Top 5: Talking about blood results with your health professionals

Here’s my Top 5 on discussing the results from your blood tests with your health professionals. The aim is to use them to improve your health, not feel bad about it!

1. When the practitioner gives you a form to go and have a blood test, ask what they are looking at with the tests.  Usually it will be to check on your health and any conditions you have that require ongoing monitoring. Getting a bit more of an idea can help to allay any fear you feel.

2. The glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) is a blood test that looks at the amount of glucose in the blood over a 2-3 month period of time. People with diabetes are ordered between 1-4 checks per year usually, depending on the latest result or type of diabetes.  Results can be inaccurate if you have recently had a blood transfusion, anaemia or a condition affecting the turnover of red blood cells or iron stores, like haemachromatosis. Make sure your doctor is aware if you have any of these conditions as they may need to order a different type of test for your longer term monitoring.

3. Self blood glucose monitoring in a structured manner provides additional information to that received by the HbA1c result. This is very useful when you have had a period of very low or very high blood glucose levels as they alter the average of the HbA1c. Using both types of glucose monitoring gives you a better idea of where you are at, compared to using only the one method. And don’t forget to use your Check, Think and Act education resource to help you to be more proactive in responding to your glucose levels.

4. Think about the questions you would like to ask your doctor or nurse practitioner, and write them down, before going back to see them for the results. Asking what they mean and what you can do to change them is always a good place to start. What the time for getting your results should not be is an opportunity to be ‘told off’ about the results. All that does is make you feel bad. Instead ask how you can make changes to improve the results to minimise their impact on your health. 

5. If you want to talk about your diabetes blood reviews, please make an appointment to come and see me. Bring along a copy of the results and any questions you want to ask. It can make a big difference when you understand what the results mean … often it makes them less scary too!