Finger prick test

So, still no joy from the doctor so I have decided to take matters into my own hands and have today completed my own blood test using a mail order kit!! I was teetering on the idea of a private endo but still feel that I shouldn't have to pay for what should be offered to me on the NHS. However, as there is no chance of that happening I decided to take action. The kit, at under a hundred pounds, was the cheaper alternative so I went for that. I will admit I was a bit nervous about doing it but, for anyone else who is contemplating it, it was, in fact, easy and pain free. Well, I say easy - the procedure itself was easy enough but my blood decided not to flow and I struggled to fill the bottle!! However, I hope there was enough and I have sent it off. Now just to wait..............

31 Replies

oldest • newest

  • 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.

  • The bloodbath was my worry, Clutter, which is why I put it off for so long. The reality, however, was hardly any blood (although I do now have 3 very bruised fingers lol) and of course, now I am worrying that the sample won't be any good to test!! I suppose I always need something to worry about......

  • Chickenmitch, it can be worrying when there's nothing to worry about :-D Hope the bruises heal quickly.

  • 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. 😊

  • I was scared to 'milk' my finger because it said it could damage the sample! I think you're right - there must be a knack to it! Mine was a bargain too - 10 tests for £89. I just hope it works. Do the results come as quickly as they say they do?

  • I have done figer prick very successfully and results came within the week, by email I think. I followed the advice for getting blood i.e. make sure your hand is warm, prick at the side of the finger with the lancet they provide, don't think too much about using the lancet, just do it. They usually give you a spare if you think you need to try on another finger. I think I used left middle finger (as I am right handed) I was quite surprised how soon I had the required 10 drops. certainly a lot cheaper than going to a private hospital.

  • 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?

  • No, luckily I only had the one - I don't think I could have squeezed any more out!! My blood seemed to be coagulating (is that the right word???) as it hit the test tube though - I'm not sure if that's supposed to happen, is it?

  • I thought that too. I turned the test tubes upside down like they said but I didn't notice much difference. Turned out ok though.

  • That's reassuring to know - thanks Fruitandnutcase xx

  • 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?!

  • Lol. I had 3 lancets and tried 3 fingers a d still only just got enough blood! Ran fingers under hot tap but probably didn't 'exercise' enough beforehand!! Now got lovely bruises on 3 fingertips :-) :-) just hope it was worth it and the blood is OK to test!!

  • 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.

  • Glad all was ok. Sounds like most people experience the same which is always reassuring to hear!

  • Think we do. It's very easy to do and I love that I can do the tests at home but sometimes I don't know what it depends on because after struggling, I punched the hole too close to the side of my finger and the blood all ran down under my fingernail so although there was lots of it - I couldn't get at it. I washed my hands again under hot water, had a big drink of water then stabbed another finger and promptly filled up both tubes. 😊

  • I'll remember that for next time - or if they let me know that my sample was rubbish and I have to do it again!!!

  • 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

  • Hi JanKindon. I did my test when i got up (which wasn't that early as I am on holiday at the moment and making the most of extra sleep!!). It was probably about 9 or 10 when I did the test and I didn't post it until about midday. That probably meant it didn't get collected until late afternoon and delivered the following day. And my results were fine. I think I have read somewhere that the blood needs to be tested within 48 hours of collection. Good luck xx

  • 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

  • On no, you poor thing. I struggled too but just about managed to get enough on the third prick. Have you phoned them? I spoke to someone on the phone before I ordered the test and she was very helpful. They will probably send you another kit if you explain what happened.

  • 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 :o

    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 ;)

  • Oh my goodness. Well at least you got the job done in the end! I hope the results are what you need them to be xx

  • 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

  • That's great news, JanKindon - not that you've got Hashimotos, but that you have got results that prove what you obviously knew/suspected!! What's your next step? I wrote a letter to my doctor and sent it with a copy of my BH results so that he could mull it over and plan his next move before I went to see him. I got a letter back asking me to go in so they can do the SAME tests again to prove that the BH ones were accurate. And so it goes on...........

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

  • Its when you do your own blood test by 'pricking' your finger and collecting the blood, then sending it to a lab to be analysed. They send you a proper kit to do it. Basically for when the doctors are being unhelpful lol x

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

  • I think we all seem to have one of those doctors lol. If you look here

    bluehorizonmedicals.co.uk/

    you will see the tests available. i was really nervous about it and kept putting it off but, in the end, it was reasonably straightforward, I got the results I needed and I really wish I'd done it sooner.

    Good luck xx

  • 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

You may also like...