Has anyone else been experiencing problems with blood results from Blue Horizon?

[Fox123]

I sent my blood samples in over 3 weeks ago and despite sending queries via their website I’ve still had no results. It’s a really expensive test too - £200 !

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Fox123

BH are always pretty good with mine - usually within a day or two - but I only ever do the Thyroid Premium Gold without doctor's comments.

What test have you ordered, and what is the turnaround time given on their website.

[Fox123 in reply to SeasideSusie]

It was the Thyroid 15 test ( now been renamed I think?) I’ve just received this in an email-

Unfortunately, the analyser that runs the tests, has been down for the past three days, we have had the engineer in twice. It now appears to be fixed and I have followed up with the laboratory, who have informed me that results will not be available until 15th February at the earliest.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Fox123]

Fox123

If I remember correctly this has now been renamed Thyroid Premium Platinum and includes Reverse T3. It's the rT3 test that takes the time, I believe it's sent abroad to be processed (maybe the US) and can take 3 weeks to receive the results. So the time scale appears to be about right but unfortunately has been extended by the problem with the analyser.

What is rather unfortunate is that it's not worth doing the rT3 test, it's a waste of time and money and can't tell you anything that isn't obvious by looking at the FT4 and FT3 levels. The test can tell you if rT3 is high but not why it's high and there are many reasons for high rT3 and only one is to do with the thyroid, that is when there is an excess of unconverted T4 and that is shown by a high FT4 level with a low FT3.

[Fox123 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thanks for the info. I’ve been using this test for about 4 years now and I’ve never had to wait this long for results. Maybe Covid has something to do with it?

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Fox123]

Is it the one with reverse T3?

[Fox123 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Yes it is. 😉

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Fox123]

I think the earliest one can expect a return on that test is 2 weeks as it has to be sent away to the US I believe, and they do say turn around time is 2-3 weeks. Maybe Covid has caused delays at the lab as well. But they have said there is a problem with the analyser so again that will have caused a delay.

[Fox123 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Hi Seaside Susie, After 5 weeks waiting, they eventually agreed to release these results without the RT3. They apologised and said they would forward those results when they get them. I’m so relieved to see my ferritin has finally come down. It had been at the top of the range for my last three tests. However I had my left hip replaced last October so I’m wondering if the inflammation in the diseased joint is what was causing it?

I am taking 3 grains of Armour daily. With my free T4 not being optimal, would it be advisable to supplement with a small dose of Levothyroxine too? Also my vitamin D looks on the low side, maybe I should increase my dosage of that too?

I’m feeling so much better since my hip operation but I also need the right side replacing too which is scheduled for March ( fingers crossed!) so I’m looking forward to being a new woman once that’s done lol! 😁

Many thanks for your help.

My latest test results

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Fox123]

Fox123

That doesn't sound the best service from them and it's a shame that there was no response when Helvella put a call out to them (Paul usually responds when tagged).

It's possible that your hip may have caused your raised Ferritin. Your current level is nice and it may be worth just checking that some time in the future.

Magnesium we can ignore. Testing magnesium is unreliable. About 99% of magnesium is stored in bone, muscles and soft tissues, leaving about 1% in the blood. So testing what's in the blood isn't giving an accurate picture of our magnesium status.

A red cell magnesium test is the better indicator of magnesium status, not the standard serum magnesium test.

With my free T4 not being optimal, would it be advisable to supplement with a small dose of Levothyroxine too?

When taking NDT or a combination of Levo and T3, there is no general "optimal" level for FT4. This is because the T3 lowers FT4 level (it's just what it does) so we have to find our own optimal level. I'm on Levo plus T3 and I have found that I need both FT4 and FT3 in the upper part of their ranges, around 60-70% through range, whereas someone else may find they are fine with a much lower FT4 as long as FT3 is in the upper part of it's range.

Your FT3 is close to the top of the range, if you add some Levo then whatever natural conversion you have left will raise your FT3 level as well as raising your FT4.

Vit D is recommended to be 100-150nmol/L by the Vit D Society and Grassroots Health, so with your current level being 64nmol/L a D3 dose of 3,000-4,000iu daily would be about right, taking D3's important cofactors of magnesium and Vit K2-MK7 as well.

B12 at 381pmol/L = 516pg/ml and according to an extract from the book, "Could it be B12?" by Sally M. Pacholok:

"We believe that the 'normal' serum B12 threshold needs to be raised from 200 pg/ml to at least 450 pg/ml because deficiencies begin to appear in the cerebrospinal fluid below 550".

"For brain and nervous system health and prevention of disease in older adults, serum B12 levels should be maintained near or above 1000 pg/ml."

Folate level of 17.?? (8.83-60.8) is on the low side. Folate is recommended to be at least half way through range so 35+ with that level.

Taking a good B Complex such as Thorne Basic B or Igennus Super B will help raise both B12 and Folate levels. B Complex should be left off for 7 days before any blood test as it contains Biotin and when Biotin is used in the testing procedure (which most labs do) then it can give false results.

[Fox123 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you so much for such an in-depth response. Much appreciated. 😉

[jimh111]

If you requested reverse T3 it will take a long time for the results.

[helvella Administrator]

I have just added a call out to Blue Horizon:

BlueHorizonMedicals

[Superld]

I sent mine on Monday morning, received Tuesday and results with doctors comments on Thursday morning.

[Charlie-Farley]

They turned my premium gold round quickly