Real People Stories – Maria
I give myself and my Anaemia children a CBC full blood test every six months. Do you know why so often? It is a simple, fast, and informative method of research. How do I give blood correctly?
No person in the world has ever given Blood for a general analysis. At least once in life, each of us had to do this. Women (especially during pregnancy) need to do this very often. Men do not often go to the hospital and worry about their health, and if it were not for professional examinations when applying for a job or studying, they would never give blood at all.
We often use thebotomy for a complete blood count (CBC), which is a full sample taken from a finger. In some private clinics, blood is taken from a vein, but I have never taken a CBC Sample from a vein, only biochemistry.
Healthcare professionals prefer the venous method because it contains more red cells and haemoglobin than capillary. Moreover, they can draw more from a vein at once, eliminating the need to send the person back to the laboratory for additional checks.
Almost everyone knows how it is taken, but not everyone knows how to prepare properly for this manipulation or whether to prepare. I cannot stand even fear-free clinics with these angry doctors and lab technicians, but I have always given it from my finger for free (that’s just how it happened).
Personal Experiences
While I worked with the police, we had to take all the samples at the private women’s Anaemia clinic. The CBC Panel checkup was included in the mandatory insurance at the best maternity hospital in my city during my pregnancy, so I also took it for free. I took the exams at a regular clinic several times during my second pregnancy. Still, in addition to the eternally angry and dissatisfied employees, the clinic is so free that in addition to the usual shoe covers, you had to bring gloves, alcohol, cotton wool, and a scarifier.
And when I already had two children, I even started donating it to them in the children’s lab. Since we donate it often, we soon become friends with the Anaemia lab technicians as families; they always take samples for me, too. As for the children, of course, for free. I will say more: this free children’s lab is our only free “health care” place.
Because there are never any mixed-up tests or incorrect Anaemia results, the lab technician pricks your finger so you don’t feel it. She entertains the children so much that they run to give, and after receiving the tests, you can save on the paediatrician because they will decipher them for you.😁
I’m joking, of course. You need to go to the Anaemia paediatrician, but in any case, they don’t silently throw tests at you as they do in an adult clinic without explaining anything.
Reasons for Regular Exams
Why do I take Anaemia blood tests every six months and sometimes more often? If children are sick, they are prescribed a checkup. If there are no diseases, then we take it every six months for prevention. I need to monitor the haemoglobin level, especially if I notice any indirect signs of anaemia in children. Many also take a ferritin test, but for us, a complete Full count is usually enough to understand if there are problems.
A general test is the CBC examination method that makes it possible to discover certain symptoms’ nature. In addition, in addition to high diagnostic information content, it helps to control the effectiveness of therapy. Often, the Anaemia treatment regimens prescribed by the paediatrician do not work. I still do not lose hope of finding out the reason for the appearance of acetone attacks in my daughter, so I must monitor her regularly.
Personal Reflections on Healthcare and Diet
It is important to take blood for analysis for preventive purposes in both children and adults.
The CBC exam is very helpful for very young children because they cannot describe their health problems or discomfort in words.
During my first pregnancy, I gave from my finger every month until the 6th month and every week after the 6th month.
As for me now, I donate it not only for prevention but with my company’s children. Whenever I get excited about the Anaemia haemoglobin test level, I remember those against vegetarians.
When I ate meat before and worked/studied, my haemoglobin level was 90—sometimes 100. When I didn’t eat meat, chicken, or fish, my haemoglobin level was 150–160, and I was full of strength and energy.
The second pregnancy made me start eating meat and all that stuff again. The pregnancy ended long ago, and the Anaemia haemoglobin level fluctuated between 130 and 135. I had no strength or energy. It turns out that I felt the best and had a high haemoglobin level precisely during the vegetarian period. Every time I take a complete CBC count test, I am convinced.
Indications:
- Routine medical examination;
- Vaccination;
- Choice of the doctor;
- Identification of contraindications to medications;
- Monitoring of the therapeutic effect of drugs;
- Blood transfusion;
- Sudden weight loss;
- Pregnancy;
- Admission to any educational institution;
- Employment;
- Surgical intervention;
- Establishing success or, conversely, the absence of a therapy result.
The procedure has no contraindications and can be performed even on newborns in their first days of life. Sometimes, such Anaemia risk children must take blood from the earlobe or heel because their fingers are too small to get into the vein.
How to prepare
Many people think that tests need to come to the CBC lab on an empty stomach is. A complete Full count also requires preparation, and the results may be unreliable even if the woman came on the wrong day of her cycle.
The reliability may be affected by:
- Eating before or one and a half hours before it.
- Conducting an X-ray or MRI the day before.
- Physical activity.
- The day before, you were in the sun for a long time.
- Nervous tension and stress
- Taking medications.
- Intravenous or intramuscular injections.
- Menstruation.
- Alcohol and smoking the day before or before.
Patients must refrain from consuming food or water for 4 hours before taking a sample.
Of course, only some have the opportunity to get up in the morning, get ready and calmly drive to the laboratory in 5 minutes.
If this is not possible, come early and sit quietly in the corridor, relaxing.
Not following these simple CBC rules may cause erroneous results and lead to an incorrect diagnosis.
What often happens, especially in reviews, is when a person blames the laboratory, but all his preparation is that he came on an empty stomach.
What does it show?
A complete FBC includes:
- Hemoglobin level.
- The content of the blood’s cellular elements is determined by erythrocytes—red cells containing the pigment haemoglobin, which determines the colour—and leukocytes, which do not contain this pigment and are called white cells.
Thus, the CBC will show the reaction to any processes in the body. The main thing is to have a good doctor who can correctly decipher them. Some people were diagnosed with oncology only by a blood test from a finger.
How is it performed?
The lab technician wipes the sampling site with cotton wool and alcohol and then makes a sharp cut with a scarifier. You collect the blood that comes out with a special pipette and pour it into a long, thin test tube. While extracting, I feel uncomfortable, but I have never experienced pain.
When they took CBC blood from children, they generally counted wagons while it was drawn into a long pipette. One press is a wagon.
Naturally, I recommend a complete count. I recommend taking it not only when you are sick but also for prevention. Then, there is an opportunity to prevent the disease or notice pathologies early.