Advice !

[ABCD210506]

Hi Guys

I just ordered my first Thriva Advanced thyroid test, this is my first time doing finger prick blood collection. Any advice?

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

ABCD210506

My 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. Middle finger seems to be best for me, if flow stops I then go on to ring finger.

* 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.

* sample collection was prolonged

* if there was a long delay between sample collection and analysis

* there is too little blood in the tube and too much coagulant for the amount of blood

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

Video showing how to do a fingerprick test:

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

[ABCD210506 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thanks

[Farrugia]

The advice from Seaside Susie is spot on - following these tips makes a massive difference, it's really worth doing them all. For me drinking plenty of water the day before is really important. The first time I did one of these I hadn't drunk much water and the blood was really sticky and refused to leave my finger. I also now put the heating on as well as having a shower or bath - it takes me ages to warm up. Good luck.

[ABCD210506 in reply to Farrugia]

Thanks