Welzo blood tests

[Noelnoel]

£99 for a multitude of tests. Too good to be true? Has anyone used this company?

welzo.com/products/well-wom...

[RedApple Administrator]

Noelnoel, As their main purpose is to sell you consultations and medications, I personally wouldn't use them. Thyroid doesn't seem to figure much on their site either!

[Noelnoel in reply to RedApple]

Is it? Does it matter that thyroid “doesn’t figure” much on the site as long as the test includes all the relevant bio markers - which it in fact does. There may be other reasons to not use the site though …

[RedApple Administrator in reply to Noelnoel]

Just my opinion If you choose to use their test, do let us know how it works out.

[Noelnoel in reply to RedApple]

And a very valued opinion it is too. SeasideSusie raises a concern which is something I wouldn’t have considered but she’s right, it’s better to know the lab

Thank you both

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

They don't name their labs like the other providers do. And after the farce with another recently mentioned "new" company (can't remember the name but RedApple might) I would rather stick to one that I know and is tried and trusted by members.

[Noelnoel in reply to SeasideSusie]

Right, then that’s a different matter that they don’t name their labs and a good enough reason to steer clear. Thought it might be too good to be true

[RedApple Administrator in reply to SeasideSusie]

Home testing is obviously a lucrative business. Everyone wants to get in on it these days.

[Sparklingsunshine in reply to RedApple]

Even my pharmacy advertises a raft of private fingerprick tests, cant remember the name of the company offhand, all plastered over the front window. As you say big business.

[RedApple Administrator in reply to Sparklingsunshine]

And I'm guessing that if they offer a thyroid fingerprick test, it's one of those that only tells you if your TSH is in or out of range. i.e. doesn't even give you an actual number.

[Sparklingsunshine in reply to RedApple]

I must admit I havent looked at the thyroid one, its a lot more expensive than MMH, who I normally use. Even Amazon sell basic TSH tests now. They look a bit like pregnancy tests.

[Jaydee1507 Administrator in reply to Sparklingsunshine]

The basic TSH tests just tell you if you are over range. Not very helpful and a waste of money.

[Sparklingsunshine in reply to Jaydee1507]

Exactly, but I guess they appeal to people who aren't as well informed as HU members 😄

[Jaydee1507 Administrator in reply to Sparklingsunshine]

Sort of misleading though if TSH came back as 'in range' and in reality its only just in range and FT4 bottom of range. No further advice to retest in 3 months or at what time of day etc

[RedApple Administrator in reply to Jaydee1507]

Ha, I think you're missing the point These tests are about making money, not about the health of a human being!

[helvella Administrator in reply to Jaydee1507]

Also dangerously misleading if someone has effectively zero TSH and correspondingly high FT4 and FT3. But they do a test and think "TSH is OK so not thyroid". And miss hyperthyroid/thyrotoxic crisis (also known as Thyroid Storm).

[RedApple Administrator in reply to Sparklingsunshine]

Yes it's the ones that look like pregnancy tests that only tell you if your TSH is in or out of range. If your pharmacy one is much more expensive, then it might at least be a proper test!

[Noelnoel]

Yes, they seem to be popping up everywhere so it’s good to be able check them out on here

[Sneedle]

On Trustpilot the negative reviews are fairly telling. At least enough for me to stay away.

The company seems to reply with the same text to each negative review. Looks rather Bot-like to me.

I'm glad you brought it to this group though.

[Hedgeree]

Hi Noelnoel,

I did use Welzo a few months ago as they had a discount code and I just wanted to try them.

It went fine. Although the Advanced Thyroid Test I got has now changed and doesn't include CRP (inflammation).

As SeasideSusie and RedApple say they don't state what labs they use and I didn't think to ask. I won't use them again as they've taken CRP test away and you have to pay extra for that one.

[RedApple Administrator in reply to Hedgeree]

Interesting, I wonder why they removed CRP in particular.

[Hedgeree in reply to RedApple]

Hi RedApple,

Not sure but it's now available as a separate test. They've added total T4 instead to the Advanced Thyroid test?

My CRP test result was quite high so wanted to test CRP and ferritin at the same time.

[RedApple Administrator in reply to Hedgeree]

Total T4 is useless! Do you remember how many little tubes of blood you had to fill, was it just one?

[Hedgeree in reply to RedApple]

Yes just one for the Advanced Thyroid test.

[janeroar]

I’ve checked trustpilot they had overwhelming positive reviews. (4.7/5). Trustindex was even higher. Ditto Judgeme. Don’t think that sounds like a bad company?

[Sneedle in reply to janeroar]

When I looked at the apparently small amount of negative ones, for me a different picture emerges. I just didn't get a good feeling. Felt very commercial. But it could be fine!

[mrskiki in reply to janeroar]

Companies can get negative reviews removed for being false whilst they ‘investigate’ whether they accept that its real feedback. Unfortunately some take this to the extreme. You can eventually get them put back up but it takes time and many don’t bother. I’m not saying this is the case here as have not used them.

[Titaniumfox]

I did use them a few months ago for a Full Blood Count test (hard to find companies that do this now). However the test failed (blood coagulated) so I didn't get any results, but they offered me a big discount on a repeat test (which I haven't gotten around to doing as yet) and were helpful.

[RedApple Administrator in reply to Titaniumfox]

Did they not send you an FOC replacement kit when your first sample failed? I know some other testing companies do.

[Titaniumfox in reply to RedApple]

They said I could order another at 60% discount. So not free, no.

[RedApple Administrator in reply to Titaniumfox]

Thank you, that's valuable feedback and enough to put me off using this company for testing. I hope you get a better result with your next attempt.

[janeroar in reply to RedApple]

They should have offered you a free retest Titaniumfox

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to janeroar]

janeroar

They should have offered you a free retest Titaniumfox

Not according to their Ts and Cs:

The testing process

You acknowledge that samples can clot or haemolyse if not collected/sealed correctly, resulting in the sample no longer being fit for analysis, and results cannot be issued. If this is the case, subject to our discretion, we will be able to offer you a discounted replacement kit - refunds are not available in this instance.

You acknowledge that if the user does not collect enough blood as outlined in the instructions for use, the lab will not be able to test the sample. If an insufficient sample size is sent to the lab, a message stating: inconclusive/ NA will appear on the lab results. If this is the case, subject to our discretion, we will be able to offer you a discounted replacement kit - refunds are not available in this instance.

Yet further down when mentioning the expiry time of the kit they could be said to contradict this by saying

The validity of the kit will expire after 60 days of delivery to you, so you are required to collect and post your blood sample to the Laboratory at the address provided within that period. You acknowledge that test outcomes depend on the quality of the blood sample provided by you, so you agree to adhere to the blood collection protocols provided. If you do not follow these protocols a defective or partial test result may occur. We may, at our discretion, give you the opportunity of retesting free of charge if a partial result is reported by the Laboratory, and/or similarly if your blood sample was clotted at the time of receipt by the Laboratory.

[janeroar in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thanks for pointing that out SeasideSusie it’s a shabby way to do business. Interesting it hasn’t affected their reviews. If more people complained or gave them bad reviews maybe they’d chattheir practice.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to janeroar]

I've read through all their Ts and Cs, can't say I'm impressed, I wont consider using them

A lot of reviews are for the actual products the reviewer has purchased, eg a medication or supplement or even "toe straighteners" ( ), rather than blood tests, so bumping up their rating but not giving a complete picture for our members' needs.

[helvella Administrator]

Possibly marginally interesting that they posted about 37 times on Twitter about a year ago.

Since when, nothing. No replies (just one which I can't see).