Afternoon blood testing!

[Casaclara]

I have only managed to secure an afternoon appointment to get my Bloods checked in my area!! (1.20pm) My surgery say they never offer morning appointments!!! Anyway, is it still wise to not take my Levo that morning until afterwards to get a higher reading? Thanks, would appreciate some advice as I’m still feeling under medicated on 50 mcg ( ie still feeling very tired )

[crimple]

I can go to my local Sainsbury supermarket for a test at the pharmacy. (7.30am )It is a phlebotomist from the hospital that draws the blood. Phone the haematology dept and ask what time they open (ours is 8.30) or if they have a similar store arrangement. Afternoon draws is no good at all as TSH reading will be misleading.

[Treepie]

I was at the local Hospital yesterday which commences at 8.30. You will need to get your practice to give you a request to take to the hospital. I have never had a problem.

[humanbean]

My surgery say they never offer morning appointments!!!

I think what probably happened is that your surgery doesn't offer morning appointments for thyroid function testing.

They can't say that they never do morning tests, because there are some very common tests which must be done in the morning e.g. cholesterol testing and fasting glucose.

I came a cropper on this same issue - my surgery wouldn't give me an appointment time for thyroid functioning testing in the morning because those appointments were reserved for people who, in their opinion, had to have tests first thing in the morning. Obviously that didn't include the likes of me with my dodgy thyroid. I was one of the undeserving.

I agree with Treepie - find out which hospital does the testing for your surgery and go to their phlebotomy department to get your blood taken at the time you want. You will need a form from the surgery to say what you need to have tested. I'm lucky in that my hospital doesn't run an appointments system for phlebotomy - I just have to turn up, take a number and wait my turn.

Edit : My husband had blood tests done recently for the first time in years. When he arranged his appointment time he asked for an early morning appointment. And of course, that was no problem. Was 8.20am acceptable?

Grrrrr!

[MaisieGray]

Likewise, I go to the hospital blood draw team because no appointment is needed unlike my Drs which has a long run up time. Only the early draws marked by the Dr as such, are seen pre-9.00 if there's a queue, but if I arrive before 9.00 and they've completed all the early draws, they simply start seeing everyone else.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Casaclara

A 1.30pm blood draw will give a much lower TSH than a 9am blood draw. If you feel undermedicated and are symptomatic, you need your TSH to be as high as possible to get a dose increase and that means arranging a blood draw no later than 9am.