node biopsy since they were foundenlarged for over a year (at recommendation of oncologist) and theyhaven't grown. I think ultimately my body has just reacted to lots ofthings in some autoimmune or similar ways. However, all the answers areunknown and likely will remain that way. Most of my life I would havehad an urgent need to know but I really don't.> > >> > > Ok, tossing this one out. Every time I see an additional doctor or> one> > > in a different field, I find myself having more blood tests for> > > different things. The nephrologist found several things that the> > > primary, pulmonologist, hospital and rheumatologist didn't testfor.> > One> > > seems so simple but it was a

huge Vitamin D deficiency. I'm just> > > wondering why with patients known to have complicated illnesses or> > > several conditions that one can't run all the tests at once forall> > the> > > doctors to ultimately use. Now, many of mine have been used byother> > > doctors but there is just always more. The nephrologist also found> > > another thing that meant a referral to another specialist> > > -hematologist/ oncologist. I would have thought 22 tubes of bloodin> > > Chicago would have been enough...lol. But each doctor looks at all> my> > > blood tests which have been done and then orders just a few more.> Just> > > seems to me that with all my trips to a doctor and blood taken,> > finding> > > an extreme Vitamin D deficiency should have been done long ago.> >

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