New Member
Posted 19 October 2013 - 11:32 AM
has anyone ever had to do a blood draw over because the lab didn't draw enough blood for the PCR test? Or because the blood coagulated? yesterday I got the insufficient amount for testing and about a year ago I got the coagulation story. I use a local hospital who uses labcorp for the PCR.
mark
Advanced Member
Posted 19 October 2013 - 11:55 AM
It can happen. Very poor procedure. There are anticoagulants in the vials, but they need to be gently shaken after the blood draw. But there is no excuse at all for insufficient filling of the vial with blood from a vein if that was the problem. Lobotomized phlebotomist.
New Member
Posted 19 October 2013 - 07:45 PM
Well, I had one coagulated tube once. The NP came in and started asking me all these questions, like was I really tired, etc. then she said my RBC was really low. I felt just fine. So then they wanted to do the test again. But a few minutes later, she came back in and said she checked with the lab (it's on the same floor) and it turned out the sample had coagulated. So they didn't retest, since I said I felt fine and they apparently had enough blood from another tube to check again.
I wouldn't necessarily blame the phlebotomist, at least for the coag'd tube. The tube might have been defective, and might not have had the anti-coag chemicals in there. A missed or low fill can happen at the mfg plant.
traci
Advanced Member
Posted 19 October 2013 - 09:17 PM
"Insufficient amount" probably means the technician was 1 purple vial short. I now know to look for 2 vials with purple tops, in addition to the others. If i don't see them, I ask what tests they're doing. That usually causes them review the ordered tests.
Dx: Sudden severe anemia detected 07/2011, followed by WBC spike. CML Dx 02/2012.
Rx: 03/2012-Gleevec400. Reduced 02/2013 to Gleevec300 due to side effects (low blood counts).
Response: PCR-Und within 7 mo. on G400. Maintained MMR4-MMR4.5 on G300. PCR-Und since 02/2016.
Advanced Member
Posted 20 October 2013 - 08:32 AM
Two? Now I'm going to have to pay more attention! I've never had a problem, but I've just always looked for the purple top in the months I have my blood drawn for PCR testing. Never noted if there was more than one.
Pat
Pat
"You can't change the direction of the wind but you can adjust your sails."
DX 12/08; Gleevec 400mg; liver toxicity; Sprycel 100mg.; CCyR 4/10; MMR 8/10; Pleural Effusion 2/12; Sprycel 50mg. Maintaining MMR; 2/15 PCRU; 8/16 drifting in and out of undetected like a wave meeting the shore. Retired 12/23/2016! 18 months of PCRU, most recent at Mayo on 7/25/17 was negative at their new sensitivity reporting of 0.003.<p>
Advanced Member
Posted 20 October 2013 - 09:43 AM
The number one reason for coagulation is failure to shake or invert the vial several times after blood draw.
PCR only requires one small (1 ml) vial. The lavender top is used for multiple tests, so the other vial would either be for another blood test or else they just want to send a spare (not a bad idea). Here is the LabCorp test reference:
https://www.labcorp....S20IS3O4N2N6680
Oddly, this says the PCR vial for LabCorp can be lavender, green, or yellow top -- that is a change, and may account for more clotting since they represent different preservatives. I would personally always want to see lavender top vials used for PCR.
New Member
Posted 20 October 2013 - 03:16 PM
what really irritates me is that i know the results won't be ready when i see my onc and will have to wait for him to call.
mark
Member
Posted 28 March 2014 - 08:07 PM
Hi
How are you doing now ..Can you share your PCR history ?
All the best
Thomas
New Member
Posted 29 March 2014 - 12:31 PM
I seem to bounce between PCRU an as high as .03. no rhyme or reason. string 2 pcru's together and the next is .03. currently on a 2 pcru streak. first 3 pcr's were done by quest all pcru. next 2 years were all done at labcorp and varied up to 0.031.since then it's back and forth. Anything mmr is good to me.
mark
Advanced Member
Posted 31 March 2014 - 09:54 AM
Funny I was PCRU with Quest too, then switched to Genoptix and no more PCRU. My Dr agrees that the new lab is more sensitive and he has other patients who were PCRu that are not since they switched to the new lab.
Advanced Member
Posted 31 March 2014 - 10:55 AM
Lucky, that is interesting.. Genoptix is the lab we have been using for 3 years.
It screwed up a test about 18months after Dx, prompting my onc to do a BMB
to see what the hell was happening. The result showed .02% just a few weeks
after the PCR revealed I had lost CyCR. I never trusted them again. Last April
and then again in Jan., same issues, just not as serious. Like Mark, 2 PCRU
streak and bumped out. My onc says the same of Genoptix, they are
more sensitive. Who knows?
New Member
Posted 18 April 2014 - 03:16 PM
streak broken at 2 again. this time labcorp @ .005 as good as a PCRU to me.
mark
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