Mineral testing

[Guest guest]

Hi Sheila,

What is the best way for me to get tested for

Calcium

Zinc

Magnesium

Folate (folic acid)

All vitamin B types including vitamin B12

Vitamin D

Vitamin E

Vitamin C

I am currently under Dr P's care but no other doctor. So was wondering what

would be the best way, should i ask them at my local GP, is there a private

place which wont cost an arm and a leg ?

This website/hospital got me interested

http://www.spirehealthcare.com/Our-Treatments/Body-Map-and-A-Z/A-Z-Treatments/Ir\

on-vitamin-and-mineral-level-tests/

But after speaking with them they are private so would have to pay for the tests

even if i got a referal from my gp, ideally something like this but on the NHS

would be ideal and without having to go to an endo.

Thanks

[Guest guest]

Insist that your doctor get the correct test results with the

numbers and the reference range for each of the tests done. How can a

laboratory decide what is normal and what is not normal when they know

absolutely nothing about your individual case - they are not your doctor and a

doctor needs to know whether the results are at the bottom, the middle or the

top of the reference range. I would demand that these are given to you and if

necessary, telephone the hospital laboratory where these were tested and speak

to the Head of Pathology.

Luv - Sheila

Also, when I asked for my test results I was just told they were

" normal " but when I asked for the actual measurements as I have in

the past (ie TSH etc) they couldn't tell me as it would appear that the word

" normal " is now only displayed on the screen? Don't know if anyone

else has experienced this but I am now in the process of trying to obtain a

copy of my medical record. Thanks for any help in this matter,

[Guest guest]

This amazes me, that any doctor just accepts the word (albeit written) of an

unnamed lab tech who could be anyone, even a trainee. Lab techs don't

automatically have to have a degree to do their job, they are more likely to be

trained up like an apprentice.

I NEVER have blood tests done by the GP, they wouldn't have a clue on how to

read the results because I am on NDT.

I embarassed an endo once by producing a notebook and pen and asking him the

results and the reference ranges for each test - he didn't know, I told him that

if he didn't know the reference ranges then how did he know the tests were

'normal'? He didn't know where to put himself!!

Glynis

> I cannot believe that GPs are merely given the word `normal` when bringing

your test results up on screen. Right, I know the surgeries probably all have

different programmes but it would be utterly bad practise for him not to see the

actual figures - he may for example want to do comparisons with previous tests

etc.