Menopause Matters Forum

Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: joziel on December 08, 2023, 06:47:13 PM

Title: finger p r I ck test on toe instead of finger?
Post by: joziel on December 08, 2023, 06:47:13 PM

Can we do Medichecks finger prick tests using a toe instead of a finger, incase we have any Oestrogen on our fingers to contaminate the test? Is there a reason our toes are not a good idea...??

Title: Re: finger p r I ck test on toe instead of finger?
Post by: CLKD on December 08, 2023, 07:02:25 PM

Why would you have any residue on your fingers?   :-\. U R over thinking things.

Title: Re: finger p r I ck test on toe instead of finger?
Post by: sheila99 on December 08, 2023, 07:57:47 PM

I don't see how it can make any difference where the blood comes from? Assuming you're flexible enough :).

Title: Re: finger p r I ck test on toe instead of finger?
Post by: Madge79 on December 09, 2023, 12:11:47 PM

I always pay the extra £30 for the venous blood draw it’s so much more reliable. I did a finger one and my Estradiol  showed  as over 11,000! I contacted them and they said the estrogel builds up in the skin layers on your finger and you shouldn’t do a finger prick for a month since handling the gel.
Weirdly a friend of mine who is not on HRT did a medichcks finger one and also got over 11,000. So I always stick with the vein I think it’s worth it.

Title: Re: finger p r I ck test on toe instead of finger?
Post by: CLKD on December 09, 2023, 01:12:00 PM

I agree.  What R U testing for?

Title: Re: finger p r I ck test on toe instead of finger?
Post by: Penguin on December 09, 2023, 02:28:19 PM

I am getting the venous draw done too. You can also do that route via medichecks I believe.
I have read the same (also on here) about the way transdermal estrogen is absorbed means finger prick tests (unless you always use the same hand and use the other one for the test I guess) renders the test unreliable.
I can't see why toe wouldn't work.

Title: Re: finger p r I ck test on toe instead of finger?
Post by: joziel on December 10, 2023, 10:41:12 PM

I don't use my hand to rub the gel in, I use a spatula (like a mini kitchen silicone spatula) - but even so I think some of it occasionally gets on the end of a finger or two, so I wouldn't want to risk it.

A toe would be safer, but I just wondered if the blood flow to our toes is okay for finger prick tests. I mean, it can take a lot of finger squeezing sometimes to get enough out of a finger.

I will contact Medichecks and ask. I know they do venous draws but I have to do those for thyroid stuff at the moment and that's just a lot of venous draws going on...  Plus I want to test during my period, so I can better tell what I'm getting from the gel (instead of what my body is making) - my own estrogen will be low then - and it's just more flexible to do a finger prick test at short notice than arrange a blood draw.