Blood tube shortage

[paddington]

Hi all. Does anyone know whether routine thyroid tests are included in the restrictions just announced by the government? Thanks P

[revitalise]

I went to the hospital this morning and had numerous blood tests including thyroid. I also called my GP today and have a Cholestrol test booked for next week. I am in London and there was no mention of restrictions. When I mentioned it to phlebotomy at Hospital they said they have been aware of shortages for more than a month but it’s just now being announced in the media. Based on my tests I would think that routine thyroid tests will be going ahead. Although, it may depend on your area.

[helvella Administrator]

There has been much discussion:

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

In the UK, it only affects two tubes:

1. 5mls Yellow top – SST 2 – clotted sample (e.g. U&E, LFTs etc)

2. Purple top – EDTA (e.g. FBC, HbA1c)

[paddington in reply to helvella]

Thanks - was just hoping! P.

[helvella Administrator in reply to paddington]

I believe a few places do not use the same tubes (and, hence, colour coding) as most of the rest.

[paddington in reply to helvella]

Don't think I will hold my breath - my doc would most likely buy the tubes privately himself! TY for replying though. P.

[Hidden]

Well I’m meant to get my blood monitored monthly for immunesuppression but when I had them done yesterday only two vials were taken and it’s usually 3.

I asked the GP I saw after and she said yes it is the ESR/ PV they can’t do just now because of UK-wide vial shortage. She said this may mean they have to put me to 3 monthly instead and definitely wouldn’t do PV/ ESR as this requires it’s own vial. I’m not worried about thyroid monitoring for myself because I had that done a few months ago and all fine. But I worry about kidney and liver and RBCs/ WBCs more.

They say that this is a global shortage but when I read up on news last night it says it’s only affecting the UK so I’m thinking it’s most likely Brexit related?

I’m in Scotland.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Hidden]

Hidden

Do you get a print out of your results, or have online access, so that you can keep a record? If so, check your past results and see if your levels have been stable.

I am supposed to have 3 monthly liver function tests and I always get a print out and put results of all my tests on a spreadsheet. I've checked my liver function test results over the time I've been reguarly tested and they are stable, so I am not worrying about missing my next test. In fact since lockdown we have had to ask for our regular monitoring tests and they are done if we are willing to go into the surgery (patient's choice), so I've missed a couple anyway. They always sneak in a thyroid test at the same time, which I keep asking them not to do because it triggers a phone call from the GP because my results are "abnormal" as I always have a suppressed TSH so therefore I have a very frustrating phone call when this happens to explain why I wont reduce my dose!

[Hidden in reply to SeasideSusie]

Yes I try to always get copies and all my hospital consultants write to me with my hospital bloods and cc my GPs and others. I keep all in a folder so I can keep track. LFTs and the rest usually good now apart from persistently raised CRP and RBCs - which is just me.

But I have just moved house and also GPs so also trying not to be a nuisance with new practice having filed two formal complaints about the last one.

I’m viewed as being a “very complex patient” with seriously rare autoimmune overlaps and very severe gastroparesis. So I had to contact okd GPs a lot over the last year and it didn’t work out well. Hence moving to the smaller further away practice who don’t yet have my GP notes.

Completely relate to the suppressed TSH overreaction from GPs. Twice I’ve enlisted an nhs endo to remind them that my TSH is meant to be around 0.1 when it’s gone over into range and I feel extra 💩. Lately I noticed that my former diabolical practice actually would run Ft4 and 3 as well and they did phone once to rather nervously 6 months ago tell me that my dose of 150mcg should be reduced to 125mcg because my fT4 was over range whereas it’s normally low end of range despite very suppressed TSH.

So I agreed rather defensively but I think they were probably right this time as FT4 were nicely in middle of upper of range a few months ago. Hope I don’t have to go through all this again with new practice as TSH was 0.02 last time where it’s perfectly happy I feel! I suspect the vial shortage will work in my favour on the thyroid front.

Interestingly I saw the other side of things while waiting to get my bloods done and see new GP first time yesterday. An older woman marched in and was really quite rude to the seemingly friendly older receptionist about why her T3 hadn’t materialised at the pharmacy yet when she ordered it a week ago. The receptionist not unreasonably asked for the generic name of T3 and the angry patient couldn’t recall just said something starting with l that wasn’t Levo and monologued about it being a lifeline medication and she only had one day’s worth left and wanted all the facts about when her prescription request has been received to give the pharmacist etc. I almost interjected saying it’s called lyrothyronine but then decided to 🤐

Afterwards I came out of GPs and heard same woman complaining to poor receptionist about the phlebotomist running 20 minutes late and how it wasn’t acceptable. It took her 10 minutes to draw enough blood from me as my blood is very sticky and thick often so mea culpa in part.

I know people here complain a lot about how badly thyroid patients are treated by GP practices etc and usually sympathetic. But honestly I wanted to shower this new GP and receptionist with praise when I left with the T3 woman still being aggressive - because they have been magnificent already compared to the last nearby practice and I don’t think this woman knows just how lucky she is!!!

[Emmastace]

I phoned the surgery to book my thyroid blood tests this morning and was told that due to lack of blood bottles no blood tests being booked unless an emergency and I would be put on a list to be advised when they had some bottles.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Emmastace]

Emmastace

Just testing TSH is completely inadequate anyway

Good excuse to get FULL thyroid and vitamins tested privately…..and GP will have to accept the results

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested.

Also EXTREMELY important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 at least annually

Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially with autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto’s or Ord’s thyroiditis)

Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and before eating or drinking anything other than water .

Last dose of Levothyroxine 24 hours prior to blood test. (taking delayed dose immediately after blood draw).

This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip)

Is this how you do your tests?

Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or all relevant vitamins

List of private testing options

thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...

Medichecks Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins

medichecks.com/products/adv...

Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes antibodies, cortisol and vitamins by DIY fingerprick test

bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...

Thriva Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins By DIY fingerpick test

thriva.co/tests/thyroid-test

If you can get GP to test vitamins and antibodies then cheapest option for just TSH, FT4 and FT3

£29 (via NHS private service ) and 10% off down to £26.10 if go on thyroid uk for code thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...

monitormyhealth.org.uk/

NHS easy postal kit vitamin D test £29 via

vitamindtest.org.uk

Same applies for Hidden

[Emmastace in reply to SlowDragon]

GP receptionist has just phoned. GP saw my name on waiting list and told her to change me to the list of people allowed to have blood taken so appointment booked for the 9th. To be fair they have always done FT3 and FT4 as well as TSH but never vitamins

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Emmastace]

Do you test vitamin levels yourself then

[MacG]

Hi, I have a thyroid follow-up test booked with GP tomorrow as well as full blood count. Everything seems to be going ahead, receiving reminders on my phone. Will report back if there is a problem n the morning.

[MacG]

Sorry for slow follow-up. Did have a chat with the phlebotomist on Thurs who said as of next week only “very urgent” blood tests will be carried out.

I did check that thyroid panel would include T3 “as I take T3”. She checked screen and said, “oh yes, it’s on there”. Results are back minus T3. Possibly/probably someone at the lab thought it unnecessary!! This has happened before!