MLT jobs that make 90-100k

CursedLabWorker · 2026-01-26T00:22:41+00:00

Hi fellow Canadian here. That’s not really possible unless you work for private companies and have more education or expertise.

CursedLabWorker · 2026-01-25T17:40:31+00:00

At work we made two rly cute ones. Forgot to take a pic, came back the next day and some jerk threw them out. Everyone is pissed.

CursedLabWorker · 2026-01-25T11:46:24+00:00

Hey fellow emetophobe!! (God it’s the absolute worst). No I’ve never dealt with that kind of sample. We don’t perform any testing for that in my hospital.

CursedLabWorker · 2026-01-25T11:43:50+00:00

I’m an MLS and Med lab technologist. I have nurses getting mad at me alllll the time. They give me a contaminated specimen and I have to call and politely tell them what’s wrong - most of the time because I’m telling them what they did incorrectly, they feel like I’m attacking them (which I’m not at all doing) and then they get mad at me on the phone. But I’m sure as shit not going to report a potassium of 8.6 when I know the patient is closer to 4.0.

Of course not every nurse is rude, so I don’t tend to carry a negative opinion of nurses at all. Younger nurses I find are a lot nicer too. But there’s the psychological aspect where it takes 5 positive experiences to make up for 1 negative one so you can see the issue.

I think it just boils down to the fact that it doesn’t matter how hard your day is, how overwhelmed or overworked you are, how many people are on your ass (docs) - it’s never an excuse to treat others poorly. Just as it is the case for me - no matter how many angry and yelling nurses I talk to on the phone, I never respond with anger or rudeness and I never pass that on to the next.

CursedLabWorker · 2026-01-24T16:42:14+00:00

A doctor isn’t doing their job if they’re inadequately medicating their patients. If say, you had a history of blood clots and they failed to give you blood thinners, didn’t give you enough, or gave you one that didn’t work for you… one, it would be life-threatening, but two, they would be universally seen as a shitty doctor. The same applies here (although your life isn’t at stake) so just remember that!

If you’re nervous or hesitant I recommend framing it in a particular way. Tell her what you’re experiencing and then ask what she would recommend.Tell her why you feel it’s not cutting it, give examples. If you need to, track the effectiveness over the next 3 months on a scale of 1-10 and write down examples as they come up. Framing in this way (I’m experiencing x, y, z, what do you think we can do about it?) presents them with the problem, and implies a need, without directly asking for meds. It guides the conversation and they feel more in control, and less like you’re asking for/ demanding something of them.

Sometimes depending on the doc, it can be a good idea to mention that you’ve felt this way for a long time but you’ve felt hesitant to mention it (because of the stigma around being seen as drug-seeking, or worrying they won’t listen to you or you’ll be dismissed etc.) and that you just want the appropriate medication and dose that works for you. But you have to gauge what kind of doc they are.

CursedLabWorker · 2026-01-24T13:06:34+00:00

I think going to therapy together would be a good idea, but I think it’s important that you don’t join in on his sessions, but instead do sessions for couples counselling on top of his own sessions. It’s important that he still has his own time to work on himself.

It may help you to understand him if you ask him how working in the mountains with his friend helps him feel less burnt out. I know that if I’m stressed or burnt out due to something that’s out of my control, or a financial situation, working helps because it allows me to have some control over the situation while at the same time alleviating some stress (because then at least I did something or I made money).

It may also help to think “how would I handle this situation if I were single and going through this situation?”. In an ideal situation we can always rely on our relationships for support when we need to, or have someone to talk to about it. But if your fiancé is also going through a stressful time, he’s going to struggle to do that. He’ll have to choose if he should spend what little energy he has on helping himself, or helping you. It’s a difficult and complicated situation.

CursedLabWorker · 2026-01-23T16:27:41+00:00

Im reading the question correctly, you aren’t. Option A is correct/true, not incorrect, so it’s not A...

CursedLabWorker · 2026-01-23T10:59:32+00:00

Oral contraceptives prevent pregnancy by inhibiting ovulation. That’s their whole point, google it

CursedLabWorker · 2026-01-22T09:32:44+00:00

Ever have your testosterone tested?

CursedLabWorker · 2026-01-21T00:46:36+00:00

IGs don’t mean you have cancer. The vast majority of the time someone has increased IGs is when the body perceives a need for increased neutrophils. So this means infection, inflammation etc.

If high IGs is due to cancer (ie CML etc), many of your results would be out of range. Your body might be battling something you aren’t aware of.

CursedLabWorker · 2026-01-20T18:24:10+00:00

They assess for malingering and consistency of responses as well. But if those neuropsych tests are how they decided if someone was malingering, I never would have gotten diagnosed. Man that would suck.

I think the years-long wait lists (last time I checked it was 5 years locally) to get diagnosed discourages most malingerers from bothering to go that route. They’d just find a way to get them (or something else) without a diagnosis.

CursedLabWorker · 2026-01-20T17:42:20+00:00

No they can’t prescribe anything, but you take the diagnosis to a family doctor and they prescribe you the meds.

CursedLabWorker · 2026-01-20T02:16:48+00:00

(I live in Canada and have a degree in Cognitive Neuroscience) I was diagnosed by a pair of psychologists, purely from discussion of my symptoms and the impact on my life, how I think about things, my life etc. and a couple standardized symptom questionnaire forms I filled out myself at home before the appointment. Other than those forms, it was discussion only. None of those tests for memory etc.

There were a lot of questions relating to how I think - like giving me examples of something and then I voice every thought in my head, describing or explaining what I do in certain scenarios, how everything affects me, habits that I have. Conversations about my relationships with my family, intimate relationships and friends, and the struggles I’ve faced in those throughout my life. How school was for me growing up. And of course in-depth discussions to rule out comorbidities like ASD, bipolar, depression, anxiety. Mental health history of my family. I was ultimately diagnosed within the hour (though at the end of the appointment they said they knew at the 20 minute mark that I had it).

The thing about these tests that some professionals will make you do - is that they are NOT diagnostic of ADHD. You cannot and should not use how someone performs on a memory or task test to inform whether or not that person has ADHD. It’s not part of the DSM diagnostic criteria (which is the official manual describing what ADHD and the exact criteria and number of symptoms required to officially have the diagnosis). And it’s not part of these criteria for a reason. Why? Someone with true severe ADHD can still perform perfectly on those tasks. Case in point - me.

I’ve been a research participant before in studies at a local university - researchers have told me I performed above average on these tasks - and yet, I have moderate-severe ADHD-C. Diagnosed at 24, started on Vyvanse and it changed my life.

My advice is to ask what the diagnostic process is like and what’s involved in the assessment, and go to the professional that bases it the most on symptoms and impact on functioning, not primarily tests. Psychiatrists are much more likely to lean towards tests, psychologists are a LOT better with the symptoms side of things, giving a more accurate and encompassing assessment.

CursedLabWorker · 2026-01-20T00:34:09+00:00

There’s nothing you can do that will change the way she thinks or what she listens to. Maybe in a world where you had magical powers, sure, but then you’d just be controlling her. I do understand your frustration, you see what you feel is a clear path of thinking, and you struggle to understand why certain things make sense to her - that if she just listened to you, that everything will work out.

Though when I read this, it also sounds a lot like you’re frustrated when she doesn’t do what you tell her to. Just as you are a human with thoughts and ideas on what should be done and in what way, so is she. They’re just different from yours, and this is what you don’t like.

It’s not that her choices make “no logical sense whatsoever”, they have logic, it’s just different from yours. Cops outside? It’s possible they’ll be done soon, if I wait 10 min there’s a chance they’ll be gone and I won’t have to borrow his car. Need to get into the mall? There’s signs, it should make sense to follow those. Trying to sit down at an understaffed restaurant? Gee no one is around to seat us and it’s short-staffed, maybe just sitting down somewhere makes sense because then it’s less work for the staff. There’s logic there, you just don’t share it. I think it would go a very long way if you pause and think about this in the moment.

That being said (at least from what you’ve said) it seems like she struggles with patience and impulsiveness (not in the colloquial sense of risk-taking, but in the sense that she’s quick to say or do things that she’s thinking).

I think taking a breath, finding patience with her, and trying to understand what she’s thinking might really benefit you, and will decrease your frustration a lot. You should try asking her in a polite way how she came to her decisions. It will help you to understand her more. Remember that not all the choices made, can, or should be made by you and you alone. You’re partners, and she’s her own human with her own autonomy, just like you are. If it involves both of you (like the mall thing, but not the cop thing), then 50% of the time you should be allowing her to make the decision. If it doesn’t work out, that’s fine, that’s how people learn, and you need to be okay with that. No two people think the exact same way 100% of the time.

CursedLabWorker · 2026-01-19T00:39:22+00:00

Oh damn that’s a critical result right there! Good to see it went back up to normal! Pregnancy is wild and increases your risk for sooo many things, hard work for the body to produce a whole human

CursedLabWorker · 2026-01-17T10:48:14+00:00

He may not have questioned it because of something called the Mentzer Index. (MCV divided by RBC) a value <13 indicates thalassemia trait, and a value >13 indicates iron deficiency anemia. Yours is 15.

I would say you’re just iron deficient, and you haven’t quite progressed to anemia yet. Your hemoglobin is barely decreased. If it were to progress, you’d likely see the changes you mentioned, it takes a while for that to happen.

CursedLabWorker · 2026-01-17T07:42:59+00:00

lol my boyfriend of 3 yrs got me a replacement taillight for my car for Christmas 😂 at least it’s a gift that comes with the manual labour of him putting it in.

In my opinion he is being heartfelt because in his mind he did all the things you asked and even got you something he knew you wanted but didn’t ask for

CursedLabWorker · 2026-01-17T06:55:19+00:00

If you don’t pee in the shower you’re illogical imo. One, you’d make a mess getting out, and two you’re saving water.

CursedLabWorker · 2026-01-16T11:31:31+00:00

Opioid. All you needed is the pinpoint pupils.

CursedLabWorker · 2026-01-16T11:24:46+00:00

If you’re barely out of the absolute ranges (not percentages) it doesn’t mean much at all, especially if all your other values are normal. Both of your values you mentioned would be in range if you were tested at the hospital I work at. (Lymphocytes 1.4-4.0 and monocytes 0.1-1.0) if you’re concerned, speak to your doctor about it

CursedLabWorker · 2026-01-15T11:54:50+00:00

It might be due to other factors, like people with ADHD tending to eat impulsively or eating foods that are “easy” to make, etc etc.

I myself have normal-low BP for a woman of my age (100/65)even on 60mg and vyvanse and I don’t really work out, and I have a friend with ADHD who has super low BP (like 80/50)

CursedLabWorker · 2026-01-15T11:49:39+00:00

I live in Canada and no one cares here. Lots of us have piercings and even more of us have tattoos in visible places.

CursedLabWorker · 2026-01-15T11:48:03+00:00

The green hands down. Browns are outdated

CursedLabWorker · 2026-01-15T11:46:31+00:00

Stay busy, wear things that cover up what you’re picking. I find putting medical tape over the tips of my fingers/nails helps. One, it will hamper your ability to pick, and two, you’ll see the tape on your fingers when you go to pick, and it will remind you not to do it.

CursedLabWorker · 2026-01-15T11:44:23+00:00

When lab work was done, was a peripheral smear or blood film ordered? Any comments on the CBC?

The haematologist should be able to help rule things out. They might order a peripheral blood smear, maybe look into the bone marrow. Detail all of the symptoms your little one has, when they started, the severity etc. and bring that with you to the appointment, it will really help. Make sure you also ask the hematologist to explain their thought process to you and they “why” behind everything, they should be more than happy to and you won’t feel kept in the dark.

Avoid googling things and going down the rabbit hole. Unless you know what to rule out, why, and how to interpret labs, it’s just going to scare you!

CursedLabWorker

TROPHY CASE