Freaking out

[funnyyetsavvy]

I went to my OB/GYN a few weeks ago for the general exam…because of my ex’s history of Hepatitis C that was discovered during my pregnancy, my OB/GYN wanted to do labs for HIV/HEP B and C and more…I had been tested for the Hep C when ex was diagnosed and came back negative.

SOOOO fast forward. I got a letter from Dr. that exam was normal…kept waiting for lab results…finally today I called. They told me they 'couldn’t talk to me on the phone" that I’d have to come in and meet with someone!?! I said, 'Who was going to tell me that?" No response, of course…so now I have an appt for MOnday and I don’t know if something’s wrong or not but I have to think that if nothing’s wrong why would I have to go there???

I am so upset right now. I have to go through the whole weekend not knowing.

 

[Belle10]

I went to my OB/GYN a few weeks ago for the general exam…because of my ex’s history of Hepatitis C that was discovered during my pregnancy, my OB/GYN wanted to do labs for HIV/HEP B and C and more…I had been tested for the Hep C when ex was diagnosed and came back negative.

SOOOO fast forward. I got a letter from Dr. that exam was normal…kept waiting for lab results…finally today I called. They told me they 'couldn’t talk to me on the phone" that I’d have to come in and meet with someone!?! I said, 'Who was going to tell me that?" No response, of course…so now I have an appt for MOnday and I don’t know if something’s wrong or not but I have to think that if nothing’s wrong why would I have to go there???

I am so upset right now. I have to go through the whole weekend not knowing.

I’m no expert, but this might be due to privacy regulations…you know, anyone could call and say they’re you and get your test results, so maybe that’s why you have to be there in person?

I hope nothing is wrong and that it’s just the privacy issue. Praying for a peaceful weekend for you and good results on Monday. :hug1:

 

[JustAnotherThou]

I guess I would go down there today and say “Here I am, what do you need to tell me?” I wouldn’t be worrying all weekend and not know what I was worrying about.

 

[dixieagle]

I went to my OB/GYN a few weeks ago for the general exam…because of my ex’s history of Hepatitis C that was discovered during my pregnancy, my OB/GYN wanted to do labs for HIV/HEP B and C and more…I had been tested for the Hep C when ex was diagnosed and came back negative.

SOOOO fast forward. I got a letter from Dr. that exam was normal…kept waiting for lab results…finally today I called. They told me they 'couldn’t talk to me on the phone" that I’d have to come in and meet with someone!?! I said, 'Who was going to tell me that?" No response, of course…so now I have an appt for MOnday and I don’t know if something’s wrong or not but I have to think that if nothing’s wrong why would I have to go there???

I am so upset right now. I have to go through the whole weekend not knowing.

First, I’ll pray that all is well.

I have periodic blood tests due to a medication I take, and they are able to tell me over the phone, but I have to provide birthdate, ss# and a few other identifying details.

I would call back and insist on talking to your physician’s nurse. I’ve found that usually an actual nurse can give you an idea of what is going on, though they don’t let the medical assistants, etc., do so, in my doctors’ practices.

Often, the squeaky wheel gets the grease. Knowing how worried you are, I would push this today so you won’t be imagining the worst over the weekend. (They ALWAYS call with stuff like this on Friday, don’t they? I just went through that myself two weeks ago. I had had the usual blood tests for cholesterol, etc., and they always check my liver enzymes due to the medication I take. If things are OK, I just get a little postcard; however, I got a call late on a Friday afternoon when I was out, naturally, and had to wait until Monday to call - ruined weekend!!! I was imagining another round of repeated tests, liver ultrasounds, CT scans (been there done that before!) Turned out my triglycerides were higher than usual and the doctor wanted me to simply add another fish oil capsule daily!!!

Please get back on the phone and see what satisfaction you can get, or offer to drive there (if possible) today.

Best of luck, and lots of prayers.

God bless.

 

[funnyyetsavvy]

I’m 95% sure it couldn’t be Hepatitis B because I was vaccinated for that in the 90’s when I worked at a hospital…

I pray it is just that - they can’t tell me because of HIPPA. But that doesn’t fit with the call. They couldv’e said that…but instead she kept putting me on hold…

 

[Nanny_PK]

I guess I would go down there today and say “Here I am, what do you need to tell me?” I wouldn’t be worrying all weekend and not know what I was worrying about.

That’s what I would do!!! Don’t tell me that you can’t give me the results and then expect me to wait till Monday. Just show up in the office and ask to speak to the nurse if they won’t talk to you o the phone.

Paula

 

[funnyyetsavvy]

They close at noon on Fridays

So I have to go through the weekend regardless…

I’m trying hard to focus on the things I need to do this weekend, but I had to stop myself from breaking down at lunch…

If it’s just a negative result, I’m going to be so upset that they handled it this way…

 

[lizaanne]

That’s what I would do!!! Don’t tell me that you can’t give me the results and then expect me to wait till Monday. Just show up in the office and ask to speak to the nurse if they won’t talk to you o the phone.

Paula

How would knowing change anything? Waiting two days is not life threatening - perhaps this is an opportunity to learn the virtue of patience.

And before I get nasty fingers pointed at me - trust me, I’ve been in the very same situation.

To the OP - Just wait the two days, use this period of time to pray for acceptance of God’s will - no matter what that might be. And welcome the calm of the unknown. It’s there, you just need to look for it.

I’ll keep you in my prayers and hope the diagnosis is favorable. Waiting is never easy, but it can certainly be a learning experience as well if you let it.

~Liza

 

[HouseArrest]

How would knowing change anything? Waiting two days is not life threatening - perhaps this is an opportunity to learn the virtue of patience.

And before I get nasty fingers pointed at me - trust me, I’ve been in the very same situation.

To the OP - Just wait the two days, use this period of time to pray for acceptance of God’s will - no matter what that might be. And welcome the calm of the unknown. It’s there, you just need to look for it.

I’ll keep you in my prayers and hope the diagnosis is favorable. Waiting is never easy, but it can certainly be a learning experience as well if you let it.

~Liza

That sounds like a good idea seeing as how there is not really another choice right now, but I would have opted for showing up at the office had they still been there…

 

[Lila_grace]

Don’t Freak out!!!

My best friend had the exact same thing happen to her and it turns out that there is some law about not being able to give those type of results over the phone regardless if they come back negative or not.

She had an HIV test and was just in complete melt down to get the results because they made her come in to get them…so she thought it must be bad…

turns out they were just required to tell her in person…HIV FREE

 

[rpp]

First, I am praying for you that all is well and it is just some administrative thing, like privacy regulations, that prevent them from discussing this with you.

However, I find that it is incredibly cruel, even to the point of sadistic, to call someone on a Friday, give ominous and foreboding news, then make them wait all weekend. That is just cruel and mean. http://bestsmileys.com/angry2/1.gif I mean, why couldn’t they either see you today or wait until Monday to call you. That is just sick and twisted. That is so far beyond callous that I personally thing the person who called you should be fired. Only a sick sociopath would do something like that. Such a person should not be associated with the health care profession.

 

[lizaanne]

However, I find that it is incredibly cruel, even to the point of sadistic, to call someone on a Friday, give ominous and foreboding news, then make them wait all weekend. That is just cruel and mean. http://bestsmileys.com/angry2/1.gif I mean, why couldn’t they either see you today or wait until Monday to call you. That is just sick and twisted. That is so far beyond callous that I personally thing the person who called you should be fired. Only a sick sociopath would do something like that. Such a person should not be associated with the health care profession.

Wow - I just don’t see all the angst over this!! I’ve never seen so many red faces in one thread I’m sure!

I have worked in a medical lab before, and there is nothing sadistic or mean about how this office has handled this. It’s just how things work, and I think it is much healthier to just not get so worked up about it. My gosh - in the grand scheme of things, what difference will it make knowing two days sooner? It’s not as if you can DO anything on a Friday afternoon with an unfavorable diagnosis aside from having a really crummy weekend. At least with not knowing you have the benefit of at least hoping for the best!!! It is not as if she is hearing that she has three days to live and, oops, we wasted two of them over the weekend!!

No one needs to be fired here for doing their job - now that make me use a . Medical professionals have a very very difficult job - they have to please everyone: patients, doctors, managers, government, insurance companies. They can’t just blow with the wind to make everyone all warm and fuzzy all the time. Sometimes we just need to patient patients.

~Liza

 

[rpp]

Wow - I just don’t see all the angst over this!! I’ve never seen so many red faces in one thread I’m sure!

I have worked in a medical lab before, and there is nothing sadistic or mean about how this office has handled this. It’s just how things work, and I think it is much healthier to just not get so worked up about it. My gosh - in the grand scheme of things, what difference will it make knowing two days sooner? It’s not as if you can DO anything on a Friday afternoon with an unfavorable diagnosis aside from having a really crummy weekend. At least with not knowing you have the benefit of at least hoping for the best!!! It is not as if she is hearing that she has three days to live and, oops, we wasted two of them over the weekend!!

No one needs to be fired here for doing their job - now that make me use a . Medical professionals have a very very difficult job - they have to please everyone: patients, doctors, managers, government, insurance companies. They can’t just blow with the wind to make everyone all warm and fuzzy all the time. Sometimes we just need to patient patients.

~Liza

Hmm… Perhaps you are right. This was a bit of a gut level reaction and perhaps I overreacted.

But I will continue to contend that such news does seem ominous and I do think that if this is indeed normal procedure, then perhaps that procedure needs to be re-examined so as not to create undue angst and distress in a patient. I mean really. The only time my doctor ever calls me is when there is something seriously wrong. And if he will not tell me something over the phone, that is going to make me worry.

I should add that just last Christmas, my brother was informed that he had cancer in exactly the same manner. A on a Friday afternoon telling him to come into the office as early as possible on **Wednesday **morning, as the office was closed for Christmas Eve and Christmas day (Monday and Tuesday last year). Absolutely no other information. Everyone in our family was quite upset about this. Talk about destroying our Christmas.

If this is the normal manner in which medical offices behave, then this is yet more evidence that the medical community does not care about people.

 

[Jea9]

First, I am praying for you that all is well and it is just some administrative thing, like privacy regulations, that prevent them from discussing this with you.

However, I find that it is incredibly cruel, even to the point of sadistic, to call someone on a Friday, give ominous and foreboding news, then make them wait all weekend. That is just cruel and mean. http://bestsmileys.com/angry2/1.gif I mean, why couldn’t they either see you today or wait until Monday to call you. That is just sick and twisted. That is so far beyond callous that I personally thing the person who called you should be fired. Only a sick sociopath would do something like that. Such a person should not be associated with the health care profession.

Actually the OP said SHE called the office…not that they called her. And the office closes at noon…maybe only the nurse can tell her and they’ve already left…maybe only office staff is there… But regardless…the OP called and she could have called yesterday…not that I’m discounting being nervous…I’ve been in a similar situation myself.

 

[rpp]

Actually the OP said SHE called the office…not that they called her. And the office closes at noon…maybe only the nurse can tell her and they’ve already left…maybe only office staff is there… But regardless…the OP called and she could have called yesterday…not that I’m discounting being nervous…I’ve been in a similar situation myself.

Ah. Okay. I missed that she initiated the call. Perhaps you can see in my previous post (#13) why I reacted strongly.

 

[funnyyetsavvy]

Yes, I initiated the call because I’ve been waiting weeks to hear something. No one ever told me that I had to call, or how they would tell me.

I don’t think it’s ‘not a big deal’ to wait two more days…I have an ex with Hep C who had a stroke and brain bleed this year. I have a 6 year old girl. I have hopes that I can someday marry and have another child. I also have responsibility for a mother dying of colon cancer with dementia…if something came back wrong, the sooner I get treated the better!!!

I don’t know how things work here in Florida, so I hope the poster who suggested it’s just because of the HIV test that they can’t tell me is right…

When I had a mammogram several years ago, I recieved a call several days later from the hospital - “WHy haven’t you come in to see us? Don’t you know that this result means we have to check you right away?” I had no idea what they were talking about. They assumed the Dr. would tell me. The Dr. hadn’t even gotten the report. THat’s how I found out I had an abnormality and needed an US and another mammogram…

 

[dixieagle]

Yes, I initiated the call because I’ve been waiting weeks to hear something. No one ever told me that I had to call, or how they would tell me.

I don’t think it’s ‘not a big deal’ to wait two more days…I have an ex with Hep C who had a stroke and brain bleed this year. I have a 6 year old girl. I have hopes that I can someday marry and have another child. I also have responsibility for a mother dying of colon cancer with dementia…if something came back wrong, the sooner I get treated the better!!!

I don’t know how things work here in Florida, so I hope the poster who suggested it’s just because of the HIV test that they can’t tell me is right…

When I had a mammogram several years ago, I recieved a call several days later from the hospital - “WHy haven’t you come in to see us? Don’t you know that this result means we have to check you right away?” I had no idea what they were talking about. They assumed the Dr. would tell me. The Dr. hadn’t even gotten the report. THat’s how I found out I had an abnormality and needed an US and another mammogram…

You have quite a lot on your plate. I’m so sorry you have to worry about this. There does seem to be a real emphasis on privacy with regard to HIV testing, so we’ll hope and pray that that’s what it is, and it’s negative.

Now, you also mentioned Hepatitis testing; I know that when you are vaccinated against Hep B (or have had an infection that you may not even have known you had, and cleared) you will test positive for a surface antigen. It actually just means you’re immune, but sometimes they look more closely.

Please try to relax; I know it’s hard - been there done, that several times. Prayers being sent your way!

 

[lizaanne]

I don’t think it’s ‘not a big deal’ to wait two more days…the sooner I get treated the better!!!

I’m sorry - I don’t mean to sound heartless, that is certainly not my intent. But if you found out on a Friday afternoon, how would you start treatment any earlier than the following week anyway? Do you think they would have raced you to a specialist over the weekend, crash all standing appointments, and start treatment on Saturday morning? They don’t even do that for cancer patients.

Honestly, I’m not trying to be nasty, I just think that you are really making more stress and anguish for yourself by “freaking out”. If you are positive on Monday, you will discuss the treatment plan with your doctor and it will probably begin sometime in the next week or so. Specialists are hard to get appointments with. If you were positive today, I doubt that would change that much, if at all. Chances are, by the time you heard the news Friday afternoon, ever other office would be closed and you would not be making appointments till Monday anyway.

I truly hope this is all nothing in the end, but in the mean time, please don’t stress out too much - it’s just not good for you, emotionally and physically.

I had an ex who has Hepatitis C - didn’t tell me he was an IV drug user before we married. I found out after his diagnosis - 10 years into the invalid “marriage”. I’ve waited for these calls myself, and I know it’s not easy. Hang in there, don’t stress out, you will truly need every bit of yourself if you are positive, don’t waste it just waiting for an appointment.

~Liza

 

[surfinpure]

I just want to let you know I’ve been in your shoes, when a doctor told me he suspected I had Hepatitis, and I had to wait a WEEK for test results to come in. During that time I did WAY too much reading on medical websites uch:and practically made funeral plans, thinking I was dying for certain, even had a major panic attack.

Well, the week passed, and it all came to absolutely zilch. And all that anxiety probably made me gain five pounds. So the bottom line is … *don’t let your emotions run away with you, or you may have to buy new pants. *

 

[funnyyetsavvy]

And all that anxiety probably made me gain five pounds. So the bottom line is … *don’t let your emotions run away with you, or you may have to buy new pants. *

Oh my gosh, I ate a whole bag of pistachios last night:blush: and that was after a visit to Dairy Queen:blush:

New pants

Thanks for the laugh…

I’m better today, but really, the things people wrote here did help a lot. I want you folks to know that. I think for me it’s just overwhelming to face the possibility that just as life is looking brighter, something could take that away…

I’m really good at internet TMI’ing as well…sigh