We are often asked by customers whether they can speak to the Doctor after receiving their results. And we know it can be difficult to get some of the services you want from the NHS so we want to know what you think about us offering consultation and treatment services at Medichecks.
A consultation would involve an appointment with a Doctor or Specialist who would discuss your test results in more detail, give you follow up advice and treatment and answer any questions you might have.
I know what I think but would love to hear what others think about it.
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Delgor
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I think they would have to improve their doctors' education, because those that comment on results don't seem to know a whole lot about it, and think that a low TSH automatically means hyperthyroidism, without taking the Frees into account! Just like the your average GP or endo. So, where's the advantage in that?
I agree Greygoose….one of best bits of advice I’ve received from this forum is not to ask for the medical comments from Medichecks, as they slow down receiving the results and are often unhelpful. When I’ve required advice, I’ve found it more helpful to post thyroid blood results on the forum, for more knowledgeable members to advise and support.
I am so disillusioned by the medical profession that I would have to be utterly desperate to believe that any doctor will help me when it comes to anything thyroid related. I prefer to do my own research for as many things as possible. I have absolutely zero faith in doctors. And I can never forget that, under the rules of statistics, half of doctors are worse at their jobs than "the average doctor".
I have read that anyone that pays for their own testing of anything is often considered by doctors to be mentally ill and a hypochondriac. I have even seen, just in the last few days, that a woman was told she "knew too much" about her health problems so must be a hypochondriac, and there was nothing wrong with her. (There was something serious wrong with her but I can't remember what.)
I have no faith that doctors will record anything in my medical records honestly. They can just not bother to record something at all, minimise and dismiss what I tell them about my own medical history, flag my records so that all my future contacts with the NHS are coloured and disbelieved by a doctor who believes that every doctor in the country is more trustworthy than me when it comes to my own health.
So, no, I wouldn't make use of any doctors at Medichecks or any other company.
Oh humanbean every word you've said resonated so much with me and brought 😥 I'm so very sorry you've experienced similar - it beggars belief that so many of us are left to suffer like I've read on here and really makes me 🤬Sending you (and everyone else on this wonderful forum) a hug from my 💗 and solidarity.🦋
Your reply also brought me to 😢 and it's truly hard to believe that nothing has really changed over the years. I hate to think where I would be now if I hadn't of had this most amazing forum to help me and guide me and enable me to stand up to those in whom I have no trust at all!
I answered the survey and said their specialists had better know their subjects as we’re a large 100,000+ community and share our experiences, if they employ moonlighting GPs without specialist training who prescribe by TSH it’ll be a very unpopular service.
Maybe I was just a one off & I've only used them once to get a picture of my antibodies, but I was quite shocked that my report in January acknowledged that my low TSH is very normal for someone taking t3, he didn't even suggest being 'slightly hyper' like my surgery & MMH do, he also commented on my ferritin requiring a full iron panel which is another thing one pain of a GP at my surgery dismissed like I was delusional. However I still have to agree with everyone on their consultations, I got the email earlier & thought no thanks.
I was expecting a ridiculous report but it wasn't as bad as expected. maybe he works one day a week or something 😂
I would still always expect a nonsense report in the future
Edit - I've submitted the survey.
can't imagine what they will charge for a referral to Endo or even 'treatment plans' wow.
Would you prefer to pay less than £30 or so on, up to more than £90 based on a 15min run through?. 😂 hmmm 🤔
I have actually used them several times and have to say that they have been very efficient with regard to testing but I've never bothered to ask for the doctors advice as I took heed of Seaside Susie's advice a long time ago.
I am just sharing my experience 😊 not everyone has a bad one. I was actually messed around with my test, the lab had it for too long before testing so it wasn't that smooth, I had to do another one.
I didn't tick the report box because I actually wanted their 'advice' lol. I was already self treating with T3, so nothing would have changed my mind.
I just wondered what tosh they would say.. so I could pick it apart. 😂 but I was surprised, he even mentioned 'hashimotos' in ref to my antibodies, rather than the term autoimmune Thyroiditis, which is another rarity.
😱 That's 💯% NO from me before I've even sent for my 1st tests through this wonderfully supportive forum - the only place I'll be asking for an interpretation of the results, as well as the first place I'll be coming to for interpretation of the NHS results I've finally booked in for next Wednesday 👍🏽(that's if I can get to see them, rather than being given stat answers of "they're normal" or "blah, blah, blah, yadda, yadda...you need to...." 🙄). Zero trust in any Dr's 'interpretations' after 2 years of what was clearly an autoimmune thyroid disease being mistreated (blamed on me), followed by nearly 28 years of absolutely zero treatment. 🥺
I'm definitely in agreement with you PRJ20 in that I would rather consult the forum any day for interpretation of results or anything else come to that. I think it's truly sad that we can't have faith in the people that are meant to be there to help us with thyroid problems and who have even made people more ill - you are right in that it does beggar belief!
I stopped getting their doctor’s reports for the same reason many here have already cited. The oft repeated, priceless double nugget of suppressed TSH causing osteoporosis and atrial fibrillation finally did it for me. Last DEXA scan showed above average bone density for my age (68) and my daily ECG I do on my watch has never shown any signs of AF! My TSH has been ‘suppressed’ since I started taking T3 over 12 years ago when it dropped like a stone.
I won’t be availing myself of their ‘expertise’ any time soon when there are better experts on this forum!
I also replied and said not interested if their dr’s only treat and prescribe by looking at TSH. Why pay for the same old useless consultation that we have all had for free on the nhs
I saw it too but didn’t think they would be experienced enough about thyroid problems to be any better than the usual GP. If they had someone with proven knowledge I might think about it.
In many ways I agree with the sentiments. However, for people seeking treatment such as t3 or even t4 when denied by "our" natonal illness service it MIGHT be of an alternative route. I probably wouldn't use it as I self medicate; but I might have before I had acquired the knowledge and confidence to manage my own health. Hat tip to Health Unlocked.
Equally if I developed a new autoimmune issue it might be helpful.....
They have extended their testing range far wider than just thyroid. It’s only people who have had no help from their own GPs who resort to private testing and know that the NHS is doing them no favours. They would have to employ so many so called “experts” to cover the full gambit and I can’t see that working at all. I’ve been using them regularly, only when I need the full check and now, since the first time when I didn’t know I could opt out of their Doctor’s report, I make sure to click the box for no report.
Strangely enough, I did a MMH simple TSH, FT4, FT3 on 2 June which came with a suggestion that I see my GP as my result put me in the sub hyperthyroidism range. I can’t remember how many times I’ve put a note in with my blood that I need my results for an upcoming private Endo appointment as I have no thyroid but it gets ignored. This morning I received a reminder from them to see my GP about my latest results 😱
It’s a definite NO THANKS from me. I would probably be bed ridden or worse if I hadn’t found this forum, sadly too late to save me from RAI and a very ignorant GP who thought it would be a good idea if I stopped my Levo for six weeks to see if I actually needed it and so many symptoms occurred that I’d never suffered from before during that six weeks that I have never recovered from. They can keep their doctors reports.
I had that email and started to complete the survey - I thought I would highlight the fact that many of us have to source our own doctors based on recommendations of their thyroid knowledge (and willingness to listen to the patient).
However, the survey assumes that you would want the benefit of a consultation with an unknown medic appointed by a business, so I abandoned it.
One of the questions was ‘would you want the cost included in the blood tests?’
Maybe it’s the way things are currently, but I can’t help feeling that paid for medical treatment is being increasingly introduced to us all.
Oh yes we are definitely all being pushed to pay for private treatment but the trouble is that doesn't always ensure that you get the right help either. I think it's great that we can do home testing and try to help ourselves but even that excludes people who just cannot afford to do this. As was said before I would rather take advice from the experts on this forum from whom I've learnt so much and am still learning!
This is not often enough brought up in the forum. Private treatment does not always ensure that you get the right help. I know Thyroid UK do not recommend endos etc but I can vouch for not getting the right help and shelling out about £400 for it. Beware! I agree best advice right here.
My private endo was on the Thyroid UK list and was eye wateringly expensive for two zooms. He was more interested in putting me down and almost shouting at me for having been under Dr S. for years, told me to come off of all vitamins and that I should only need to take Vit D. Perhaps I was naive in mentioning Dr S whom I've since found out is not liked by endos up and down the country - I wonder why? Could it perhaps be that he actually listened to his patients and didn't go completely by blood tests but how the patient felt and he gave so many their lives back again.
Honestly I feel quite envious of anyone who ‘came across’ Dr. S when he was alive. A wonderful experience but perhaps all the more shattering when you have had the benefit of good treatment and are now left without that guidance. It’s something we would all appreciate I think. However I thank my lucky stars for stumbling across this forum. I remained ignorant before and after diagnosis. I was so tentative when I finally came across the forum after spending a year on my own with the diagnosis and pretty much a lifetime with symptoms. It’s something worth celebrating. Good friends. Excellent friends.
In my naivety I asked for Drs comments on my tests. It woffled on about my high B12 and nothing related to my thyroid 🤔 I haven't bothered since and rely on the experience and knowledge of the great forum members.
Similar to others above - I was so foggy when I got my first test done that I got the medichecks comments which dismissed everything and only suggested my over-range antibodies "might cause a problem in future". I've filled in the survey but in the comments at the end said I would only consider using the service of I could see a Thyroid UK recommended Dr as their comments have followed the unhelpful NHS method of diagnosis. Be interesting to see where they go...
The problems with offering T3 only tests is that if you want to see how well you convert, you need the FT4 and the FT3 done at the same time, because levels can vary from day to day. Doing them separately wouldn't give you any firm indication of conversion rates.
Yes, got sent an awful 'survey' that apparently never actually got to Medichecks but in reality, the 'survey' was an attempt ascertain how much potential business there is.
I completed the survey and said if they used doctors who had the limited education that most GPS and Endocrinologists currently had, they would be pushing the TSH thesis and be compounding the current level of ignorance we all have to deal with!
no, Medichecks drs.are very much generalists/Gps , and on odd occasion I forgot to tick didn’t want the dr.’s comments they were not helpful. A great contrast to the Roseway Lab. subscriber who seemed to understand some of us have exceedingly low TSH and frees still in mid range. So Medichecks could in theory have a knowledgeable sympathetic endo.just for us thyroid suffererers, but what covering all the rest of their tests? They advertise for Gps ( not even specialist registrars considered).
hard no from me. They’re looking to make financial gains from people driven to self test. A GP is a GP, their allegiance to TSH will be no different to any other GP. 🚩
I get the docs comments every time. Don’t know how to turn them off. However it’s concrete proof that their thinking is exactly the same as ‘regular’ GPs and endos. Waste of space and occasional ‘gaslighting’. If you already feel off, it makes you feel worse. Not helpful.
I'm really pleased for you FoggyThinker! Unfortunately my TSH has never been in range which seems to cause so many problems and yet I was kept well for years under a virologist who went against mainstream medical and listened to his patients and symptoms and prescribed accordingly.
Thank you it's a relief to have found someone who'll treat me and to feel better! The numbers game is a nightmare, I do feel for you; I have hashi's so I felt awful with a lot of hypothyroid symptoms but my TSH hasn't ever been high enough to treat by the NHS. Just wanted to say there ARE GPs who'll treat outside the slim NHS spec, although I don't know your exact circumstances of course. I do hope your helpful virologist is still keeping you well? It sounded from your post as though maybe he's no longer practising? (Edited x 37 - struggling to make sense this morning!)
Sorry for the late reply - internet has been out of action! Sadly Dr S. died in 2014 and I was under somebody else who continued to prescribe the NDT until he was threatened with his licence being taken away if he continued prescribing same so he tried to get me onto levothyroxine and I went completely downhill. Have been self-medicating since and all was fine until surgery pharmacist interfered with another of my meds - it's a bit of a long story but I ended up highly stressed and anxious and now being told I have CFS again. Hospital endo pretty useless and patronising private endo stressed me out further - now feeling a lot happier at being my own advocate with the help of this wonderful forum. Lovely talking to you and hope you continue to do well. ~Best Wishes ~
If Medichecks start including the cost of a doctor consultation in their pricing they will lose a huge proportion of their customers, unless they continue to offer the option of no consultation at much lower cost.
Doctors are expensive. And paying for them is often not worth it. I remember once paying to see a consultant gastroenterologist. He cost a lot. His "help" was not worth a penny, and he never wrote to me after I saw him. He wrote to my GP instead (who had to make the referral because most consultants won't allow patients to refer themselves), and my GP gave me a copy of the consultant's letter in which he described me as "demanding". There were more insults too.
I think dontforgetthecortisol was right in saying they are looking to make financial gains from people self-driven to test and let's face it that is exactly what we are doing.
Oh shame on you for being so demanding - I've been labelled difficult😂
I am non compliant (argumentative?). As far as I am aware I have never been non compliant but their meaning about all sorts of things is different from mine and off course I am only the patient. My word does not count. Ref: back to the ‘new’ guidance doc put up on the forum the other day. Just having a diagnosis equates us with having ‘wrong’ opinions.
Sorry for late reply internet has been down. humanbean has taken the words right out of my mouth. It truly is shocking how many people with thyroid problems are still suffering when we can send people to the moon, do heart transplants, find vaccines for a pandemic and yet the lives of so many are being ruined because doctors don't listen to their patients.
I looked at the survey and they ask if you would use the Drs services and if you say no you are still asked all the questions as if you said yes. Now does this mean they can use all the answers regardless of whether you said yes or no as there is no option to say no/would not use to any of the questions except the first one. I gave up after the first few for that reason so can’t comment on the whole survey.
Yes, it's a nonsense survey, I did the same and then went back to pull it out of the trash and used it to get the point across about the woeful treatment of Thyroid patients
Just as well get our point across rather than say nothing... they might notice a gap in the market to provide us or new sufferers (before they find this forum) with someone knowledgeable... still wouldn't use it though... we are a bit ahead of them already 😏
Sorry for late reply - internet has been down. TiggerMe has more or less said everything that I would have said and yes after initially putting No to the first question I then went back to say more on the survery or else it would have been a lost opportunity.
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