text: (1/2) > >> MiniPozToyota:
  I gave labs on 13 Mar 2013 and I received my results today witch three months ago was 659 cd4 now this month was 371 cd4. They want to redo them to check to see if its just a low cd4 now or that the lab messed up with sending out the blood work. Where I get my labs drawn at they have to send them to another city to get checked so within that time period the blood cells start dying off... does anyone know how long after you have your blood drawn that the blood work should be looked at? what if it was soposed to go out but somehow missed the mail and was left a day late? anyone else have this issue before?? I talked to my father who is a Dr. but not for blood work or anything and he said that the longer you wait to have blood tested the worse the test is going to be bc the cells die off... kinda freaking out about this cause such a looooow dip my Dec labs at a out of state hospital was in the 800's. Thanks.
  bocker3:
  For the CD4 test, while quicker is always better -- if drawn in the proper tube (usually EDTA tube) and, more importantly, stored properly -- ie. not too cold or too warm, testing should be done within ~48 hrs of collection. This is from an article put out by the American Society of Clinical Pathology (ASCP).Of course, many things can impact your CD4 level besides issues with testing or transport. If you were recently ill, time of day, etc -- can impact your results.While a redraw is prudent, I wouldn't spend much time worrying over this one result (I know easier for me to say, than for you to do).Mike
  The labs before last, mine dropped a couple hundred points. I was stressed at the time I did the blood work. This happened before. I am not sure about storing and time frame for CD4. However, I remember they were having issues a while back with viral loads. The way the blood was being stored (wrong tube, freezing, or something) was causing patients to have higher viral loads than what was real. Whatever happened, they realized there was a problem. On a side note-- This last time, my doc called me. He had never called me before, so I was already worried. He said my CD4 was 232. I could feel my heart drop into my stomach. He got a call and had to call me back. I kept wondering wtf. He mixed me up with other patient. Mine were back to where they usually are. He needed to call me about my very low Vitamin D level of 11. I was a tad upset with him.
  Thanks, yeah I got my VL load back and it's UD had labs drawn again at the hospital that actually checks the blood count there so hopefully by Friday I'll know something. bocker3:
  --- Quote from: MiniPozToyota on March 19, 2013, 08:54:31 PM ---Thanks, yeah I got my VL load back and it's UD had labs drawn again at the hospital that actually checks the blood count there so hopefully by Friday I'll know something.--- End quote ---Well, once you are on meds, the UD VL means far, far more than any CD4 result. Mike