odd blood test

[franksolich]

When I was seeing a physician in the big city today, during the visit he decided he wanted a sample of blood for a "potassium check."

He explained why, but I was tired and out of it, and got only that he wanted a sample of blood for a "potassium check."

So the nurse took out a whole vial of blood, which wasn't any problem for me--although as much as she got, one wonders if she thought I was donating to the Red Cross too.

Okay, I'll find out later what it was all about.

But for the meantime, speculate, if you can.  Why a potassium check?  Why so much blood?

Normally, wouldn't just pricking on the ear or finger get one a large enough sample for this kind of test?

Remember, he told me the "why," but I wasn't paying attention.

Because it takes too much energy to "listen," generally in my own life, as long as I get the "what," I worry about the "why" later.

[Gina]

Perhaps your dr is a vampire?

[TVDOC]

Although far from an expert on serology, typically one vial is the minimum drawn for any single test.  On some tests, several different parameters can be determined from a single sample, however not all.

A complete vial is collected due to the fact that a large enough sample should be available to complete more than one test should the initial run prove to be done in error, or contaminated, or the results so far out of the norm that the technician needs to confirm the results via multiple runs of the same procedure, or utilizing a completely different protocol to arrive at the result.

Potassium levels are typically determined by utilizing a ion-reagent process, or gas chromatography, each of which requires a cc (cubic centimeter) or more of blood.

doc

[Gina]

Although far from an expert on serology, typically one vial is the minimum drawn for any single test.  On some tests, several different parameters can be determined from a single sample, however not all.

A complete vial is collected due to the fact that a large enough sample should be available to complete more than one test should the initial run prove to be done in error, or contaminated, or the results so far out of the norm that the technician needs to confirm the results via multiple runs of the same procedure, or utilizing a completely different protocol to arrive at the result.

Potassium levels are typically determined by utilizing a ion-reagent process, or gas chromatography, each of which requires a cc (cubic centimeter) or more of blood.

doc

could be true, with all my miscarriages I was giving a recurrent loss panel and it was like 22 huge vials of blood.  I was light headed after it!

[franksolich]

Perhaps your dr is a vampire?

This was one of those rare times I didn't have someone along to "listen" for me.

Generally, as long as I get the "what," I'm cool with it, and can wait until later to learn the "why."

I'll get the "why" on the next appointment, but was curious.

[franksolich]

Although far from an expert on serology, typically one vial is the minimum drawn for any single test.  On some tests, several different parameters can be determined from a single sample, however not all.

A complete vial is collected due to the fact that a large enough sample should be available to complete more than one test should the initial run prove to be done in error, or contaminated, or the results so far out of the norm that the technician needs to confirm the results via multiple runs of the same procedure, or utilizing a completely different protocol to arrive at the result.

Potassium levels are typically determined by utilizing a ion-reagent process, or gas chromatography, each of which requires a cc (cubic centimeter) or more of blood.

doc

Of course, I mildly exaggerated, but I'm not sure by how much I exaggerated.

It was a syringe about one and a half times the thickness of a grown man's thumb, and about one and a half times the length of a grown man's thumb.

It didn't bother me, but I was surprised she extracted so much, given that all other times she's just taken from a finger or jabbed one of the "tags" where an ear would be if there were an ear.

[Zeus]

When I was undergoing my cancer treatment every time i turned around they were tapping me for 3, 4 , 5 vials of blood. The nature of the treatments also made it more difficult for the vampires to hit a vein. Right arm 3 or 4 attempts not good. Let's try the left arm 3 or 4 pokes no hit let's try the back of a hand. Same with hooking up the chemo.