Do you get a blood test from your GP every year? If, like me, you live a hectic life in a bustling city, it’s probably the last thing on your mind.
However, unfortunately, just exercising and eating well aren’t enough for optimum health. We must also take control of our well-being by preventing potential future issues, which means getting a blood test each year. Blood tests can detect multiple things, including vitamin deficiencies, organ function including the kidneys, liver, thyroid, and heart, disease diagnosis, and conditions like cancer, diabetes, anaemia, and coronary heart disease.
I totally get that it is challenging to find time to fit an appointment into your really busy schedule, but there’s some good news: it is now possible to take a sample from the comfort of your home and send it to the lab yourself. Thriva is one of these great new brands setting the trend. I decided to give it a go, and here is what I found:
About
Thriva was created in 2016 and is based in Surrey, England. Their website is very easy to use, allowing you to keep track of your health and work to prevent diseases that could occur as you age. The site will ask you to complete a very detailed health test which takes about 20 minutes. They take into consideration how much you exercise and drink and how well you eat and cross this with your blood test results. Thriva will send you a package with everything you need to take a finger-prick blood sample and post it to their lab. You pay a custom price for a personalised blood test.
Pricing
Registering on the site is free. You can also take a health test for free and get blood test recommendations and results predictions based on your answers.
You’ll need to take out a subscription to receive your finger-prick blood test kit at home. The average cost per test package is £69, and you get 10% off your first test. I paid £80 because I wanted to add a thyroid function test.
The test
I received the finger-prick blood test kit in less than five working days. The instructions are clear and practical. Make sure you get your blood flowing first. Do light exercise, drink water, have a hot shower, or put your hand in warm water.
To take the blood sample, you need to prick your finger, which doesn’t hurt, but it’s probably easier if you ask a friend or partner to do it for you. Three pricks are included in the kit in case you struggle. The issue I encountered is that the tubes that need to contain your blood sample are quite narrow, and I struggled to get the blood to drop in there at first. I made a bit of a mess, to be honest! Yet I managed in the end; it just takes a bit of practice. After taking your sample, you just need to label it and place the pre-paid envelope in a priority post box.
Included in the test
The blood test is personalised, which means you can add or remove any element that doesn’t interest you. You can test a wide range of things from vitamins to thyroid function, liver function, and heart function.
The results
Thriva sent my results within six days. I did the test on a Saturday and received the results the next Friday. The report is very clear and provides a score for each item analysed. For example, my liver enzymes are at an optimal level, but my bad cholesterol is too high. The doctor writes a little summary at the top of the report and advises what to do if you have bad results (in my case, stop eating so many croissants!).
I was really pleased with Thriva. Using this service is more cost-effective than going to a private doctor in your city. It’s a bit of a faff to take your blood sample, but I feel like I’ll probably be more efficient next time. It’s nice to take your sample at home and receive your results by email a few days after the test. However, you wait a little longer for the results than if you went to a private doctor. They usually send your results within 48 hours.
“Fantastic service. Accurate results. Fast service. Also had all my queries answered super quickly by very kind and attentive professionals.” Jenny, Thriva customer
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