Trying to book Private Test

[Wob58]

Trying to book a private blood test for Thyroid. Unfortunately Medichecks and Blue Horizon are not doing Nurse visits at home due to Covid. I don't have a Superdrug that I can use either. What other options do I have? I really wanted to use one of the above. I live in Southampton. If I went down the finger test route that's not really going to get the results that I need.

[Hibs1]

I had a Medicheck nurse come to the house in April. I'm in Edinburgh

[Cablogin]

I used thriva! It's so easy to do yourself it's a finger prick test you get the results sent back on the app 48 hours after you send your blood to them.My results are showing me something is wrong, if you follow the instructions correctly you'll get good results

Do a full advance test for thyroid

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Always test as early as possible in morning before eating or drinking anything other than water and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test

So looking at blood test at 9am latest ideally

Medichecks use Southampton hospital for private blood draw

medichecks.com/pages/clinic...

Or nurse to your home

medichecks.com/pages/venous...

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Wob58

If I went down the finger test route that's not really going to get the results that I need.

What makes you think that you wont get the results that you need? If you do the fingerprick collection properly then the results will be as accurate as a venous blood draw.

If you've not done a fingerprick test before and want to try, I have some tips I can post, just ask if you want them.

[Wob58 in reply to SeasideSusie]

I thought that with finger prick test there would not be enough blood to cover what they are testing for. Tips would be most welcome. Thank you

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Wob58]

Wob58

They wouldn't offer them if the tube, when filled, didn't give enough blood for all the tests on offer. It's a very small amount that's actually needed, nothing like you see taken at the GP surgery. Even if your GP did a full blood count, which has a lot of tests, the actual amount of blood needed for that test is 1 ml (one fifth of a teaspoonful).

Tips for doing a fingerprick test:

* 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 or use an ironing board to 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.

Sometimes the sample has haemolysed, ie the red cells rupture. This may be due to:

* bacteria (so clean area thoroughly and allow to dry)

* intense exercise (so don't go mad trying to get the blood to flow prior to the test)

* squeezing the finger to get the blood out (you can gently "milk" the finger but don't squeeze)

* shaking the tube vigourously instead of gently inverting it.

Sometimes there's not enough blood in the tube to do all 10 tests so it's important to fill the tube to the line or slightly above.

The Medichecks tube requires 0.6ml of blood (enough for 10 tests if doing the Advanced Thyroid Function test), the Blue Horizon tube requires 0.8ml of blood (enough for 13 tests if doing the Thyroid Premium Gold).

Video showing how to do a fingerprick test:

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

[Wob58 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Very helpful thank you. Remind should I still take my Thyroxine before the rest or will that change the result. Can I also ask if you can get a low heart rate with Hypothyroidism. It seems that I can have fast heart up in the 130 doing very little and then down to 55 when resting.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Wob58]

Wob58

Remind should I still take my Thyroxine before the rest or will that change the result.

When doing thyroid tests, we advise:

* Book the first appointment of the morning, or with private tests at home no later than 9am. This is because TSH is highest early morning and lowers throughout the day. If we are looking for a diagnosis of hypothyroidism, or looking for an increase in dose or to avoid a reduction then we need TSH to be as high as possible.

* Fast overnight - have your evening meal/supper as normal the night before but delay breakfast on the day of the test and drink water only until after the blood draw. Eating may lower TSH, caffeine containing drinks affect TSH.

* If taking thyroid hormone replacement, last dose of Levo should be 24 hours before blood draw, if taking NDT or T3 then last dose should be 8-12 hours before blood draw. Adjust timing the day before if necessary. This avoids measuring hormone levels at their peak after ingestion of hormone replacement. Take your thyroid meds after the blood draw. Taking your dose too close to the blood draw will give false high results, leaving any longer gap will give false low results.

* If you take Biotin or a B Complex containing Biotin (B7), leave this off for 7 days before any blood test. This is because if Biotin is used in the testing procedure it can give false results (most labs use biotin).

These are patient to patient tips which we don't discuss with doctors or phlebotomists.

Can I also ask if you can get a low heart rate with Hypothyroidism. It seems that I can have fast heart up in the 130 doing very little and then down to 55 when resting.

Your profile page shows that you have atrial tachycardia so I can't comment on whether your heart rate, slow or fast, is anything to do with your hypothyroidism.

What brand of Levothyroxine do you take?

What are your latest test results (with reference ranges).

Has brand changed recently?

Has heart rate problem coincided with any change of dose or brand?

Do you take your Levo properly to avoid anything affecting it's absorption, ie

* on an empty stomach, one hour before or two hours after food

* with a glass of water only, no tea, coffee, milk, etc, and water only for an hour either side

* any other medication and supplements at least 2 hours away from Levo (some need 4 hours including iron, calcium, omeprazole or other PPI, oestrogen, HRT)

[Wob58 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Finally getting round to booking my private blood test today. Having trouble deciding between Medichecks and Blue Horizon. The latter one being more expensive. I will do the finger prick test at home. Any thoughts on who is the better out of the two. Of course I need an advanced test. As always thank you in advance for your help.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Wob58]

Wob58

This is the information I often post about these two tests, see which you think is most suitable for you:

Medichecks ADVANCED THYROID FUNCTION medichecks.com/products/adv...

Check this page for details of any discounts: thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...

or

Blue Horizon Thyroid PREMIUM GOLD bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...

Check this page for discount code thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...

Both tests include the full thyroid and vitamin panel. They are basically the same test with just a few small differences:

Blue Horizon includes Total T4 (can be useful but not essential). Medichecks doesn't include this test.

B12 - Blue Horizon does Total B12 which measures bound and unbound (active) B12 but doesn't give a separate result for each. Medichecks does Active B12.

Total B12 shows the total B12 in the blood. Active B12 shows what's available to be taken up by the cells. You can have a reasonable level of Total B12 but a poor level of Active B12. (Active B12 test is said to be the better test.)

Blue Horizon include magnesium but this is an unreliable test so don't let this sway your decision.

Blue Horizon also tests cortisol but that's a random cortisol test and to make any sense of it you'd need to do it fasting before, it can be useful.

Tips for doing fingerprick tests I included in my previous reply.

Post test back the day you do the sample, Monday or Tuesday if using standard post with the envelope provided. It will be a Tracked 24 envelope but it does not guarantee next day delivery. Both labs do specify getting the sample to the lab ASAP. I always go to the Post Office counter and pay for Special Delivery Next Day by 1pm, they give a receipt with tracking number which can be tracked on Royal Mail's website. If it doesn't arrive the next day you can claim the cost of the service back as long as you have the tracking number.

If you want the lab to give doctor's comments then this can delay your results by an extra 2 days. They're not really worth having as they toe the same line as the NHS and place importance on TSH rather than FT4 and FT3. You'll get a better interpretation of your results by posting them here on the forum.

[Wob58 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Decided to go with Medichecks now having trouble registering online. It won't let you enter manually home address because mine does not appear in the drop down list. I am in a fairly new home and area. Have tried different browser but no luck. I will have to ring them tomorrow. Thanks again for your help.

[aliwt]

I had a Medicheck nurse call at my house in Devon about a month ago

[Wob58 in reply to aliwt]

There websites are stating no Nurse visits. Probably going down the finger prick test now. Thanks

[Hedgeree in reply to Wob58]

Hi Wob58,

I've just checked the Medichecks website and it states that;

Nurse home visits to collect a venous blood sample are currently unavailable on the Isle of Man. They will continue to operate at a reduced service in England, Scotland and Wales.

Not sure which part of the UK you are in? Yes they're not doing nurse visits on the Isle of Man but seem to say that they are still offering a reduced service for England, Scotland and Wales.

Maybe it would be an idea to ring them if you haven't already to confirm what nurse service is being offered in your area?

Best wishes.

[Wob58 in reply to Hedgeree]

It was Blue Horizon that aren't doing it hadn't checked with Medichecks. I live in Southampton.

[Hedgeree in reply to Wob58]

Hi Wob58,

Sorry I misread your original post! ☺

[Wob58]

Just to let you all know Blue Horizon don't offer home nurses anymore.

[Roulette26]

Only just seen your post, I book my medicheck blood test at my local hospital.