Thyroid profile with Reverse T3 - Gauge of interest.

[BlueHorizonMedicals]

Hi Everyone,

Firstly - Admin please delete this post if it is deemed spamming, but I wanted to gauge interest in a new profile we are thinking of running. We need to guarantee a certain take up of the profile to economise on shipping costs, full batch runs etc.

As some of you will be aware, we have an exciting little profile called the thyroid check plus ten. It's based on our old advanced thyroid profile but we managed to add Ferritin, Folate, B12 and C Reactive Protein at the same time as we lowered the price.

We have located a reverse T3 assay that doesn't require freezing, so are considering adding this onto the PLUS TEN so patients would get

TSH

FT4

FT3

TT4

Thyroglobulin antibodies

Thyroid peroxidase antibodies

Ferritin

Folate

Vitamin B12 (Not active, sorry!)

C Reactive Protein

REVERSE T3

(Plus we'll probably try to beg the labs to add on another test to this - suggestions are welcome!)

We would aim for a price of around £160, but we cannot promise anything at the moment.

So if everyone can let me know if

a - they may be interested at ordering one at some point over the next year

and

b - what extra test they would suggest to add to the above

then I'll try to wrestle our labs into coming up with what we want, for the price that we want..

Thanks for helping out everybody.

TUK members would of course get a discount and we would also donate to the TUK charity with each request.

Best wishes,

Paul Harris

Clinical Support

Blue Horizon Medicals

[Clutter]

Paul, I would suggest vitamin D as the extra test, as ferritin, vitD, B12 & folate testing are routinely suggested to members.

Is TSI or TRab for Graves ever tested?

I don't anticipate needing private testing.

[BlueHorizonMedicals in reply to Clutter]

Hi Clutter,

Vitamin D - A solid suggestion. It's always been an expensive test to add to a profile but I'll see what a bit of persuasion will do..

TSI - again, a great suggestion, I'll ask some questions and see what happens. If we don't ask, then we've already got a no haven't we!

This will be a vacutainer test by the way, no chance of fitting all of these into a microtainer!

Paul.

[Clutter in reply to BlueHorizonMedicals]

Paul, for self test virgins like me what's the difference between a vacu and micro tainer, and is phlebotomist required for vacutainer?

[BlueHorizonMedicals in reply to Clutter]

Clutter,

VACUTAINERS

A Vacutainer is the traditional way to take blood - it involves a needle in the inside of the elbow area, and the vacutainers (the tubes with the coloured tops) are inserted into a vacutainer holder which is screwed onto the back of the needle. Due to the volume of blood they will hold - typically between 3 and 7ml they are the blood collection method of choice when it comes to large profiles.

You will need a health care professional to take your blood using this method - a phlebotomist, nurse or doctor should be able to do this, and it is the method used in GP surgeries and Hospitals around the world.

You may be charged for a private collection, or you may be able to get it done for free at your GP clinic or local Hospital.

It's a pain in the arm!

MICROTAINERS

A Microtainer is a trademarked term for a small tube of blood with a screw on coloured top. It will only collect about 0.7ml of blood, but this is often all that is needed for single tests or for small profiles.

These can be done at home using a lancet (small retractable push button needle) to the tip or top side of the finger - you then drip drops of blood into the tube, mix it with the anticoagulant by inverting it a few times and hey presto it's done.

Some people (about 1 in 8) have problems getting enough blood out. Reputable companies such as ourselves can then send you another kit free of charge to try again or offer a vacutainer kit or attendance at a local hospital.

This method is a pain in the finger!

Hope this helps,

Paul

[Clutter in reply to BlueHorizonMedicals]

Very helpful, thank you, Paul.

[Schenks in reply to BlueHorizonMedicals]

How about those of us who have bu**ered veins and can't use vacutainers but need old-fashioned aspiration?

[BlueHorizonMedicals in reply to Schenks]

Buttered veins? Sounds like a WW2 homefront delicacy

I'll certainly check if a Microtainer is an option, but most likely not at this stage. ☺

[Schenks in reply to BlueHorizonMedicals]

Haha! G&T, I believe. I doubt a microtainer will do - do you have aspiration kits instead?

[Coastwalker in reply to BlueHorizonMedicals]

Hi Paul, we used your BlueHorizonMedicals.

My Husband had problems getting his blood out,

(getting blood out of a stone, comes to mind )

BHM were most helpful and promptly sent my Husband through another finger prick, test kit

(of a microcontainer and 3 Lancets,) free of charge.

He managed to fill the microcontainer easier the second time round.

Yes we would definitely use Blue Horizon again.

Do you have a video on your BHM website, showing how easy it is to do the finger prick tests ?

(Maybe you do and we missed it ?)

We came across a 'You Tube' video of a Doctor doing a finger prick blood test which was really helpful.

Just a suggestion

*Vitamin D

[Hidden in reply to BlueHorizonMedicals]

Hello Paul,

I think Vit D would be the favourite but if this proved too expensive what about ...... zinc, selenium,magnesium or calcium.? .... all recommended as supplements on the ThyroidUK webpage.

I understand that although zinc is vital for thyroid hormone synthesis it is easy & dangerous to over supplement ? .... so testing zinc levels is important.

Flower

[minus in reply to BlueHorizonMedicals]

Yes Paul, I would order this test, as clutter suggested tsi graves antibodies would be goog for hyper thyroid and hashimotos sufferers. Perhaps do two seperate at cheaper cost all the thyroid antibodies, tpo, anti thyroglobulin, and tsi- graves, plus reverse t3 for 70 or 80 quid. Just a thought?

[minus in reply to BlueHorizonMedicals]

Paul, also a vit profile of ten would be good, zinc, selenium, magnesium, chromium, thiamine, b6, b1,folic acid, calcium, potassium, sodium.

[humanbean]

I'd suggest adding vitamin D as well.

Can I ask that the existing Thyroid Plus 10 test is kept, and the Thyroid Plus 12 is in addition to it, rather than a replacement.

And on another subject, so I'm going off topic...

I would love there to be a group of tests for female sex hormones including testosterone, one for women before or during menopause and another for post-menopausal women. I don't know which hormones would be necessary for each test.

[BlueHorizonMedicals in reply to humanbean]

Humanbean,

That's definitely on the list of things to do for 2016, we've got some big projects happening at Blue Horizon Medicals next year, I'll keep everyone updated. ☺

[rosetrees in reply to BlueHorizonMedicals]

I'm with humanbean on that one. I've never had my sex hormones tested and feel I should. I'm post menopause.

[BlueMundo in reply to rosetrees]

I'm with humanbean and rosetrees, definitely need sex hormone testing pls.

[ariel1973]

Agree with Vit D and would like to see sex hormones panel.

I was just this evening on the site looking for Reverse T3 in the Thyroid plus 10 panel!

[shambles]

Agree with all of the above vitamin D, Graves' antibodies and zinc as some of the possibilities.

Also random suggestion. I received my results back today and I have high ferritin and on the notes it says to retest in 6 weeks. When something like this occurs, not specifically ferritin but any 'retest' matter, could there be some kind of offer or package?

[crimple]

Paul, Vit D would be good. I've just taken advantage of BH vacutainer offer for £80 and will need to order Vit D separately. trying to get anything other than TSH tested at GP is a battle. Shelling out £80-£100 is far less stressful but also unfair on those who can't afford it. Who can really believe that NHS is "free" to everyone when we have to take matters into our own hands. sorry for the rant!

A separate test for selenium, zinc and possibly even iodine would be good.

Keep up the good work.

[Purpletree]

Add a vitamin D test and I would definitely go for this.

[hose1975]

Don't forget that Vitamin D can be tested for £30 or so by City Assays, an NHS Lab in Birmingham. All done by post as a blood spot: vitamindtest.org.uk/

[staruk]

I would be very interested

[hunny59]

I'm with humanbean - keeping the existing Thyroid +10 and adding the RT3 into a Thyroid +something else would be ideal.

As most of us need to get other vits and minerals checked as well, how about a Thyroid +12 comprising the existing tests of the 10 and RT3 and a bolt on for an additional (selectable) vitamin or mineral check to be included?

[MariLiz]

a) definitely interested in ordering next year.

b) agree that VitD would be a good addition.

Can I just add a big thank you for asking for our input!

MariLiz

[Peekay]

Great that you are asking for our input.

Can I suggest adding in SHBG?

[mistydog]

For those thinking of hormone tests, my GP asked for mine to be done although testosterone wasn't done, but possibly because he didn't ask. I like the idea of the package, but not sure I could afford £160.

My personal preference for a test kit would be TSH, free T4, free T3, Reverse T3. I don't need antibodies because the endo did them, I can (just about) get the others checked at the GP except Vitamin D which would be nice to add.

[BlueHorizonMedicals]

Just got off the phone with the lab..

The Thyroid Check PLUS TWELVE will have

TSH

FT4

FT3

TT4

Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies

Thyroglobulin Antibodies

Reverse T3

Ferritin

Folate

Vitamin B12

C Reactive Protein

Vitamin D

And will only be available as a vacutainer kit. (Phlebotmy not included)

Likely cost will be £169, but the TUK10 code will give £10 off as usual, so £159 to your good selves. TUK will receive a donation too.

Thanks for all of the other suggestions, and i'll definitely look into the sex hormone profiling.

Have a great night,

Paul.

[minus in reply to BlueHorizonMedicals]

Paul, how about cortisol saliva test at home for good price and intrinsic factor antibodies I microtainer kit.

[BlueHorizonMedicals in reply to minus]

Minus,

I think Genova is your best bet for a well priced cortisol saliva kit, we do them but I think they are more highly priced. ☺

As to the IFA I'll check to see if we can do those in a Microtainer. ☺

Paul

[BlueHorizonMedicals]

bluehorizonmedicals.co.uk/T...

And we can do it at £159, so £149 to your good selves with the TUK10 code.

Thanks for the support,

Will work on those other profiles now.

Paul.

[BlueHorizonMedicals]

Won't start a new thread, but for those of you interested in the female hormone profile for Menopause/Fertility we have introduced a new budget range after convincing the lab to give us a really good price and cutting our margins down real low. Sorry, no discounts on this range and we'll give it a go for December to see if it is taken up and review from there..

bluehorizonmedicals.co.uk/P...

Winter Health Check

3 Vitamin Quick Check

Male Hormone Quick Check

Female Hormone Quick Check

Sorry if the link doesn't work - go to the catalogue and its first on the drtop down list

[humanbean in reply to BlueHorizonMedicals]

I think you made a tactical error by not creating a new thread about your new tests. I only just noticed this post today, and due to the lack of response I'd say other people missed it too! Perhaps you could do so now?

[BlueHorizonMedicals in reply to humanbean]

Hi Humanbean,

Thanks for your concern, but I don't want to spam the forum with our wares too much.

[LindaC]

Oops, sorry I missed all of the great info below that which I had posted on. I had a couple of vits tested once with your company but I just got so used to never getting that which I feel is required... I pretty much forgot. Thank you so much for this great info and the stalwart efforts of Blue Horizon - excellent!

[BlueHorizonMedicals]

Thanks for your kind words Linda, and always happy to help.