Finger prick test

Chickenmitch, I've never done a fingerprick test. I've got a feeling I'd have a thousand pin pricks with no blood or go so deep it would be a blood bath.

Chickenmitch the first time I did a a fingerprick test I dripped blood all over the place, I think I was in a panic that I wouldn't manage to get enough blood but in the end I got enough out. There is a knack to 'milking' your finger.

I've got better at it as I've done more tests. Last test was a real bargain - it tested all sorts of things besides the thyroid tests and was under £100. I could hardly believe it when it turned out it came with two little test tubes to fill. 😊

The original tests said to do that, the original test tube used to have a flat side or it was flat somewhere. You ran it up the side of your finger and collected it that way, this time the test tubes were different and you got that tiny funnel thing too.

That's the test I had most recently. I returned my sample on a Wednesday which was a bit late in the week really and got the results on the following Monday, I pave done it where I have sent the sample off right at the start of the week and got my results by the end. I got a very good analysis of my results this time.

Did you not have two little test tubes to fill?

I couldn't get enough blood out after using both lancets on first dried blood test. The second attempt I put my hand under hot water and swung it round like mad thing! Still used two but got plenty. Note to self- put plaster on first finger b4 shaking again- interesting how far it flew lol!!

Sore fingers aren't they?!

I had trouble as well getting enough drops and then they were coagulating in the funnel. Managed to get enough in the test tube eventually and all was ok. I did expect a call saying please try again!

Thanks for the tip Bluedragon of warming the hand and exercising a bit first. Will try that next time.

I'm about to do the finger prick test, but just wondering when in the day did you guys do yours? My post box doesn't get collected till after 5pm and I was planning on doing the test in the morning as I've a day off work and need my fingertips healed before work the next day. Just wondered if my blood sitting around in a postbox for several hours might render it useless lol

Thanks chickenmitch that's all sounds good .... I have the fun part tomorrow, trying to get the blood out of my fingers ... I hope I don't end up with bruised fingertips like some have as that's going to make my job one helluva struggle ... I'm an ironing lady lol

I failed, 3 pricks, only 3/4 microtainer ... not enough lol

I'm quite lucky as I live close to Blue Horizon and the local health centre works in conjunction with them drawing bloods for a small fee. So I'm off there on Tuesday to get the process done ... I don't have an issue with drawing of bloods so results towards end of next week will be welcome lol

Well that was a traumatic experience

It was a 2 hour round trip, getting stuck in traffic twice and then I'm fretting cos I think I'm going to be late for the appointment. Then the Nurse took 3 goes with the needle, one of which tapped the nerve in my arm and I had excruciating pain, and pin n needles all the way down my arm, my wrist and my thumb. The second attempt my blood was spurting nicely, just not in the vacutainer lol. And in the end it turns out the vacutainer that came in the pack must have had a dodgy vacuum seal cos when the nurse used one of the surgery vacutainers the blood flowed freely. Still at least now the bloods are on their way to the lab and *fingers crossed* something good will come of it all

Cheers chickenmitch, got them back, they've told me I've Hashimoto'. Shame the GP couldn't have allowed me to have the antibodies tested before. But heyho there ya go xx

Maybe a stupid question, but what is the finger prick test?

Something I really got to check out! Unfortunatly got one of those doctors. Thanx so much

Well chickenmitch, I haven't planned on telling my GP yet as the results are still showing I'm dodgy.

I've been taking Westhroid P for 12 weeks, was on Thyroid S for 7 weeks before that with a break of 10 days in between where I was taking a lower than prescribed dose of Levo. I had reactions to the fillers in TS and felt crap on the Levo during those 10 days. Anyway my bloods have been all over the place. I had a blood test on 22nd June after being on WP for 4 weeks, but I started back on the low dose WP suggested in their leaflet of 1/4 grain twice a day. I did raise reasonably quickly and was on 2 grains when I had the first test ... TSH was 0.24 and T4 was 10.5 (0.35 - 22.1 range) GP did his nut in cos I was badly hypo, so I raised my NDT and had a second test on 24th July and I was on 3 3/4 grains by then, TSH 0.08 and T4 22.4. GP did his nut in cos I was hyper. So I dropped back gradually and by the time I went for my 3rd test, which included all the TFT and some vits n minerals, with BH on 11th August I was on 2 1/4 grains and my results came back as this:

CRP 1.10 <3.0 mg/L

Ferritin 56.1 20 - 150 ug/L

Thyroid Function

Free T4 14.80 12 - 22 pmol/L

Free T3 H 6.99 3.1 - 6.8 pmol/L

TSH L <0.005 0.27 - 4.20 IU/L

T4 Total 86.5 64.5 - 142.0 nmol/L

Immunology

Anti-Thyroidperoxidase abs H 38.6 <34 kIU/L

Anti-Thyroglobulin Abs H 354.1 <115 kU/L

Vitamins

Vitamin B12 H 1003 142 - 725 pmol/L

Serum Folate 26.36 10.4 - 42.4 nmol/L

A friend of mine thinks I might be pooling as my T3 is over the reference range, and my T4 is towards the bottom end of my range. She could be right as my ferritin is low and an iron test I had a few weeks ago came back at a level of 18 in a range on 11 - 32. I have a Genova cortisol saliva test pack that's been lurking in my cupboard for 4 months so it might be a plan to do that on Sunday and pack it off to them. If I AM pooling then I may have dodgy adrenals as well as the lowish iron/ferritin

But I cut back to 2 grains yesterday and will have to just play it out. My friend suggests I take separate T3 but I'm just totally confused by it all now, and don't want to add T3 to an already raised T3 level.

My brain is spinning and I'm like arrrghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh lol