Home testing

[LouiseM46]

I’ve just opted for home testing, is a finger prick test reliable enough?

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

In my opinion, yes. I've had a home fingerprick test and an NHS thyroid test done within a couple of days of each other, ensuring testing conditions were the same (early morning test, fast overnight, water only to drink, leave off Levo for 24 hours) and the results were almost identical.

If you take Biotin (B7) in any supplement then leave it off for 3-5 days before the test as it can cause false results.

[LouiseM46 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Great! Thanks for your advice, seemed so simple to produce such valuable results. Looking forward to hopefully finding some answers

[Fruitandnutcase]

I’ve done it for a few years now. In the beginning I did it alongside my NHS tests and although the ranges were different the results were at a similar point within the range so yes, I’d say they are reliable. They are done by accredited labs anyway. I do mine at the beginning of the week so that they don’t end up lying in the post over the weekend.

[Hashihouseman]

I did some finger prick tests at the same time as NHS venous test and the result were close enough for even the most miserable grumpy cynical endocrinologist to admit they were good enough!

[LouiseM46 in reply to Hashihouseman]

I did wonder if consultants would entertain results. Only being tested for TSH on NHS. So these will be the only values I have for T3 T4 and antibodies

[Hashihouseman in reply to LouiseM46]

Its bloody criminal they only test for TSH! I could bang on for 1000 words about why TSH alone is no bloody use to us...... none of the medical research into thyroid function and treatment and other related issues relies on TSH alone they all study at at least free T3 and free T4 for proper analysis.

if your consultant is likely to turn his nose up at your private results you could do the fingerprint test at the same time as NHS drew blood for the TSH to close down opportunities for scepticism the consultant could use to belittle the test results.

I have even had the TSH testing issue out with the head of the local NHS laboratory services, it only costs them 2 quid for each additional test ! Their (contrived) argument is that the free hormone tests are unnecessary and that if you scaled up from one patient to every thyroid patient the cost would be significant. Nevertheless when the chips are down you can’t say whether any particular TSH infers satisfactory free hormone levels the proof of the pudding is in determining the actual free hormone levels. I’m not saying that TSH is unnecessary but rather that all three of them are necessary each and every time only then can we start to discover a pattern of where our set point maybe.

If you do your own TSH (as well as free T3/4) test at the same time the NHS blood is drawn for their TSH test you should be able to get some comparability in the data. At the time my NHS blood was drawn I literally went into a room at the GP Surgery and did my own finger prick tests so the only difference was the finger was the source of blood and not a direct vein and a different lab doing the analysis in all other respects the samples would’ve been identical. The results were close enough !

[Treepie]

Yes ,but only managed to get enough blood out once ,thereafter took kit to a private hospital which is more costly.

[Hidden]

I think that it depends on the type of test. I have just had a Medichecks Ultra home blood test which requires lots of blood compared to some other tests. I ordered the nurse who comes to your house, the cost was £39.

[LouiseM46 in reply to Hidden]

I seen that option amazing they can offer that too

[MaisieGray in reply to LouiseM46]

When I needed a substantial amount of blood drawn as it was going to India for a wide range of tests, I booked an appointment with the surgery nurse, handed her the vials and asked her to fill them. At one level it was great that she wasn't remotely interested in why I needed the blood to be drawn, but worrying that she couldn't answer any of my questions about blood in transit, and that she was generally disinterested in my reasons fir private testing (if someone isn't interested in their work, I find they are prone to perform it poorly) but hey ho, it meant my blood draw was free.

[Hidden in reply to LouiseM46]

This I should make it clear was just for the nurse, not including the test. I think many on here do a finger prick test successfully it depends on the type of test too.

[Singoutloud]

My son was offered a finger prick test by the phlebotomist at the hospital as normally blood can only be obtained his foot. It must be reliable enough if even the hospital offer to do it that way