Blood test recommendations

[Bunny12345678]

Which private blood taking service can anyone recommend please?

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Bunny12345678

Do you mean you are looking for phlebotomy or are you wanting to order a blood test from one of our recommended labs?

[Bunny12345678 in reply to SeasideSusie]

I'm looking at the home blood tests as my nearest private hospital is not currently taking blood samples at present. I could do with a recommended list of tests to look at too please if that's ok? I've been ill for seven months now and the only diagnosis I have (which hasn't been thoroughly investigated) is inappropriate sinus tachycardia! I have a strong prevalence of thyroid disease in my family, and I just keep feeling so ill. My gp's keep telling me I have anxiety and I've had to push for the tests that I've had so far, any suggestions greatly appreciated

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Bunny12345678]

Bunny12345678

I would go for the full thyroid/vitamin panel and this will give a good, overall picture of both thyroid and vitamin status. Some nutrient deficiencies can have symptoms which overlap with hypothyroidism so best get them all done at the same time.

The test bundle includes:

TSH

FT4

FT3

Thyroid antibodies

Vit D

B12

Folate

Ferritin

Most popular here for the full test panel are Medichecks and Blue Horizon. Both offer the test as a fingerprick test or venous blood draw. You'd have to check their websites to see if they have a partner clinic near you if you want the venous blood draw.

Medichecks Thyroid Check ULTRAVIT medichecks.com/thyroid-func...

You can use code THYROIDUK for a 10% discount on any test not on special offer

or

Blue Horizon Thyroid PREMIUM GOLD bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...

You can use code TUK30 for 30% off any "Premium" test.

Both tests include the full thyroid and vitamin panel. They are basically the same test but with the following small differences:

For the fingerprick test:

Blue Horizon requires 1 x microtainer of blood (0.8ml),

Medichecks sometimes sends 2 x microtainers, sometimes they send 1 x microtainer.

Blue Horizon includes Total T4 (can be useful but not essential). Medichecks doesn't include this test.

B12 - Blue Horizon does Total B12 which measures bound and unbound (active) B12 but doesn't give a separate result for each. Medichecks does Active B12.

Total B12 shows the total B12 in the blood. Active B12 shows what's available to be taken up by the cells. You can have a reasonable level of Total B12 but a poor level of Active B12. (Personally, I would go for the Active B12 test.)

Blue Horizon include magnesium but this is an unreliable test so don't let this sway your decision, it also tests cortisol but that's a random cortisol test and to make any sense of it you'd need to do it fasting before 9am I believe.

If you decide you want the fingerprick test and have not done one before, I can post a video of how to do it and also post my tips. Please ask if you'd like me to do that.

[Bunny12345678 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thankyou for your advice. Do the results vary much from venous and capillary testing in your experience please for these tests? I'm a nurse so I'm use to taking other peoples' bloods, but if there's a specific format for taking the capillary sample then I'd hate to get it wrong.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Bunny12345678]

Bunny12345678

I have done many fingerprick tests. A couple I have done within a day or two of a venous blood draw at my GP surgery and the results were almost identical.

There is one company called MonitorMyHealth that offers fingerprick tests, this is in fact an NHS lab at Exeter hospital and they say:

Our laboratory is already used by hundreds of doctors and clinicians and the same regulated NHS service is now available direct from our laboratory to your own home.

and

Our aim is to provide the convenience of a regulated NHS online testing service to you in the comfort of your own home.

monitormyhealth.org.uk/faqs

If you are unsure then maybe a colleague can take your blood, if so send for the venous kit.

I'll go and find the video of how to take the sample for a fingerprick test.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to SeasideSusie]

Bunny12345678

Here is the video

youtube.com/watch?v=w2JzToZ...(Not working as expected?)

[Bunny12345678 in reply to SeasideSusie]

thankyou very much for your advice I really appreciate it. I've been off work since December so that's why the capillary sample sounds helpful, so your experience is helpful with this too, thankyou very much.

[Zhr1]

Medichecks

[jimh111]

I haven't used them but this looks good value monitormyhealth.org.uk/ .

[StitchFairy in reply to jimh111]

I used monitormyhealth.org.uk for the first time a few weeks ago. I did the finger prick full screen Thyroid, Vit D, Cholesterol, Diabetes which I consider is excellent value compared to the other companies. Great service and I'll be using them again for sure.

[jimh111 in reply to StitchFairy]

Thanks, I've always had blood taken in Central London, more expensive but easier and gives me an excuse to go for coffee / cake. May have to use finger prick in future, so this is useful information.

[grumpyold]

I have used Blue Horizon, Medichecks and most recently, monitormyhealth.org.

I like to monitor my cholesterol and my Hb1ac (I am diabetic ) levels too as well as my thyroid and monitormy health is the cheapest for me to get all those done at the same time. Perhaps I am lucky, I have never had a problem getting blood out of my fingers for the at home finger prick tests.

Good luck.x