Blood tests

[Jo29]

I have decided to go for private thyroid blood tests for UAT and wonder if someone could give me a full list of what I should request?

[Jo29]

Thank you for that, I'll get it booked. Like everyone else here, I just want to get better and I'm fed up with leaving it to the 'professionals' who don't really want to know anything other than TSH! Thanks again!

[Clutter in reply to Jo29]

Jo29, Blue Horizon or Genova via thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin... Blue Horizon's £89 (£79 after TUK discount) thyroid panel includes thyroid antibodies, TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus some vits/mins.

[Jo29 in reply to Clutter]

Do you have any idea how much local GP surgeries charge to take the blood if you get a kit from one of the above? I'd like to have a rough price to compare as I'm pretty sure my local surgery will charge!

[Clutter in reply to Jo29]

Jo, you can get finger prick hometests. Otherwise ask your GP surgery or hospital phlebotomy dept how much they charge for private phlebotomy.

[Jo29 in reply to Clutter]

Being a bit dim here but what's the difference between Microtainer and Vacutainer? Not sure which one to opt for!

[Clutter in reply to Jo29]

I really don't know, Jo, I've not ordered private labs. Email the company or post a question on the forum.

[Jo29 in reply to Clutter]

Will do, thank you for your help

[helvella Administrator in reply to Jo29]

The standard phlebotomy technique these days, at least in the UK, is to offer up small sealed vacuum tube. When it is in the carrier (which is basically the outer part of a hypodermic) with the needle in a vein, the vacuum pulls blood into the tube.

These tubes have different coloured tops depending on factors such as substances added to prevent deterioration of the sample.

Not surprisingly, these are called vacutainers.

Microtainers are very small plastic containers in which you can collect blood from a finger-prick.

[Jo29 in reply to helvella]

Thank you for explaining, I was a bit baffled! Do you think one is more accurate than the other or would either suffice?

[helvella Administrator in reply to Jo29]

A properly done finger-prick test is fine - a good lab wouldn't offer a substandard test.

The big difference is that a finger-prick is something most people can do on their own. A vacutainer requires another person who knows what they are doing. (Or extraordinary dexterity!)