OT: At home blood tests

[R D S]

In the docs recently having blood tests and it turns out my ALT levels are high. I must have been within 'normal' when tested around 6 months ago so i've plainly slipped into overdoing it territory. I don't see myself becoming teetotal* but I have/will cut down and i'm booked back in for another test.

I saw an ad on TV for home tests, Numan, £90 per quarterly test and think it's a fairly decent idea to keep an eye on that and other things generally.

I've not shopped around yet but does anyone else do this? If so who do you you use?

*I would if was a life or death matter, obvs.

[Dave Plowman (News]

Really don't see why I'd pay for a blood test when I have a GP and the NHS? Notice they also say it will be free if they find nothing amiss. Making me guess they will.

[R D S]

Cos you get one every three months rather than waiting until you can convince the bastards that you are ill enough to warrant one!

[Jim Stewart ...]

Do what you need to do a liver transplant is NOT fun I can assure you....

[Robin]

Is this "high" as in "above the reference range" or "high" as in "needs action"?

If all you are going by is the test result as reported (eg in Patient Access) then bear in mind "normal" there is just the reference range used by the lab. IIRC that's usually the range for 95% of the population. But it can vary. And that it's meant to be read alongside other results. I think most wouldn't think you needed follow-up tests unless you were well over (c. >double the normal limit).

As it happens I had an ALT result of 79 a few years ago. That was high enough for the test to be repeated 3 months later when it "normal". Come 2020 LFTs for other reasons showed it "abnormal" again - but only just. As I'm an over 70 drinker I was neither surpised nor worried.

[R D S]

ALT was 189, they like it to be under 50 which it must have been 6 months earlier as there was no mention then nor after a test a couple of years ago.

The last 6 months have been fairly testing and I have been 'medicating' too heavily.

[GB]

There are private GPs, too. It may be better to sling some money at it, and get a test done with a proper blood draw from a vein, done by a skilled professional, with a follow up chat with the private GP. There may even be an online version.

Edit: Googling "online private gp" brings up a load of hits.

I assume the home test kits involve you sticking a lancet in a finger, then dripping blood into a container. Apart from that being quite hard to do, I wonder whether the tests are approved/accurate for that sort of blood draw? It's also much more painful than a normal blood test.

When I did a home blood test kit, I got blood all over the ceiling, floor, and kitchen units, but I expect you'd be more sensible. :)

[Robin]

Yup, that's high enough for me to expect your "booked back in for another test" to fairly soon. If so I don't see the point in your spending money on tests of unknown provenance until you hear more from the NHS - money you could spend instead on sugar-free gum, massages, worry beads, a new angle grinder or whatever else might help avoid the 'medication'.

[R D S]

At 30 quid per month that's a very good point.

You give me too much credit.

[Colin Bignell]

I don't think you are supposed to take it from your carotid artery.

[Andrew]

My ALT was 30 IU/L (normnal 5.0 -36) in 2014 at a local health screening charity (with their own lab), and last year the local NHS hospital measured it as 29 IU/L (Normal 5.0 - 40).

I don't drink, but was a bit overweight around the middle for a few years. Working on that.

[Andrew]

Angle Grinder or DIY electrics using a Stanley Knife to cut back the sheath ? :-)

[Andrew]

Losing weight, taking a lot more exercise, increasing Folic Acid (and green stuff I expect) for starters.

The trouble with 'medication' is you step onto an NHS treadmill. Every medication has side-effects, which require another medication to deal with the side-effects, ... and so on.

[Jock]

None of mine need another medication to deal with the side effects.

[Dave Plowman (News]

Get a better GP? Mine has never refused any tests etc that were necessary. Rather the reverse.