How fresh does blood sample need to be?

[DemelzaPoldark]

Hello dear friends, I can have a venous blood sample taken early on Saturday morning, ( previous tests were done later in day and so were likely to be less accurate ) Will a delay in postal service in getting it to the labs until during the week, likely Tuesday or Wednesday make a difference? Any advice gratefully received, thanks.

[bantam12]

If you are sending it to one of the private labs they advise posting same the day as sample taken for next day delivery.

Can't you post it Saturday for guaranteed delivery Monday ? Call the lab for their advice.

[DemelzaPoldark in reply to bantam12]

Yes, thanks, I'll check with labs and the PO!

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to DemelzaPoldark]

Be aware that even if you pay for Special Delivery Next Day by 1PM, it can get delayed. I paid for that and left it at the Post Office well before collection time. Upon tracking I discovered that it took 48 hours to arrive at the lab (you can claim a refund of the Special Delivery charge if it doesn't arrive the next day by 1pm). So your Post Office will say it will be delivered, but somewhere in the system it can get delayed.

[DemelzaPoldark]

Yes, thanks, its a lot of money to spend on a full panel of tests and the TSH not to be accurate.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Basically, yes it will make a difference, the blood sample may not be viable. When doing private testing with Medichecks or Blue Horizon, their advice is to post the samples off Monday to Thursday only, if Thursday then using Next Day Special Delivery so it is received on Friday. The recommend not posting Friday or the weekend to avoid the sample hanging around over the weekend before it can be delivered to the lab and processed. Taking blood on a Saturday with the possibility of it arriving Tuesday or Wednesday would have much more chance of the blood being useless for testing than being OK.

[DemelzaPoldark]

Thank you Seaside Susie,

I have decided to delay having the blood taken and have it done early in the week, it was just that a doctor friend was staying with me and easy to ask her to do it. Best wishes.