POZ Community Forums
Main Forums => Living With HIV => Topic started by: racingmind on May 27, 2008, 06:15:35 pm
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So I go to my ID doctor to get my latest results and he tells me that the VL test was not done. They took 9 vials of blood and apparently there was not enough to run the test. Has this happened to anyone else? If so, does it happen a lot? I hate having blood taken. I guess I should just suck it up because I'm doing very well on Atripla. It's just annoying to have to get stuck again because someone at the lab screwed up.
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Hello,
There's been at least two times, when I didn't receive results for my viral load, over the past four and a half years. Never because of not having enough blood, but because of either misread or bad results. Each time I scheduled a retest, and everything was ok again.
Tell your doctor, you would like to be rescheduled, for a viral load test, as soon as possible. My blood tests also go through Quest diagnostics.
Good luck----Ray
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I've had a couple of lab screw ups during my 15 years of treatment, but not many, so I'd say "no" about it happening a lot.
Also, you may have no way to know if the error happened before your doctor's office passed the vials off to the lab or if it happened at the lab.
ps: you might as well get used to having blood work done. It's not going to change :)
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I think mine is with Quest also. Instead of VL test, they redid my western blot last month, so for the 4th time, I was confirmed to be poz. (previously I went to 2 different clinics other than my PCP and re-confirmed) I hate to have my blood drawn again so I suggested to the doc let's do it next time. Doc was OK since my CD4 number and % all look OK.
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I think mine is with Quest also. Instead of VL test, they redid my western blot last month, so for the 4th time, I was confirmed to be poz. (previously I went to 2 different clinics other than my PCP and re-confirmed) I hate to have my blood drawn again so I suggested to the doc let's do it next time. Doc was OK since my CD4 number and % all look OK.
We have to have our labs drawn at the local hospital. Whenever I see a new face coming toward me with tubes and a syringe, warning bells go off.
Twice they have tried to test me again. I catch them because they try to get you to sign a release for the test, which they don't do for the regular viral load/CD4 draws.
All in all, it depends on the experience of the phlebotomist here. There is one older Navajo lady who is just a delight. No muss, no fuss, no mistakes, no bruises and we always end up laughing about something.
Make the most of the chances to laugh, I always say.
HUGS,
Mark