Finger prick test

[StillEverHopeful]

I’m hoping you lovely folk can advise me regarding a recent medichecks finger prick test. It. Was their advanced one that includes vitamins & miners. They could only partially complete the test & say there was insufficient plasma to complete the active B12 part and have put a new test in the post. (They will let me have my results so far once reviewed by their doctor)

Any thoughts on how I can increase my plasma for the repeat test?

I was well hydrated when I did the test and succeeded with one lance. Many thanks.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Medichecks do seem to have a lot of problems one way or another with tests failing. We don't see many Blue Horizon tests being mentioned to have failed but that could be because not so many members use BH.

Did you fill the vial to the 600 line? I assume that only send the one vial and it's the 600 size.

Is it just B12 that is being repeated? If so you should be fine doing what you did last time, you wouldn't need to fill the whole vial for one test.

[StillEverHopeful in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you @SeasideSusie

It’s the first time I’ve had a lab end failure with medichecks although I’ve had some fails my end in collecting the blood in the past.

Yes it was to the top line of the vial and just the one vial (I think there have been 2 in the past).

As far as I can tell it is just to repeat the b12 as they said they will post results so far after they are reviewed by their doctor. (Not that I pay much attention to what they say as they still get freaked out with below range TSH that is endo approved)

[Jazzw in reply to StillEverHopeful]

I can’t prove this and doubtless the pathology labs would deny it—but occasionally samples get dropped during the processing stage! The fact that they’re happy to send you a brand new kit free of charge only lends credence to the possibility it was something that went wrong by at their end rather than at yours!

[StillEverHopeful in reply to Jazzw]

I must admit that was my first thought!they are fiddly little vials, we are all human & accidents can happen even when being careful.

I have found medichecks good at sending out a new kit when I have failed at filling the vial, this time I was so chuffed that I only needed one lancet. I had to have 3 sets once.

[bookish]

Interesting, thanks. I've never had a problem although I used to need 3 lances to fill the tube. Recently sent for one for partner and he got the same as you, no B12 (and folate), although they didn't say why just sent another kit. He barely managed even with 3 lances the first time and failed completely with the new kit (they didn't say not to fill as normal) so we are stuck. We may have to use a venous and try another kit in due course. In the meantime he is on the vitamin E as a thinner, which worked for me. Oddly they told us that the kit was a fail initially and then sent everything except those two, which makes me wonder whether we should rely on the accuracy of the thyroid figures.

[StillEverHopeful in reply to bookish]

They managed to test everything else & let me have the results including folate. I’m thinking Jazzw might be on the right tack with a spillage in the lab.

I’ve had some epic fails with finger prick test, to the point of whirling my arm around when blood flow stopped & getting a vial full spread around the room & hardly any in the pot. My current technique is to make sure I’m well hydrated, have a warm bath then get my husband to catch those precious drops of blood as I allow gravity to take over, my vision at that length means I’m not sure if I’m getting it in the pot (ha hah)