What's a "Full Blood Count" ? PLZ TELL ME?

Question

Having a "Full Blood Count" done.

What is this ? Will a lot of blood be taken ?

very squeamish - & feel sick thinking about it.

Answer 1

i don't think you need to give alot of blood. i think a full blood count is when they want to take the no. of red blood cells, platelets and white blood cells in your blood. i think only a syringeful of blood is enough.

Answer 2

Yhis is a very painless proceedure during about 5mls of blood is taken from an arm vein. it does not take more than 1 minute.

Nowadays its all computerised in the laboratory: The results are given about:

1.The number/ml and the different properties of the Red Blood Cells.
2 The total number of white blood cells and the percentages of the different types of white blood cellsml
3. the number of platelets /ml.

Any deviation from the normal set of values may be diagnostic or reasons for further investigations.

Best of Luck.

Answer 3

Full Blood Count (FBC): The determination of the quantity of each type of blood cell in a given sample of blood, often including the amount of hemoglobin, the hematocrit, and the proportions of various white cells. Also called blood profile.

Answer 4

The full blood count (FBC), sometimes referred to as a full blood examination or complete blood count, is one of the most commonly performed blood tests, as it can tell us so much about the status of our health. It is important for diagnosing conditions in which the number of blood cells is abnormally high or abnormally low, or the cells themselves are abnormal.

A full blood count measures the status of a number of different features of the blood, including:

* the amount of haemoglobin in the blood;
* the number of red blood cells (red cell count);
* the percentage of blood cells as a proportion of the total blood volume (haematocrit or packed cell volume);
* the volume of red blood cells (mean cell volume);
* the average amount of haemoglobin in the red blood cells (known as mean cell haemoglobin);
* the number of white blood cells (white cell count);
* the percentages of the different types of white blood cells (leucocyte differential count); and
* the number of platelets.

Preparing for a full blood count (FBC):

Preparation for a full blood count is usually set by your doctor, if you need to make any preparations at all. Some blood tests do require that you do not eat beforehand, or eat certain foods. It is recommended that you have something to eat and drink beforehand to help prevent you from feeling faint afterwards.

The procedure:

A full blood test follows a simple procedure. You are brought into a procedure room, where you will either sit or lie upright on an examination table. Your personal details are checked and put on the form and blood vials. Blood is usually taken from the inside of your elbow, but can also be taken from the inside of your upper arm.

The health care professional will then wipe the area with a sterile alcohol wipe, and place a tourniquet (tight band) around your arm and gently tap your inner arm to reveal a vein. More commonly, you will be asked to make a fist as this also reveals the vein. Using a needle and syringe or a special system with a needle and tubing or collection bottle, the health care professional will insert the needle under the skin into the vein and the blood will flow into the bottle or syringe. For some this may provoke moderate pain and others it may be little more than a jab.

The procedure under normal circumstances takes under five minutes. Once the necessary vials are filled, the needle (and tourniquet if used) will be removed, and a piece of gauze or cotton wool will placed over the needle site and pressure applied. This pressure will help to stop the bleeding and reduce any bruising. Some blood tests such as a blood glucose tolerance test may require you to stay at the clinic for a number of hours, where repeated blood tests will be taken. A butterfly needle is then inserted which allows for repeated tests without only one pinprick.

Testing your blood:
Laboratory testing
Once the samples have been taken, they are sent to the laboratory where they can tested. The vials they are carried in contain preservative, which prevents clotting. The blood is put into a machine, where is it separated into its various components. The machine will reveal:

* the number of red cells, white cells and platelets per ml of blood.
* measures the size of the red blood cells and calculates their average (mean) size.
* calculates the proportion of blood made up from red blood cells (haemoatcrit).
* measures the amount of haemoglobin in the red blood cells.

The Results:

The results can reveal various conditions depending on the level of each component of blood. The results are usually examined in terms of abnormally high or low counts. We have included some possible causes of these abnormal levels as a guide only. Once your results are through, your doctor will diagnostically determine what further treatment may be needed.

* The Platelet Count: reported as thousand millions per litre.
Platelets are small cells that act as a clotting agent in the blood.
High: Abnormally high known as thrombocytosis. Can cause excessive clotting. Often associated with inflammatory disease and leukemia.
Low: Abnormally low known as thrombocytopenia. Can cause excessive bleeding or bruising. Associated with many disorders including leukemia, medication use, and conditions such as ITP (immune thrombocytopenic purpura), TTP(thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura), HUS (hemolytic-uremic syndrome), DIC (disseminated intravascular coagulation).

Answer 5

,it shows the status of your health through your blood cells,it diagnoses conditions of those cells.
the FBC will tell the doctor if you have high, low or abnormal blood cells so that they can treat you properly.
one of the conditions a haematologic, someone who doesn't have enough haemoglobin cells, if they cut themselves they cant stop bleeding because they're body doesn't produce the clotting agent known as this

Answer 6

no it just means that they are counting how many pints of blood you have in you, so no need to worry.