New and curious about testing and remedies

[10720]

Hi everyone, I've just been pointed to this site by the Vitamin D FB group. Have throughout my life had problems with anaemia and ferretin levels and now I am getting older (71!!) I am severely lacking energy, gaining weight and trying not to give in to low level depression. Looking on line this would seem to point to hypothyroidism, so I'm checking out the private testing linked on here. Which did you find easy (I did manage a blood spot for A vit D test about a month ago) and what do you do about treatment if the test reveals a problem? I much prefer supplements to drug therapies, is that a good way to relieve symptoms. I currently take VitD and co-factors, iron and St Johns Wort. TIA (so many questions so little time!)

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

10720

Hundreds of us here do private blood tests with labs recommended by Thyroid UK. The most popular ones are Medichecks and Blue Horizon. At the moment, Medichecks have 20% off all their tests across the board until midnight on Monday 29th April so that's a good offer. You can even buy now and you have 6 months to use them.

Fingerprick tests are as accurate as venous blood draw if done correctly, some people manage them easily and some people struggle so pay extra for venous blood draw. The fingerprick test requires 0.8ml of blood, which is about a dozen decent drops, or less than 1/5th of a teaspoonful.

As the companies use accredited labs, same as the NHS, the results are reliable but whether your GP would accept them is another question, some will, some wont, but if you do present them with results that are a cause for concern then that is a lever for asking the GP to do his own test if they wont accept the private ones.

You're obviously keeping an eye on your Vit D level, what about iron? When supplementing we should check that regularly too so that we don't take too much.

If you are found to have a thyroid problem, then supplements wont help a failed thyroid gland, it needs thyroid hormone replacement in the form of Levothyroxine.

There are many test bundles to choose from

Medichecks medichecks.com/categories

Blue Horizon bluehorizonmedicals.co.uk/

[10720 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you = ordered the Medichecks one - I like that I can drop in to a hospital not too far away to get the sample taken