# Med Types - CBC + CMP = ? Vials of Blood? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 20, 2010, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/med-types-cbc-cmp-vials-of-blood/540102 "2010-05-20T04:31:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2010, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/med-types-cbc-cmp-vials-of-blood/540102/1 "2010-05-20T04:31:08Z")
A Dr. (who I no longer use) had, as a get-to-know-you “establishment” visit a total of 11 vials drawn. The tech wasn’t talking… Now, I’ll give the guy a CBC and, hell, a comprehensive panel (old doc (I moved) managed to treat me for 15 years on a count + basic panel. I’m guessing the doc decided I must be a druggie (male, hair at terminal length, etc.) and was looking for exactly which ones. He never did find any (because there weren’t any to find), but I let him hold out hope… 😃 So - how many vials are needed for the 2 tests? ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2010, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/med-types-cbc-cmp-vials-of-blood/540102/2 "2010-05-20T04:51:20Z")
A \*\*CBC \*\*and a **CMP** require one tube each where I work. **Coagulation** studies require a separate tube. I’m not sure, but a \*\*fasting Lipid \*\*study probably requires a separate tube. I know an **ammonia** test dose. If they wanted a blood type \*\*cross and match \*\*that requires the same tube as a **CBC** , but more blood. \*\*Blood cultures \*\*would require 2 additional tubes. But I don’t see these being drawn in a get-to-know you context, except maybe the lipids. We usually use urine for all our drug screenings. \*\*Alcohol \*_is the only intoxicant run off the blood that I see run in the ER._ **TMI Alert** \*Forensics will draw fluid out of the eyeball to compare with blood to see if the alcohol level was going up or coming down at the time of death, fuckin’ weird. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2010, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/med-types-cbc-cmp-vials-of-blood/540102/3 "2010-05-20T05:12:52Z")
The amount of vials drawn depends on the tests ordered - different tests require different anti-coagulants or plasma (the liquid part of unclotted blood) or whole blood vs. serum (the liquid portion of clotted blood). ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2010, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/med-types-cbc-cmp-vials-of-blood/540102/4 "2010-05-20T05:18:38Z")
Thanks - This was a straight come-as-you-are session - no fasting, no dietary requirements. Several of the vials (this was 2+ years ago) were cultured or otherwise internally coated. I’ve requested all recs from that clinic - maybe I’ll finally get all the tests (he hands me the CBC and (what I’m guessing - I didn’t look up each symbol) a Comprehensive panel list and tells me that is all the data he has… As long as I’m really dead, I won’t mind an optic fluid test, but: WHO THE F\*\*\* CAME UP WITH THE IDEA TO SAMPLE _THAT_ !!! Color me scared… ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2010, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/med-types-cbc-cmp-vials-of-blood/540102/5 "2010-05-20T14:41:28Z")
_Eleven_? When I had lymphoma, they were testing everything you could imagine prior to my chemotherapy and monoclonal antibody treatments, and they usually pulled three vials. Four is the most I’ve ever had drawn at one sitting. Eleven seems really extreme. This is a question that is perfectly reasonable for you to ask the doctor or the phlebotomist. I’m curious now, too, so if you do ask, please post the response. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2010, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/med-types-cbc-cmp-vials-of-blood/540102/6 "2010-05-20T16:32:31Z")
I usually get about four drawn for my annual physical routine bloodwork - I have no particular conditions that they’re drawing anything special for, just the usual CBC, chemistries, cholesterol, etc. It would be super if they could invent laboratory tests that all used the same sample - as a former phlebotomist, the most problems come from changing vacutubes while the needle is in the arm (your margin for error is millimeters or less). ---
**Author:** ![Nunavut\_Boy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e95f7d/32.png) [@Nunavut\_Boy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nunavut_Boy)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2010, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/med-types-cbc-cmp-vials-of-blood/540102/7 "2010-05-20T16:43:16Z")
Yeah, 11 is way a lot. Off the top of my head, the only things I can think of that would use that many tubes are extensive coagulation studies, cytogenetic studies…or I don’t know what else. I;m curious too. Do you remember what color the stoppers on the tubes were? ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2010, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/med-types-cbc-cmp-vials-of-blood/540102/8 "2010-05-21T02:47:27Z")
No memories of color-coding - just a too-vague-to-bother-mentioning idea of 4 or 5 different “Types” - coated/non coated, this color cap, that color band. Just dragged out some results I don’t remember seeing. One page of interest has lines labelled as follows: BASPPHILS ABS SAMPLE SIZE, WBC RBC-COLOR, SIZE POIKILOCYTOSIS POLYCHROMASIA TARGET CELLS OVALOCYTES **MISC. HEMATOLOGY** SED RATE WESTER **RHEUMATOLOGY** ANTI-NUCLEAR AB **bACTE5IOLOGY** CULTURE BLOOD **ID SEROLOGY** EPSTEIN BARR AN HEPATITTIS B SUR HEPAITTIS C Ab HIV 1 AND HIV 2 WEST NILE VIRUS AB **MICRO GENOMICS** CMV (CYTOMEGALO… **DRUG sCREENS** AMPHETAMINES SCR BARBITURATES BENZODIAZEPINES COCAINE METABOL… DRUG QC SCREEN OPIATES SCREEN URINE GC CONFIR URINE TESTS MISC CREATININE CLEA… PROTEIN 24 HOUR SEND-OUT, MISC SEND-OUT BLOOD Yes, positive for benzo’s and opiates temezepam, hydromorphone. Nice to be called a liar at first meeting, though - I can tell you what drugs I;m taking, and which ones I’m not. ---
**Author:** ![ToeJam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@ToeJam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ToeJam)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2010, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/med-types-cbc-cmp-vials-of-blood/540102/9 "2010-05-21T05:24:29Z")
If that’s your results page, you might not want that showing up here/floating around, but if it’s just the tests run, never mind. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2010, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/med-types-cbc-cmp-vials-of-blood/540102/10 "2010-05-21T05:26:09Z")
Are those your results, or are those the tests ordered? Cause that’s a shitload of weird tests. ---
**Author:** ![Girl\_From\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3da27b/32.png) [@Girl\_From\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girl_From_Mars)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2010, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/med-types-cbc-cmp-vials-of-blood/540102/11 "2010-05-21T07:04:26Z")
I had 5 drawn when I was starting the investigations for IVF, and even as a person for whom blood tests by then was not unusual, that was bordering on a little much to handle. I was given the impression that that was a lot as the tech made a point of using this special long tube attached to the needle to reduce injury to the site from all of the tubes being pulled on and off. Can’t think that 11 would have been pleasant or necessary? ---
**Author:** ![Nunavut\_Boy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e95f7d/32.png) [@Nunavut\_Boy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nunavut_Boy)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2010, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/med-types-cbc-cmp-vials-of-blood/540102/12 "2010-05-21T11:48:19Z")
Whoa. That’d do it. Some of those are pretty specialized, and they don’t really make sense together. Is this a meet and greet with a regular old GP? Or some kind of rheumatologist? I don’t know your history but it sure looks like he’s trying to line his pockets… ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2010, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/med-types-cbc-cmp-vials-of-blood/540102/13 "2010-05-21T12:20:12Z")
These were just the labels - the cols corresponded to test dates - none were all on any one date, but hell of a lot of them were. Almost all were neg, some had what I’d guess was orginally a “click here to read more” link But, yeah, I did get the impression that billing for a “complex” visit was a recurring obective of his. Let’s see - I’ll prescribe vicodin, zopidem, and temazepam - let’s see what tests test show… He: internist, politically Nixonian I’m 60 with puberty-onset insomnia, chronic anemia (lower half of right kidney missing) Osteoarthritis. Oh yeah - last haircut 1992 obviously a danger to society. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2010, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/med-types-cbc-cmp-vials-of-blood/540102/14 "2010-05-21T12:45:33Z")
No, they don’t make sense - I don’t see the normal chemistry tests on there (glucose, cholesterol and triglycerides, etc.). He’s checking for West Nile Virus but not your glucose? ---
**Author:** ![ToeJam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@ToeJam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ToeJam)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2010, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/med-types-cbc-cmp-vials-of-blood/540102/15 "2010-05-21T17:35:05Z")
To be fair, the OP did point out that was one page of interests, there could be another page with more tests on it.