Monitor My Health - Confirmed lab error

[ColdBanana]

I just thought I'd share an email I got from MMH in lieu of some people saying their blood work looked off (including myself). Looks like they may have given people false results on their bloodwork due to a lab error recently.

Dear Valued Customer

It has become apparent that we have had a laboratory error on a restricted number of samples over the last 36 hours. We are working hard to rectify the issue and work out which samples have been impacted. Rest assured we will repeat and re-report your results if your sample has been affected.

We will contact you in the next few days to let you know if your results have been affected or not. At which time we will report the correct result if necessary.

In the meantime please take NO ACTION on your results until you hear from us.

Please accept our sincere apologies for the distress and inconvenience this may have caused

[RedApple]

Thanks for posting this ColdBanana.

[Aurealis]

I think their problems began more than 36 hours ago…

[pussycatwillow in reply to Aurealis]

I agree. My test was just over 2 weeks ago and the result was odd. I contacted them but didn’t get any real answer.

[Purplesash in reply to pussycatwillow]

Same here, I sent a test on 20 March and had odd results, plus they couldn’t/didn’t test my Vit D and TSAT. I had very low T4 and T3 but supressed TSH. My first time using MMH and I don’t think I’ll use them again, I found Medichecks better and their test results are easier to view and understand.

[pussycatwillow in reply to Purplesash]

My test had higher TSH than normal and low T3. If these results were correct then I’m fairly sure I would have had symptoms! Definitely not consistent with usual results.

I will use Medichecks next time.

[ColdBanana in reply to pussycatwillow]

I hear both of you, and I will do the same. It is just unfortunate thats all, because I cannot afford extensive and frequent testing, which is why I thought using MMH was a good idea since they are more affordable. Guess you get what you pay for. Looks like I'm going to have to buy twice and use medichecks.

[pussycatwillow in reply to ColdBanana]

I agree. MMH are more affordable but now there are quite a few of us who have had spurious results.

Maybe MMH will redo your test at no charge ?

[ColdBanana in reply to pussycatwillow]

They should. And I hope they do; but i'm not counting on it!

[Wua13262348 in reply to pussycatwillow]

I had an odd result 20/3/23, which may be correctly weird. You are making me wonder about it now. They also errored a test 23/1/23 which was drawn at my G.P. surgery for me.

As regards the results they gave me 20/3/23, I got an email from them 5/4/23, saying that I need to see my G.P. about the results. Do MMH usually do this, especially 2 weeks after giving out the results?

[pussycatwillow in reply to Wua13262348]

I am not sure. It does seem strange. This is from their website:

We provide comments to help you understand your thyroid results and to tell you when we think you should see your doctor. Our comments only apply to people who have not been diagnosed with a thyroid condition and are not on thyroid medication. This is because the monitoring of thyroid disorders needs to look at results together with how you are feeling e.g. ongoing symptoms. For this reason, we are unable to give advice about treatments or the amount you are taking.Ticking the "taking thyroid medication" box does not change how we process or analyse the sample. It also does not change the normal ranges we provide. It will just stop us from providing a comment with the result that would likely not be relevant to your individual treatment.

[Alanna012]

Were these results all for thyroid testing or other things?

[ETHEL103 in reply to Alanna012]

I have had this message from MMY it was a thyroid test.

[Alanna012 in reply to ETHEL103]

Thanks, I was going to get a thyroid test but maybe will rethink and use another service.

[ETHEL103 in reply to Alanna012]

Well I trusted them as they are run by NHS.😏

[Regenallotment Ambassador]

argh dammit this is appalling, I’ve got a MMH test ready to do after the bank holiday… not sure what to do? I’ll email them. I too prefer Medichecks but was trying to save a few ££.

[ColdBanana in reply to Regenallotment]

I was trying to save a bit of money too, and will use Medichecks or somewhere else in future, probably - but honestly, I doubt your sample will be read incorrectly after this, at this point in time anyway. Making a mistake like this ONCE, given the nature of their business, is going to hurt. So I would imagine they will be doing everything possible to not let this happen again, and maybe learn from their mistakes.

[RedApple]

Regenallotment ColdBanana I would not let this put me off using MMH. They will sort it out and no doubt recompense those affected. I have a kit waiting and will use it when MMH give the all clear.

Testing equipment is bound to be susceptible to failure. Nothing is going to function perfectly indefinitely. And as this is an NHS funded lab, they have as much if not more incentive to sort the problem asap.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to RedApple]

I agree. I did a test on 8th March with MMH and all was as expected. In fact I meant to increase my dose after January results and realised after the March test that I'd forgotten to do so, the results for both tests were virtually identical (as they should be) so there definitely wasn't a problem at the beginning of March.

I have been using MMH since July 2020 with no problems, I only use Blue Horizon once a year for a full thyroid/vitamin panel and Medichecks occasionally for an iron panel. All my thyroid tests are now done by MMH and they've all been fine.

This is just a blip and they will sort it out, after all it's the hospital's lab which does the testing so they'll need to get it sorted ASAP. It wont put me off using them. I prefer continuity to be able to rely on results and using the same lab gives you that.

[Aurealis in reply to SeasideSusie]

I’m glad you’ve had a good experience SeasideSusie but I think MMH have been burying their heads in the sand over this - they must surely have noticed that they were sending out far more “GP visit recommended” emails than usual during the last few weeks. 21.03.2023 mine were taken. My confidence is not increased by their plan to retest the samples they already have… feels a bit TOO much like the NHS to me

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Aurealis]

I don't see how they can retest samples that old. Normally a lab will keep blood for 7 days I think in case further testing is required, so anyone whose sample would be older than that on retesting should ask for a new test kit.

[Aurealis in reply to SeasideSusie]

it may be that the problem is just with the finger prick process rather than the analysis

[Wua13262348 in reply to Aurealis]

I was notified to see my G.P. by email 5/4/23 , for thyroid test MMH did 20/3/23. They errored a test 23/1/23 which should have been okay.

[Tlflom]

It is great they caught it! You are very fortunate to have an honest lab.My DEXA in 10/2022 showed a 31% loss in 2 years which threw me in a tizzy. The 3rd specialist did a new scan and I was fine. I called the Radiology manager of the bad scan to let him know, and recommend they look at other patients scans for a dramatic bone loss. Who knows how many patients were put on very serious and expensive drugs needlessly?

[Alanna012 in reply to Tlflom]

Crikey that's a scary thought! Totally unacceptable.

[Andie222]

My son had a GP NHS test 10 days ago. He received some results, but then got a text to say there was an issue and he needs to rebook a blood test. Not sure whether this would have been the same Monitor my health issue, but if so, then it's not just the finger prick tests.

[RedApple in reply to Andie222]

Was this a thyroid test done by the  Exeter Clinical Laboratory, based within the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital?

[Andie222 in reply to RedApple]

I don't know I'm afraid. He hasn't got any documentation to confirm. I will suggest he asks when he goes back.

[humanbean]

This post was written four days ago. Does anyone have any idea when the MMH problem is likely to be fixed? Is it something that is likely to take a day, a week, a month or a year?

I assume that MMH will inform those they have emailed when the problem has been fixed. When it is fixed I hope that someone will pass it on to the forum.

[ColdBanana in reply to humanbean]

If they notify me of any update I will make a post for sure. As of yet I haven't heard anything - so I'm not sure if the sample results they gave me last week are accurate or not yet.