Like Corri says having the labs 10 days or so before the appointment seems in my mind to be the ideal way, as discussion of these recent results can take place at the appointment. Furthermore you can ask for a copy of the labs, on the spot, for your file.

My sister and I both have CAH. Our two endos approach this ’timing of tests’ in opposite ways.

My sister’s endo gives her the lab request form to have the blood tests done straight after the visit. Any results they discuss at each visit are way out of date (six months to a year). To compound the problem, her endo doesn’t ring my sister with the results and will only reluctantly forward her a copy if my sister rings and begs - not a very nice situation. This last occasion, my sister obtained her results via surrepticious means and the results were way too suppressed. (Despite five months having elapsed she has still not heard from the endo to discuss her results or altering her dose). This timing of labs means you can’t see the results for yourself and so easily relate them to how you are feeling or the child’s behaviour at the time in order to discuss them ’over the table’, so to speak. Hopefully this non-communication would never happen in the paediatric setting though.

My endo on the other hand, gives me the paperwork for the pathology testing at each visit to have bloods drawn a couple of weeks before the next appointment. I find it ideal. I can see on the spot that he’s not kidding me and that he is reading from MY results and not someone else’s (ah a suspicious mind!). I can connect the dots in relation to the results and my health, much better than waiting for a phone call that may not come. I can ask questions based on the results over the duration of the appointment. He also gives me a copy of all the levels straight away.

Just my two cents worth!.