Thyroid Hormone Balance Plus, Blood Collection Test Kit (4 Panel)

On the review that took off two stars for having to fill all 12 spots, it would certainly be helpful to know if you actually need to do this, but you can always email or call the lab for more info. I didn't know if I had enough of a sample so I sent them a picture before sending the test off to make sure and someone responded within a couple of hours. For the thyroid panel, they say you need at least 3 good spots that are at least the size of a pencil eraser. I suppose it is better to have too much than not enough, so you might as well try to fill them.I had this test done for my daughter, as she was exhibiting symptoms, I have hypothyroid, and she also has vitiligo (up to 34% of people with vitiligo also have thyroid disorders). This is a much cheaper way than going to the doctor and you can take your result to a doctor for a prescription if needed. More importanly than the cost though is that doctors rarely order an antibodies test, and in this case it was essential as all her other readings were within normal range, but elevated antibodies suggest Hashimoto's - and where someone already has other autoimmune disorders, it's highly likely and should be treated, in my non-professional opinion.A doctor would have said she's fine, but she's not fine. I too have been told my labs were "normal" many times when I've felt crappy and known something was out of whack. It is extremely frustrating and this test has saved us a lot of frustration - not to mention money.In short, if your doc won't listen, do your research, get your own labs done, and go back armed with information. In my daughter's case, I don't believe a "wait and watch" is prudent, but that's the usual recommended course of non-action for euthyroid Hashimoto's, if you are even correctly diagnosed. It can be treated with a regime of supplements and/or levothyroxine.[...]I have ordered a test kit for cortisol to rule that out as a possible problem (adrenal fatigue can cause a further attack on the thyroid) and will definitely order more of these tests in the future. For blood spot tests, be aware that it may be more difficult than you think. It is helpful to warm the hand first, get moving a bit, swing the arm, that kind of thing, before pricking the finger.

This test kit was very helpful, straight to the point and gave a variety of recommendations when my results were sent to me. One thing that I would say is that you must take this test first thing in the morning as the pamphlet says. I thought that it would be okay to take it during the midday but that is not how you are supposed to do it. You must do this once you wake up as your thyroid levels are highest when you wake up, therefore giving you a better look at your thyroid. The results were given to me about 4-5 days through email. I recommend this test kit if you are curious to see if you have thyroid problems as most doctors these days only test TSH instead of TSH, FT3, FT4, antibodies which are very important when diagnosing hypothyroidism/hyperthyroidism

Terrible customer service and wait is longer than what they say,I still don't have my results after two week's of waiting.

I started to have thyroid issues and took steps to rebalance it. Subsequently I used this test to confirm that my thyroid was happy again, albeit on the low normal side. It saved me time and money rather than going to the Dr's office. Frankly, they don't seem to be very helpful anyway, so it's nice to have options thru a lab like ZRT where you can test some of your health indicators. I also used the vitamin D test to verify that was in normal range and actually it was a little high so I backed off the D supplement. If you have any concerns about pricking your finger, it's really not that bad. Takes a minute to get up the courage but then it's done mostly painlessly and you are on your way.This is a real review - no discounts or affiliations with ZRT or vendor.

Requires all spots to be filled in with blood as if you were doing an extensive panel, instead of a reasonable number needed for just the thyroid hormone tests. Otherwise, doctor felt this product was reliable.

I like that i didn't have to take a trip to the lab for this. Have to fill 12 circles with blood, instructions are very specific. Make sure you get enough blood out finger to drop in middle of each circle & almost fill it. That was the most difficult part. Ending up jabbing myself 3 times to get enough blood. Mailed card off & got results fairly quickly via email. Off course if you need results right away, go to the lab using a third party lab ordering website & usually results are emailed within 3-4 days.

Took longer than expected to get the results (when I called them to see why no results yet, they said they just received the sample despite having shipped them 10 days before), but the results were accurate according to the labs drawn at my annual checkup a month later.

This is a reliable product. It found me Hashimoto thyroiditis. And when I told him this result, my doctor didn't believe the result from Amazon test kit. So I got another same test at the clinic, and it's consistent with the Amazon result. So this is good product. It helped me found the right reason.