Medichecks results

[MMaud]

Hello folks.

It's a little while since I've been on, and the last couple of months haven't been great for me, with a ramp up in symptoms (fatigue, shedding haar and so on.). That said, I'm also just 4 weeks post diagnosis with shingles which I haven't enjoyed one bit. The neuropathic pain has been something else, but hopefully it's on the ebb now.

Anyway, on Tuesday I had a Medickecks Ultra Vit Panel done, and some NHS bloods too (I'll spare you why). Anyway, the results are here.

I have an Endo appointment on the 20th, so I'm really hoping he will prescribe T3, to try to make some progress. It's been too long.

Thanks in anticipation for any comments you might care to make.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

MMaud

I would hope with your FT3 below range your endo is open to giving you a trial of T3. If he doesn't like your Medichecks results, point out that when your FT3 was done on the NHS in July it was below range then also.

Is there a reason for the high ferritin level? Are you supplementing? If so you could stop for now. I've seen that 100-130 is a good level for females and 150 for males. Retest in 3 months to see what it's like then, you should be able to maintain a good level now with eating liver occasionally, or liver pate, black pudding and other iron rich foods.

As you've had an UltraVit test, where's the Vit D result?

[MMaud in reply to SeasideSusie]

Apologies, SeasideSusie, mea cupla, I inadvertantly lied. I didn't have the Ultra Vit, I had the Thyroid Ultra.

A couple of months ago, my Vit D was 108, and having gone straight back onto the supplement immediately I came back from SE Asia, I'm nt expecting it would be too much lower.

I was somewhat bemused my C-RP is so low, bearing in mind the shingles over the last month, and now left with terrible joint swelling and pain. I had thought I was having a post-viral poly-rheumatic flare up, but I gather high ferritin can cause arthritic style pain.

I'm currently on a B-Complex (amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01... and just in the last week or so, started on R-ALA to try to help with the neuropathic pain.

Thank you for commenting SeasideSusie. I hope you're well.

[Marymary7 in reply to MMaud]

Need to stop B complex a week before blood tests as the Biotin in it is also used by the lab in the blood test and it may of skewed your results higher or lower.

[MMaud in reply to Marymary7]

Oh deep joy.

Is that skewing all tests or just the vitamin aspects, Mary?

(Thank you for replying, Mary. I'm grateful for the insight, even if I may not sound it!)

[Marymary7 in reply to MMaud]

It skews the thyroid tests it can give a false high or low. Check if the B complex supplement has Biotin in it?

Lots of lab tests use a Biotin assay (I think is the term) I'm sure Susie or Greygoose will verify.

I had this verified from Medichecks and they gave me another blood test kit free as they said we should leave a week after supplements with Biotin and this wasn't made clear.

It obviously needs flagging up more?

[MMaud in reply to Marymary7]

Many thanks, Marymary7.

What was your approach to Medichecks, if you don't mind me asking? If it's better, feel free to send a private message.

[Marymary7 in reply to MMaud]

I just emailed them to verify if they used Biotin in the test as they didnt warn me and I have read that my T3 reading was not reliable if they did. They confirmed it and eventually agreed to send me another kit. Is there Biotin in your supplement.

[MMaud in reply to Marymary7]

Looks that way; Vitamin B7 (D-Biotin).

I have been taking these: amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01... There is an image of the label on the web page.

[Marymary7 in reply to MMaud]

Write to medichecks and say they didn't put a warning on the kit about Biotin and the test is unreliable, request another kit?

[MMaud in reply to Marymary7]

Thanks Marymary, I'll contact them tomorrow.

[MMaud in reply to Marymary7]

Marymary7 - I just wanted to thank you so much for the heads up. I went onto the Medichecks chat functionality this morning and explained I had been surprised by some of my results, then asked about the biotin factor.

Having confirmed the issue, the operator immediately offered a replacement test, which they're sending out today.

I should be able to get the replacement test done, prior to my Endo appoint.

Many thanks again. This is the power of collective experience and generosity.

[Marymary7 in reply to MMaud]

That's great news. Leave off all vitamin supplements for at least a week before blood draw except your thyroid meds, do that according to the advice on here. Anyone measuring their b12 be aware it takes months not weeks of leaving off for a true result.

I'm pleased for you and I hope you can achieve something out of all this 😀🥂🍾

[MMaud in reply to Marymary7]

Marymary7 - when looking for further information on all of this, but really tying to find out which tests could likely be impacted, I found the following, which I thought very informative (to me anyway) :

exeterlaboratory.com/biotin...

The table at the bottom of the article is very useful, I'd think.

[Marymary7 in reply to MMaud]

That's good research. It would seem though as if GP's are mostly unaware of interference from supplements etc on tests.

Cheers 😎

[JumpJiving]

Your FT3 level needs addressing. When you discuss with the endo, make clear that you've just had shingles, as it's important not to stress the heart too much after shingles. There are reports that after shingles, the risks increase of heart attack (by 59%) and stroke (by 35%) in the first year after shingles, decreasing over time. It's something I looked into after losing one of my best friends late last year. She'd had repeated bouts of shingles, including a very recent one, but as far as we are aware, she had never been warned about risks of over-exertion after shingles. In all other respects she appeared very fit and healthy, so there was no warning at all

Don't panic, but do discuss with your endo and GP.