Medical Questions » Pathology

Question 1:	My doctor wants me to have a blood test, but I am scared stiff. What actually happens during a blood test? Does it hurt?
Question 2:	I had a blood test at a local shopping centre that showed my urea to be 10.9 instead of between 2.5 and 7.9. What does this mean?
Question 3:	I am a 50 year old male. My total cholesterol is 4.2, my HDL is 0.7 and my LDL is 3.0. I have encountered a difference of opinion between doctors as to whether this is a good level or a bad level, and one doctor has said that I cannot get Medicare benefits for a blood test at these levels. What do you think?
Question 4:	On a routine blood test, my ESR was high, and now my GP keeps ordering new tests to find out why. What could this mean?
Question 5:	My doctor says I have to stop my wine drinking because my GGT is high. What on earth is GGT and why is it affected by wine?
Question 6:	What do the results of the prostate cancer blood test mean?
Question 7:	How can blood tests determine if you had a particular infection years ago? I am pregnant and my doctor said after doing tests that I had German measles in the past, but I cannot remember this.
Question 8:	My doctor has ordered an FBC on the pathology form, and the receptionist said this was a full blood count, but couldn' t tell me why it was being done or what it involves. Can you help me?
Question 9:	What are electrolytes? I have been told by my GP that mine are a bit low, and he wants to do another blood test.
Question 10:	My mother and sister have had breast cancer, and my doctor wants me to have expensive blood tests every year to see if I will get it. How do these work and are they reliable?
Question 11:	I have been told to take warfarin tablets life long as my heart beats irregularly, but I have to have blood tests every couple of weeks. What are these tests for?
Question 12:	I have a funny looking patch on my leg and my GP wants to biopsy this to make a diagnosis. Why is this necessary and what does it involve?
Question 13:	What can doctors find out about you with a test on your faeces?
Question 14:	What tests can be done to see if you are allergic to different foods?