How much blood is needed for Medichecks Thyroid Check Ultravit with rT3?

[bell22]

Some of you may have seen my post from yesterday on Medichecks and having my blood drawn at their partner clinic in London. This is a separate (albeit connected!) question.

I got the test above done a couple of days ago and I was really surprised when the clinic took only one vial of blood. It was definitely what I could get at home myself with a Medichecks kit. And when I had the Thyroid Check Ultravit done before, with no rT3, the same clinic took two vials. So more blood for less tests!

I’m confused now why this has to be a blood draw, when the standard Thyroid Ultravit - for which they seem to need more blood - can be done at home....

I’m sure I’m missing something but would love to know how it works - does anyone have any insights?

Thanks!

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

I have had the same tests with Blue Horizon, the one with rT3 last year and used their home phlebotomy service. The phlebotomist took one normal size vial, the size they use at the GP surgery, not the microtainer that comes with home fingerprick tests. The home fingerprick one without rT3 is 2 x microtainers, it used to be 1 x microtainer but often there was not enough blood to do all 11 tests so they added a second microtainer to ensure there was enough.

[bell22 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thanks SeasideSusie! Yes they took one normal size vial for my test too - but two normal sized vials for the test without rT3, hence why I was confused! I imagine they can do quite a lot with a small amount of blood.

[humanbean]

I don't know if this is still true, but it used to be that RT3 could not be tested in the UK, and samples had to be sent to the US for testing.

In order to maintain the blood in a suitable condition for the RT3 test it had to be centrifuged (spun) and separated in the UK, and then the blood was sent to the US in some form suitable for testing.

It may still be true that more blood is needed for the RT3 test than for other thyroid tests, but I don't know for certain.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to humanbean]

The rT3 test does take longer to come back than the others, so it may very well be sent to the US. However, when my blood was taken last year it definitely wasn't centrifuged, the nurse left the sample with me to post. I imagine things might have improved over time, because I do remember that at one time it had to be centrifuged to the rT3 test.

[bell22 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Yes it’s a 14 day turnaround for Medichecks - I did wonder why it takes that long, but if they need to send it to the US, that explains it! Still perplexed why they took less blood than for the simpler Thyroid Ultravit check, and why it has to be a blood draw. Would the blood be any different if it’s from a vein rather than a finger?

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to bell22]

Would the blood be any different if it’s from a vein rather than a finger?

I doubt it, blood's blood. But very strange that for the Ultravit more blood was taken.

Actually, thinking about it, with the Ultravit with rT3 test, if the rT3 test is sent away, and there's only one vial of blood, how do they do the other tests and have enough to send away for the rT3 test? I really do overthink things at times

[bell22 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Ha ha I’m exactly the same when it comes to overthinking things! Me posting this is overthinking things! Actually I’m even a bit worried that they made a mistake and I’ll get a call in a couple of days asking me for more blood. 😂