Optimum bloods

[Twilks01]

So my medi checks kit has arrived - thanks to the brilliant, kind advice I’ve received on here.

Given that advice I’m thinking I should take the blood after a period of fasting, with no alcohol or coffee in my and ideally at either midnight or as early first thing in the morning as I can. Am I on the right lines/missing anything?

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Twilks01

I wouldn't do it at midnight, you will never be able to compare it with an NHS test if you do.

When booking thyroid tests, we advise:

* Book the first appointment of the morning/do private tests early in the morning, no later than 9am. This is because TSH is highest early morning and lowers throughout the day. If we are looking for a diagnosis of hypothyroidism, or looking for an increase in dose or to avoid a reduction then we need TSH to be as high as possible.

* Fast overnight - have your evening meal/supper as normal the night before but delay breakfast on the day of the test and drink water only until after the blood draw. Eating may lower TSH, caffeine containing drinks affect TSH.

* If taking thyroid hormone replacement, leave off Levo for 24 hours before blood draw, if taking NDT or T3 then leave that off for 8-12 hours. Take your thyroid meds after the blood draw. Taking your dose too close to the blood draw will give false high results, leaving any longer gap will give false low results.

* If you take Biotin or a B Complex containing Biotin (B7), leave this off for 7 days before any blood test. This is because if Biotin is used in the testing procedure it will give false results (Medichecks definitely use Biotin, they have confirmed this and the amount of time to leave the supplement off).

[Twilks01 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Fab. Thank you very much