Gwilo

As background, I've been getting these dizzy spells 3-4 times a week, always in the afternoon, between 1-5, lasting for anything between 10mins to an hour.

Getting a drink of coffee and some fresh air doesn't help.
Getting something to eat, doesn't help.
I went to the Gp last week and they said my symptoms were not typical of diabetes ( got family history so, had to discount) and they thought it was probably some gunk in the balance centres. they ordered a round of blood tests to check for goodness knows what......4 syringes later.........

I heard nothing, so assumed I was ok.
Get a phonecall last night asking me to come for more tests.
With one little instruction - no alcohol or paracetemol for two weeks.
Now, I don't go popping pills, and I last had paracetemol about 2 days prior to going for the bloods. Alcohol was even longer than that.
Typically, I'm about to go to the far east, so I won't even get to have beer or any refreshing G & T's out there now.

But, I'm curious as to what would warrant such a request? What could be the theory informing such a very specific restriction?
I know what organs alcohol and paracetemol have an impact on, especially in prolonged or large doses........but of course, you do fear the worst........
Anyone got a sane knowledge of medicine, as opposed to internet speculation.......

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Interphase

Do you have the opportunity to ask beforehand which tests they'll be running this time? There are a few good internet resources that detail the reasoning behind each test.

jec

sounds like they could be checking liver function tests, but there is nothing worse than worrying, have you seen the doc and have they dicussed the original results with you????

philc

Paracetomol and alchohol certainly sounds like liver.
Normally, your GP gives you a card to give to the person taking blood which details what tests to do. From that, you should be able to see what they're testing for.
Even better, ring them back, ask to speak to your GP, and ask them. It's your body. You may have to p1$$ off a receptionist to get through to the Doctor, but be persistent and ask the questions that you want answered..

Phil

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jec

does not sound the same as me, but I was dizzy and had headache every single day for ages and I was very low on B12, doc kept giving me B12 tablets but it was just getting lower and lower and now I have to have injections every 3 months for the rest of my life as I cannot absorb B12 from food or tablets, so dizziness could be caused by all sorts of things, could even be your inner ear!

pixi

It does sound like they want to check out your specific levels and it seems like taking alcohol or paracetamol could well give an untrue reading. We take bloods all the time at work and I've never had to ask people to to refrain from either before, but they are in hospital and they wouldn't be allowed to drink!

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Gwilo

Thanks for the heads up.
Re: liver - had a chat with a medical bod, and before I'd got very far into the descriptions, they suggested liver enzyme tests, but not to worry.
I don't drink - certainly not after an notorious incident involving JD, a chair and a webcam. - so never more than one drink a week now.
Paracetamol - well, i had had two lemsips on the saturday to help me out with a cold, which I'm technically still nursing a little....and I'm 4 hours frm getting on a plane......typical....lol.

I would have rung the GP back, but as I can't do much about it for the next two weeks, seemed a bit pointless. But I'll get the numbers and specific details from the nurse when I go for the next round of bloods - she's remarkably blunt, so that'll be fun.

Thanks all.

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