Medichecks done

[Levo50]

Well it feels great I have finally taken my blood sample - it was quite a tricky and messy process, (3 lancets later), I have made some notes for next time as I am sure l will be repeating, is it just me struggled with this?

[Lotika]

What a coincidence - I did my first this morning too - Thriva, in my case. I was very worried about not having enough blood so I drank gallons yesterday and again first thing this morning. I also showered first to get the circulation going and then had my hand in a bowl of warm water for 2 minutes as advised by Thriva. I looked at the size of the vial (pretty small!) and thought, oh how I am ever going to get enough blood to fill that? I stabbed my finger with the lancet and the next thing I knew there was blood everywhere, some of it in the container, and I’d hit the required line! Happy days and an unexpected surprise!

[Levo50 in reply to Lotika]

Apologies - this made me laugh, think I’d prefer blood everywhere 😀

[Lotika in reply to Levo50]

Ha ha! It certainly surprised me!! I just know that next time I try, I’ll hardly be able to squeeze a drop out of myself and yet I’ll have the table covered in towels just in case it ends up looking like I just massacred one of out cats again... 😆

(Which makes it sounds like I frequently massacre our cats! I don’t. But I do fantasise about booting our male Siamese up the butt occasionally!)

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Always a bit nerve wracking first time

Sometimes blood runs well....other times it can be tricky

Get the sample posted off ASAP via tracked 24 hour postal service

Tips on how to do by Seasidesusie

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

important to get warm and exercise first.

Bowl Hot water before test

Stand up to do test.

Twist lancet as it pings into finger

[Levo50 in reply to SlowDragon]

Great tips - Thank you posted sample already but haven’t tracked eek!

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Levo50

Well done! Some people struggle to do them and prefer to book a venous blood draw, some find them easy. I can do them, usually very easily, and I did one yesterday. Occasionally I have managed to fill two of the microtainers from the same one fingerprick and could easily have gone on to fill another one, other times the blood doesn't flow so well and I've needed to prick two fingers to fill one microtainer.

Not sure if you've seen any of my posts where I list my tips for fingerprick tests but I'll post them here for you:

* Be well hydrated, drink plenty of water the day before, and before you do the test.

* Some people take a shower before hand, some run up and down the stairs to get blood flowing. Personally, as I can't run up and down the stairs, I circle my arm round, windmill style.

* Have a bowl full of hot water, dip hand in and out, swish around, hand needs to go red. If blood flow stops, you can always swish round in the hot water again.

* Stand up to do the test. Make sure your arm is straight down when collecting the blood. Either use a small step stool to raise yourself well above the work surface, or put the collection tube on a lowish shelf. One member uses an ironing board so she can get the perfect height.

* Prick finger on the side, not the tip. I find that half way between the nail bed and tip is about right, or maybe slightly nearer the nail bed rather than the tip. I use my ring finger, but middle finger is next best for me.

* Do not squeeze your finger to get the blood out, it can damage the blood and it may not be usable

I've recently done 2 tests. The first one there was very little blood coming out which was unusual for me so I used a second finger and between the two I gradually filled the tube. However, when I checked the prick site for the first finger the actual cut was very small and as I've had some of these lancets fail before I put it down to that. When I did the second test this is what I did

* Prick my finger as usual, at the same time try and make a very slight twist with the lancet (the blade retracts very quickly so you have like a nano second to twist the lancet). I'm not talking 90 degrees or anything, just a very slight twist to make the cut just slightly bigger, it doesn't hurt or cause a blood bath! This made a big difference, 11 generous drops of blood filled the tube in less 2 minutes.

If you supplement with Biotin, or a B complex containing it (B7), leave it off for 7 days before doing any blood tests as it can give false results when biotin is used in the testing procedure, and most labs do use it.

Video showing how to do a fingerprick test:

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

[Levo50 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you for your reply this is super helpful and informative, I will watch the video and I'm sure practice will make perfect, I especially like the ironing board idea to keep the arm straight 😀 I tried to get my hubby to help but he ran a mile lol 😂

[Fruitandnutcase in reply to Levo50]

Actually I’m not sure it’s practice - I’ve done them for years and every now and again things can be a bit sluggish. I imagine I’ve probably missed a step somewhere because I’m so familiar with the process.

I like to do it as soon as I get out of bed because my body is nice and warm. Basically I think if you do as many of the suggestions you’ve been given as possible you ought to be ok. Be warm, drink, flap your arms a bit first, stand up.

I find that if when I press the lancet I hold it tight against my finger, close my eyes and grit my teeth - that normally gets the blood flowing.

Generally though I find once I get going my bathroom can look like a scene from ‘chain saw massacre’ with blood drips everywhere as well as in the tube. Good luck, so much easier (and cheaper) than arranging a blood draw.

[Levo50 in reply to Fruitandnutcase]

I’m sure it is practice and I’ve made plenty of notes for next time following the tips I’ve received in the replies above - so helpful love this site 😀

[Fruitandnutcase in reply to Levo50]

Yes, I have Graves’ disease and I discovered this site at the perfect time to save my sanity. SO much knowledge on here. Good luck with your next home fingerpick test. 😊

[tattybogle]

your "Iv'e been brave today" sticker will be on it's way .

[Hedgeree]

Hi Levo50,

I struggle taking a sample but it's from an anxiety perspective, no problem with the actual procedure of getting the blood flowing; I didn't realise how much of a fear I have of stabbing myself with a lancet! I think I must have a needle phobia?

I manage to get it in the tube (mostly!) but last time was hilarious in retrospect but not whilst I was trying to do it!

I'd done all the recommended things, made sure I was hydrated, 'ran' (more like a faster walk) up and down the stairs but my anxiety was terrible! I was sweating like mad and desperately trying to convince myself that stabbing myself with a lancet was an ok thing to do.

Even though I was up at 6am it took me nearly two hours to actually get it done. I find the actual finger prick part very sore to do.

Also I was a bit worn out after the state I'd got myself into though relieved at the same time.

Unfortunately I'm already in anticipation of doing the next finger prick test so I think I may have to work out another way of doing things.

So for me it's not the procedure or having blood flow issues but the actual stabbing oneself with a lancet that causes me problems. 🙁

[Levo50 in reply to Hedgeree]

Hi thank you for your reply - well done for completing the test which sounds awfully stressful for you. I did get a little stressed as hubby didn’t show any interest in reading instructions aloud, he was a little freaked by it. Consequently I was a little slow reading and performing, hands probably cooled and if not speedy I noticed the blood droplets will begin to clot and resist dripping (hence needing all 3 lancets).

There are some great responses above and SeasideSusie has also added a video which is super helpful, this has given me confidence for next time - although you may want to consider a Venous draw next time.

[Hedgeree in reply to Levo50]

Hi Levo50,

Yes I think you're right, I may have to opt for the venous blood draw instead. It just makes things much more complicated in the current situation and adds more to the cost.

I'm annoyed with myself for getting so worked up about something that I feel should be so simple for me to complete.

Well done for getting yours done despite your husband doing a runner mid procedure! I'm sure next time it will be much more straightforward for you; just don't involve him!

😆

Best wishes.

[Fruitandnutcase in reply to Hedgeree]

Think that’s why I put the lancet in place then shut my eyes and grit my teeth and press the lancet hard. That way because I’m not looking I don’t see what I’m doing because the lancet is in place - so at that point I’m just pressing down - gritting my teeth appears to make sure I do it hard enough to draw blood.

[Hedgeree in reply to Fruitandnutcase]

Same here Fruitandnutcase!

😂

[penny]

I tried. I made a puncture and watched the tiniest pimple of blood appear, then stop. My finger hurt a lot and didn’t stop hurting for weeks. Never again.

[Hedgeree in reply to penny]

Hi penny,

You're painting a very sorry picture indeed! But as you say at least you tried.

My finger also hurt for a few days after and it got a little bruise on the puncture site.

Though I am going to give it another go as I want to check my B12 levels again in the next week or so.

If I don't start to find it easier then I will have to go for a blood draw.