have thyroid blood draw at 11 am, will that be ok?

[BexyLS]

Sorry another question. Got a blood draw at 11am on Wednesday. Will that time be ok? I've been waiting for this appt for ages now and don't want to change it. I want to get my RT3 done. Will it make a huge difference? Im still going in fasting (8 hours before)

Thanks!

[shaws Administrator]

That should be o.k. If you take your medication in the morning don't take it till after blood test.

If you take medication at bedtime, miss this dose and take after blood test.

[BexyLS in reply to shaws]

Thanks Shaws, Been having a panic attack. I think I'll take my morning meds on tuesday and then leave it til after tests on wed. I'm on Armour. Do you thing that would be ok? Thanks again!

[BexyLS in reply to BexyLS]

My normal time to have them done is 9.30 am.

[shaws Administrator in reply to BexyLS]

Yes, that's fine to take Armour after your blood test. When you get your results, with the ranges, post for answers.

[BexyLS in reply to shaws]

Thanks Shaws you're a star x

[silverfox7]

My surgery has an early morning start, 7.30, for routine bloods and BP to help working patients. I'm retired but that slot is often empty so I've tended to make it mine! My new Endo asked my the timing of my blood test and he said that was too early! Feeling pretty poorly with a debilitating cough and it being my first appointment I didn't think to ask but can it be too early?

[BexyLS in reply to silverfox7]

I read that TSH is at its highest reading at 3-4 am in the morning and lowest reading at 2-4pm in afternoon (circadian rhythm). So the closer to 3-4am you have bloods taken the more likely hypothyroidism will be seen, and that in the afternoon readings go down and you will be in the ref range i.e. no hypoT. Meaning someone could miss their diagnosis if they are tested in the afternoon. Maybe he's trying to get a more average picture by having bloods done a little later?

[silverfox7 in reply to BexyLS]

That makes sense

[greygoose in reply to silverfox7]

Too early, rubbish. When I was in hospital they were taking it at 6.30 to 7.00. Our local labs where I now go for bloods won't take blood after 10.30 because, they say, it's too late.

[BexyLS in reply to greygoose]

I wish your local lab was near me! But not much I can do

[greygoose in reply to BexyLS]

No, there isn't much you can do about it now. Just bear in mind that your TSH might have been higher if it had been tested earlier. And perhaps next time you can get an earlier appt!

Good luck, Grey

[silverfox7 in reply to greygoose]

Well I can understand the 10.30 bit as once spent a day in a hospital haematology lab. If its any later than that they may not have time to test it on that day. I was getting the low down on machines, different tests, way results are presented and follow ups as I was to produce a demonstration for medical students as part of their practical course. I'd have thought it should be more relevant to a point after normal waking to have a focal point. I'll see if I get chance to ask him when we next meet. May be his ideal hour is from when the department is open with needles ready and has found that results for blood taken outside that slot varies a lot more. He is in a different area to where I normally go and helpfully my GP arranged a series of tests before I got my appointment through to save time but as the ranges are different he preferred to do his own. I can sort if see his point-makes it easier for him if we are all tested on the same machine, the numbers instantly mean something without having to check ranges. my TSH Is usually suppressed and doesn't seem to alter taking it very early so feel in a no win situation anyway!

[greygoose in reply to silverfox7]

It would certainly be better if people could always be tested at the same time - however that might be difficult to arrange. For myself, if I go to the lab, be there by opening time - 7.45 - there's already a queue so I'm Lucky if I'm done by 8.30. But on days when I have no transport and call on the services of the local nurse, he arrives at about 7.30. So difficult to always have it done at the same time. But still better than having it in the afternoon!

[silverfox7 in reply to greygoose]

Yes agree and that its impossible to do that. But we always give the info to those, like myself, with a low TSH to have it taken earlier to help any potential argument so I was taken aback when that was said. I just threw it into the mix as that was said to me, I'm not saying right or wrong but why really. I was the first of his clinic patients that morning so sending anyone for a blood test has got to be after 11.15. I came out with a pile of stuff to sort out in a strange hospital so the lady I charge of the waiting room as it were was drafted in to help me. If I'd put that on the bottom of the pile it could have been very much later.

[Sybilla14]

Does anyone know what difference such timing could make to the resulting numbers? Between a test done at 9 am and another at midday?

[BexyLS in reply to Sybilla14]

Hi Sybilla, Ive been looking for that on internet but no luck. the only thing I can find is the difference between a 7-8am draw and a 2-4pm draw.