Very worried and test results are late

Hi everyone, I was wondering if any of you could help.

 

I’ll keep it brief. My girlfriend’s skin cancer results were supposed to come back within 3 weeks, but 5 weeks have already elapsed since the op. She’s had skin cancer before and she’s in her 20s so obviously both of us are really anxious to get the result. She is too anxious (if something, she closes down when I talk to her about it) to call up the anyone to find out what’s going on. I’ve stopped asking her to call anyone or pressing her to be proactive because she refuses and it it makes her so upset that it ends up being very counterproductive. That’s why i’m turning to you for help. 

 

What can we do to find out why it’s taking so much longer than they said it would? Is it likely that she’s somehow dropped off the system and she will never find out? Has this happened to you, and if so, what did you do that helped?

 

Thank you for taking your time to read this.

 

K

  • Hi K,

    I'm a Nurse with lots of experience in sending biopsy samples to the labs.

    There are lots of reasons you may not have heard back yet. It could simply be that the letter has been lost in the post. But ocassionally, there are delays because the labs are so busy. 

    I'm sorry that you find yourself in such a difficult position, but really your girlfriend needs to call to find out. I can totally understand that she is anxious and upset. But we all need to empower ourselves and take responsibility for our own health. Doctors (and all healthcare professionals) are here to help, not to do everything for us.

    If your girlfriend can't talk about it, could she write a letter to her consultant?

    I'm almost certain it won't, but I hope this helps.

    Best Wishes Rich