PRIVATE IRON TESTING - MEDICHECKS ANY GOOD????

[Redlester]

I was on the Medichecks website ordering a thyroid ultravit etc test and out of interest checked to see if they did an iron test, as I need to find out what is going on with my iron and was searching for a test. Medichecks do one which tests iron (I am assuming this is serum iron) ferritin, UIBC, TIBC and transferrin saturation, and CRP.

medichecks.com/products/iro...

I was wondering if other members had ever used this test, or what forum members with knowledge of iron (HumanBean Seaside Susie) might think of it? (have to admit would be handy to bundle up an order for a thyroid test and an iron panel and take advantage of the august discount). Would be interested in any thoughts people might have. Thanks.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

SeasideSusie humanbean ....have flagged them ...hopefully will pop along and comment

[Redlester in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks SlowDragon

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Redlester

Yes, the Iron Deficiency Check is the one I use and I'm happen enough with it.

Are you wanting to do fingerprick tests?

Don't forget that the ULTRAVIT doesn't include Folate, you have to order ULTRAVIT WITH FOLATE for that and it has to be a venous blood draw.

If you're doing the WITH FOLATE test then you can get the blood drawn for the Iron Deficiency Check at the same time.

If you're doing the basic ULTRAVIT which doesn't include Folate, and doing that by fingerprick, then do two separate orders otherwise I *think* they might send a venous kit due to the amount of blood needed. You could contact them and check just to make sure.

[Redlester in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thanks Seaside Susie, but I am a bit confused by this. I was planning to do the Ultravit without folate (simple finger test kit) as I don't have access to a blood draw at the moment and I liked the idea of the Medichecks iron test as it was also finger prick. Are you saying that the iron test will require a blood draw even if it says on the website that it is fingerprick? I will check with them.

My plan is to do the iron one first and then, depending on the results, supplement if need be and then do the Ultravit one 6-8 weeks down the line where I would get a second ferritin result and see if there was any uplift in my ferritin level.

[Redlester in reply to SeasideSusie]

medichecks.com/products/iro...

In the picture on top left of this link, which is all I can find at the moment about the contents of the test there seems to be one vial and 4 lancets but I can't work out what the transparent thing is at the top of the picture - if you have done this test you might be familiar with the kit. Is it a bottle?? (which would indeed require some filling) but from my last medichecks kit it looks like the protective packaging for the vial, in which case it seems they only want one vial so a fingerprick test should be ok.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Redlester]

Redlester

Are you saying that the iron test will require a blood draw even if it says on the website that it is fingerprick? I will check with them.

No, you can do it as a fingerprick test.

My plan is to do the iron one first and then, depending on the results, supplement if need be and then do the Ultravit one 6-8 weeks down the line where I would get a second ferritin result and see if there was any uplift in my ferritin level.

Then make two separate orders, it wont cost you any more.

As I said in my previous reply, based on what other members have said in the past, when ordering more than one test - even if they are fingerprick tests - they have been "bundled" together because Medichecks assumed they were being done at the same time and due to the amount of blood needed a larger vial was sent with a venous kit. It may or may not happen now but it's not worth the risk, just do two separate orders.

[Redlester in reply to SeasideSusie]

I understand what you are saying, but I would have thought that as they are testing 2 separate variables [one the thyroid ultravit and one the iron panel] that they would still need to be sending out 2 separate kits with 2 separate vials and that it would be inappropriate for them to assume that I would be intending to use the 2 test kits at the same time - hence filling one large vial to be filled by a test kit. But I will check this with them before purchase. Thanks for the tip off. Will let you know the outcome

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Redlester]

it would be inappropriate for them to assume that I would be intending to use the 2 test kits at the same time

But they do! You know you want to do them at different times but they don't as they're two different tests. The Iron Deficiency Check includes 4 other tests besides Ferritin so they could assume that you want those because they're not included in the Ultravit test.

I'm only relaying what a few members have reported before. It's also been mentioned that if you put more than one test on the order, they put everything in one kit and only send one return envelope. So since then it's always been advised to always make a separate order for each test to be on the safe side.

[Redlester in reply to SeasideSusie]

I sent them an email to check the position on this, telling them I'd heard reports of tests being "bundled" together and a venous blood draw kit being sent instead of separate fingerprick tests and I also told them how I planned to use the 2 tests, ie - at staggered times as I described to you and I got this reply from them:

"I can confirm if you placed the order for both tests at the same time, at the checkout you will have an option to split the order and this would ensure you receive 2 separate finger prick kits rather than the test kits being bundled for you."

So on the basis of this would it seem I am good to go?

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Redlester]

Redlester

I have never ordered two tests at the same time so I don't know whether the option to split the order is a new thing but I definitely know that there have been problems reported in the past and especially with only one return envelope being included.

If they have assured you that you will have 2 x separate fingerprick tests plus 2 x return envelopes there should be no problem, you can always contact them if there is.

[Redlester in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thanks Seaside Susie. Forewarned is forearmed.

Based on the email they have sent me already, and they have been forewarned by me of how I intend to use the 2 tests I am ordering, if it is the case that there is only one reply envelope and fingerprick test then I will just contact them referencing my correspondence and ask for a second reply envelope and fingerprick test for the second one [which will be the thyroid one] and as I don't plan to use it for at least 6 weeks or so that should give them plenty of time to sort out that glitch if it happens.

[humanbean in reply to SeasideSusie]

Yes I had this experience. It was some time ago now, before the folate issue arose. I ordered an ultravit test and an iron deficiency test on the same order and was sent one test kit for a venous draw to cover both tests, and one return envelope. I wanted to do the tests a month or two apart.

The iron deficiency test was on special offer and I wanted to do it a month after the ultravit test.

I wanted a finger-prick test kit and envelope for the iron deficiency test but they wouldn't send me one. Instead I ended up having to return the venous test kit I had, get a refund, then order both tests again.

Of course, when I wanted to order the iron deficiency test kit it was no longer on special offer, so I didn't bother ordering it again. The whole process took weeks.

It was a slow and unhelpful process and really, really user-unfriendly.

I would never order two tests from Medichecks on the same order again.

They recently had a special offer on where they said that the more you spent the more of a discount you would get. Since ordering multiple tests is so fraught with issues and the refund process is so painful I didn't make use of the special offer, even though I really wanted to.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to humanbean]

Thank you HB 🙂, I knew this had happened in the past but it's impossible to search for the posts reporting this so I appreciate you confirming this.

[Redlester in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thanks Seaside Susie, I didn't doubt for one second what you were warning me of - see my reply to Human bean above - going to have to do 2 separate orders. What a nuisance!!!

[Redlester in reply to humanbean]

Thanks humanbean - what a nightmare!! so if I place 2 separate orders, even if I place them on the same day, but go through the checkout process twice would that mean I wouldn't face the risk of "bundling"??

[humanbean in reply to Redlester]

Sorry, I don't know. I've only ordered one test at a time since I had that bad experience.

[Redlester in reply to humanbean]

Hi humanbean - I have just done it - I put the 2 kits through in the one basket and at checkout a banner came up asking if i was intending to do the tests at different times and to confirm whether I would need separate finger prick test kits. The confirmation email confirming the order affirms this - so we will wait to see if I get 2 reply envelopes. If not I will just contact them. Fingers crossed. I'll report back when the kits arrive.

[Redlester in reply to humanbean]

Hi humanbean - got my 2 test kits today and checked their contents and I got 2 separate vials, 2 sets of lancets, and 2 reply envelopes. Kit has changed since I Iast ordered and maybe they have taken on board customer feedback like the problems you experienced to change things at the checkout and make provision for split timing of multiple kit orders, but I am glad I was on notice to check with them beforehand. So glad I put the 2 kits through on the one order as I made a large saving which can now be spent on supps - talk about living the high life!!!

I have never done an iron deficiency check before and am planning to do it on Monday if possible. I'm not supplementing with iron, but am taking a b complex, Vit D3 and vit k2 and taurine. Do I have to leave any of these off for a set period of time before doing the test? and does it matter what time of day I do the test at?

[humanbean in reply to Redlester]

Biotin can affect all sorts of tests, so I would give your B Complex (which usually contains biotin) a miss for several days. Unfortunately, the advice on how long to stop Biotin for varies from 24 hours to a week, depending on what you read.

This is the advice from Medichecks :

support.medichecks.com/hc/e...

Personally I stop taking all my supplements for a week before any testing I'm in control of, but I know that many people would consider that excessive. I also fast overnight (apart from water) for all tests too.

Whatever gap you leave you should take note of it and use it for all your tests from now on so that any comparisons are as accurate as possible.

It is a good idea to leave off iron supplements for several days before testing too. STTM used to say leave it off for 5 days, but I can't find that reference any more, sorry. And of course, STTM rarely mentions its sources anyway.

[Redlester in reply to humanbean]

This is great advice humanbean - thankyou! - I'll stop the B's containing biotin for about a week to be on the safe side [will be tricky but will have to find a way to manage it - might only manage 5 days]. I take a choline/inositol supp separately from my B complex - can I still take that do you think while I stop the B complex? and do I have to avoid iron rich foods in advance of the iron check test? sorry to be asking what probably seem like idiot type questions but I don't want to waste the money I have spend on the tests by not prepping correctly.