help with private tests plz?

[nichola79]

Has anyone heard of blue horizon medics online? I've just put in on the search for private thyroid testing as I'm from the uk and my doc is only doing the tsh test which I've heard is lousy, so I came across that website and it will cost me £124.00 for a home kit where I just ***** my finger and put blood in and then send of and get t3 and t4 and other thyroid stuff, I'm just wondering if I should go for this? Any advice would be very much greatful, I've actually rang and spoke to someone too and he finds loads of people having the thyroid tests.

[nichola79]

im from bristol

[nat649]

I so understand were your comming from all what you been saying i have gone threw my doctor put me on prozak only 20mg but i havnt took them he say its to relax me not for depression if i find any way foward i will let you no i am from london were about are you from in the uk

[nichola79]

well all my tsh tests apparently came back within normal rang i have 2 that was 1.1 and 0.85 and the doctors just dont want to know because of this range, ive been telling them all of my symptoms and i also have a thyoid nodule which i have to have my yearly check up next thursday, im from the uk and its becoming a struggle to get any sort of help from the docs other than ant-depressants as they continue to put everything im dealing with down to depression, i am now going to save up my pennies and go private if only for these extra tests.

[nat649]

yes i did get results from blue horizon in a week after blood work and my doctor made a note on his computer and said they was all in normal range well i have posted them on here and a lots have you have said that my ft3 and ft4 are a bit low. Gimel thats for your inbox i am trying to take all the advise given on here but due to funds its a slow process and dont think i will give up its just a bit hard

[gimel]

Sending you a PM with doctor in London area that was recommended by another Forum member.

[flyingfool]

Many people believe (myself included) that fibromyliga is nothing more than untreated hypothyroid (low thyroid).

The coincidence of the invention and widespread use of TSH for testing and the onset of the "new" disease fibromilyga is awfully powerful circumstantial evidence.  Also "chronic fatigue syndrome.  

Both of these "diseases" both originate shortly after widespread use of TSH.

TSH is an extremely poor indicator of thyroid health and completely inadequate to adjust thyroid medicine dosages.  Because of the wide range (and much too high upper ranges) listed as "normal".  Many Dr who have immaculate TSH belief (which it appears your Dr has 100%) if you fall in the "normal" range that is good enough. Nothing could be further from the truth for MANY people.  As a result Dr's who used TSH to "rule out" thyroid as being the issue could not otherwise explain the symptoms these patients were having.  So they dreamed up a name for new diseases and called it either Fibromyliga or chronic fatigue syndrome depending upon the symptoms the patient was exhibiting.

One huge problem is that statistically they didn't take out people who were symptomatic of low thyroid from the population used to determine the "normal" range.  So people who were clearly low thyroid are part of the range.  They only throw out the upper and lower 2.5% of the population at the extremes.  Since a significantly higher portion of the population is actually low thyroid (far more than the 2.5% that they threw out)  that means the TSH "normal" range has the upper number set far higher than it really should.  So now Dr's believe that you are fine when the TSH is towards the higher end of the range.  However the "normal" range is flawed yet they do not take that into account.

Bottom line is if at all possible please find a new Dr. One who will at least test for the Free T4 at an absolute minimum and really for Free T3 as well.  Going by and trying to optimize dosage based upon TSH alone will almost virtually guarantee that you will be left feeling ill.

[nichola79]

Did your results come back normal?

[nichola79]

Did u get the results from blue horizons?

[nat649]

Hi have been suffering for 3yr and i went on line and decided to have private blood work done i had freet3, freet4 TSH iron panel and iodine which cost which cost £220  I done in on line with blue horizon and was sent to harley st for blood to be taken oh in london uk but they have places they can send you all over uk My doctor dont seem to think it was any use as he only go with TSH and say its other think that are going on with me like IBS and fibermolagi so I am at a lost the only think left is to find a doctor that will treat me by symtoms but its real hard to find that in the UK so if any one has any idea of were to go in london would love to here from them

[Barb135]

Nothing to lose, lots to gain.  Good luck with it and be sure to post results, with reference ranges, here, so we can see them.

[nichola79]

Thank you, I'm going to go for it, what have I got to lose.

[Barb135]

What was the answer?  Will the nurse draw the blood?  

I had a test done by a similar company that I ordered online.  They e-mailed me a lab order and I took it to a local lab for the blood test, then I was e-mailed results.  That worked very well for me.  

I do know there's a time limit that the blood can be held before it's tested, so you'd have to  make sure you meet any time requirements.

As far as safety is concerned, I don't see anything unsafe about it.  If it was the only way I could get tested, I guess I'd probably go for it.  With the proper blood tests in hand, you might get some action from your doctor.

[nichola79]

I just rang my doctors to see if the nurses will do the specimens for a charge cause I am doing it privately and she was rather shocked :/

[nichola79]

Lol barb I've just clicked the link and its the same site I'm talking about, I just really wanted to know if I should go for it and if you think its safe to do?

[nichola79]

Yes that what it is but not on paper I've got to drip blood into a tube I think but they have said its not a great deal of blood they need, its for ft3 ft4 t4 antibodies and tsh, they said they have many come to them because the docs don't test like they should, do this sound ok? And thank-u for your reply.

[Barb135]

We understand that you weren't swearing.  There are just some words that MedHelp automatically bleeps out.  

I've never heard of Blue Horizon Medics, but there are some people who have used online companies to get blood work done.

Are the tests you're referring to called "blood spot tests"?  That's where you stick your finger, then put the drop of blood on a special paper, which then dries fairly quickly.  I've heard that blood spot tests are not as accurate as serum tests, but you could do more research to find out more.

Here's a site I found, in which the company actually helps you find a lab to do the testing.  I've done that, here in the U.S and it worked very well.  You might want to research this, a bit more.

http://www.bluehorizonmedicals.co.uk/shop/page/6?sessid=DzlnfdNRQUrRtwPnGKCKVqXjj1NG1FmbSHegh891egQVtlYaQrRNvQAQj3YHjpjr&shop_param=

Some of our members, in UK, have found doctors willing to do the testing, but you  have to pay privately, rather than go through NHS.  I don't know how costly that is, but that  might be something to think about.  

[nichola79]

Sorry if that looks like I was swearing if noone got that part I will try and put it so you do without it getting stared out lol I have to draw blood from my finger like a diabetes test.