Quick Summary:

If you have ordered or are thinking of ordering a test, please read these instructions to make sure everything goes smoothly. Purrleease don't email me willy-nilly unless you have read these, thank you! Plus - do make sure you have thought about how to have blood taken before you order - see the tips below on how to arrange this.

Most common question: if it says the test is £0.00, it's not free (sorry!), it just means the lab will invoice you direct either when they send your kit or when you return your samples, I don't take payment, saves me a ton of time!

Note: this service is open to anyone; you don't need to be a current patient - people often have tests done first and then book in if needed. That said, I'd always advise having an Ask Micki if poss to make sure we are testing the most appropriate things for you to get some useful answers. You can see Support options here: https://purehealthshop.ecwid.com/Micki-Clinical-Di...

Why order through me? Because I'll give you an idea of what the results mean and what to do next when I send your results.

I am a fully qualified and experienced natural health consultant with almost 30 years under my belt. I have done an awful lot of testing for patients in my time and the lab test facilitation service has evolved to help people taking responsibility for their own health access the tests they need.

I have added the best tests of each type on this shop. Or, you can order direct with the labs if you prefer below. If you can't find something, or need a special order, just send me a Lab Test Request and I'll see what I can find for you/confirm prices etc.

I usually get asked about phlebotomy (getting blood samples). I do try to list bloodspot, urine and saliva test where I can, but often only blood will do if you want a credible result. I have set up a mobile phlebotomy service (no centrifuge) for you to make life easier, and see below for much more on how to get blood samples taken.

Lab Links to order direct:

Genova: use Practitioner Code A42RS on their ordering page here

Cyrex Tests: order via me here

If ordering direct via the lab links, please direct any questions on test kits, post, when you get your results etc to the lab. They will send you or me the results within 2-3 weeks (often quicker). You can search the labs and order anything you want as long as you follow my lab links - do please check with me that you're ordering the right things first - saves time and money, usually! The labs will know that is then a referral/authorisation from me, which triggers a little bit of commission and helps me keep this lab test service going, thank you. Once I have your results, I will email the full report and analysis to you with my thoughts.

For shop lab test orders, I will place the order for your tests and change the shop status to Processing. You get the test kit by post within 4 days or so, usually quicker, and follow all instructions to the letter, (if blood tests, check phlebotomy services below in the FAQ), sending your samples to the lab in the correct time frame. Your results will come to me (allow 3 weeks, usually quicker, please do not chase the labs) and I will email them to you with the full lab reports and analysis plus ideas on what to do next. Note: if it says the test is £0.00, it's not free (sorry!), it just means the lab will invoice you direct either when they send your kit or when you return your samples.

If you need further help at that point with either tests you've done direct with the labs or via me, you can book some support here or download one of my plans which contain the protocols I used in-clinic successfully for years. Please also discuss with your chosen health practitioners who have your case.

"...ordering, purchasing, communication and test process couldn’t be better explained, very happy. All other resources: so much insight and new / latest understanding, it is so very eye opening and interesting."

See more testimonials here if you want to check me out (I would!)

Full FAQ...

Can I order tests if I don't live in the UK?

If you are in Europe, please order tests direct from the labs if poss (see the links above). When you checkout, they will calculate postage costs etc for you then. Bear in mind you may need to pay more to return it within the time frame from the EU too. If in Europe and using the shop, please use Paypal or BACS, not Stripe, thank you.

How do I get more information on the tests, see sample reports etc?

In each test overview, I have added links mostly to the lab websites where you can easily find more detailed information, see sample reports and the test instructions. In some instances, I have created a document in Dropbox for you to download if the lab site doesn't help much. I have also included hints & tips at the bottom of each test page, so please make sure you read those too.

Please make sure you read everything fully and carefully before ordering. Does your chosen test need centrifuging, what's the deadline for return and can you make it OK, do you have to stop taking anything or fast, for example?

I'm not sure what test I need. Can you help?

Yes, just book me an Ask Micki or email me (micki@purehealthclinic.co.uk) and I'll help.

Can I order more than one test or an ebook and tests?

Of course, just use the Add More button or Continue Shopping from the Checkout.

Can I order for someone else?

Yes, just make sure you tell me in comments when you order who the test is actually for so I can get the paperwork right and know who to send results to when they come in. I need name and date of birth, please.

What's included with my test?

Your test kit, instructions, lab analysis and results email. Return postage is sometimes included, but most often this is extra. You also need to budget for phlebotomy if you're having a blood test done (more on this below).

What happens after I have placed my test order on the shop?

When you have placed your order, you will get an immediate order confirmation from the shop. You will also get a receipt from Stripe or Paypal (or whichever payment method I have on/you've used) if you've paid something which acts as your invoice. Note: if it says the test is £0.00, it's not free (sorry!), it just means the lab will invoice you direct either when they send your kit or when you return your samples. You should get an email when I change your status to 'Processing' on the shop system and this tells you I've placed your orders. You can check your order status anytime in your account in Order History. When I send your results, I try to remember to change your order status to 'Shipped' and this means your results have been emailed to you, so check your Inbox. If ordering from the labs direct, using my links above, you will get confirmation from them.

When will I get my test?

As soon as you get your order confirmation, your order comes through to me too and I'm on it for you. Test kits are sent out to you from the labs. I don't hold stock here.

Kits usually take no longer than about 4 days to arrive, usually much quicker eg. Genova are usually 1-2 days. If yours hasn’t arrived after a week, please do ask me to chase – it may have got lost in the post. Doesn’t happen often – more in Summer when there are fewer posties!

What do I do when I get it?

It’s a good idea to open your packages when they arrive and check that you have everything. Don’t leave it until just as you are doing your test, just in case! Rare anything is missing, but better to be sure.

Note that Genova has stopped including a needle and syringe - the so-called 'bleed kit' - in the test envelopes. Most places where people have their blood taken don't need the bleed kit as they have and like to use their own, which is why Genova have stopped sending them, they were just getting hundreds returned through the post. But you can still request one for circumstances where people don't have access to the needles and syringes. Just contact Genova direct or leave a comment on your order and I will ask for it to be included.

If something is missing, please contact the lab and explain what you have so they can determine what may be missing and can send it to you. Please don't ask me: I don't send the kits out and can't help you there.

Next, read through all the instructions carefully - remember to check the test product page for any specific FAQ relating to the test you have ordered - any questions you have should be answered on this page or there. Do check before emailing me - I am trying to cut down the deluge!

Then, think about when to do your samples, bearing any return or postage requirements in mind eg. sending them back to arrive Mon-Weds is a very good idea. Never send them back to arrive on a Friday or they could be hanging about all weekend whilst the lab is closed. Book any blood/phlebotomy appointments accordingly. The aim is to return your samples for next day delivery where you can.

Please read and follow all instructions carefully, complete all forms and enclose the correct ones with your sample so they know who it comes from. No form = no test done; the lab will simply reject it, and may charge you.

Do I have to stop taking anything?

Sometimes. Please read the test instructions and any hints and tips on my test overview page (usually at the end) when you get your test kit so you can be sure you are ready to do it correctly. Take note particularly if you have to stop taking anything specific before doing the test. In general, it is usually a good idea to stop any supplements a good 2-3 days before any test to get a clear result unless the point of the test is to monitor supplementation levels.

If you wish to stop meds, please check with your health professional before doing so. Re meds, obviously they are all different and have different effects in the body. Genova advised:

We typically anticipate a medication will clear the body in a time frame of the half-life multiplied by a factor of five. If a patient has liver function impairment and or renal insufficiency, these conditions can affect the clearance time of certain medications. Please also be aware that with certain medications, the drug itself may have cleared the body, but the effect of the medication may be longer lasting.

So, find out the half life of the medication if you need to and follow that advice. Better still, check with the lab.

How do I get my blood taken for a blood test?

You will need to have blood taken at a local phlebotomy service of your choice; that's usually at your local GP surgery (can be free), a local phlebotomy service, via the lab itself or at an NHS hospital (for a fee) or local private medical centre eg. Nuffield or Spire hospital. I have set up a mobile phlebotomy service (no centrifuge) for you to make life easier - they will come to you at home or work. Note, the service is between you and them, I just book it for you and ask them to get in touch.

There is usually a charge for phlebotomy, so bear that in mind.

If your test needs centrifuging, do check they can do that before booking.

Other tips:

There is no centralised service now at Nuffield or Spire - helpfully - so some hospitals do it and some don't. It is worth giving the outpatients department a call as they are all run individually and some will help. Some of the medical centres nowadays demand a GP/consultant referral letter. I am not an NHS doctor so I can't give that to you or set up contracts with the centres; please talk to your health professional/GP or consultant for that.

Here are Genova's phlebotomy services, which are mainly London and South East-based. For Viva tests, see their phlebotomy services here - they have assured me you can email them to arrange direct - click on the map to find a local service and contact details to book.

There is a list of private services on Dr Myhill's site here, one from FDX here and another good one from Viva here.

Medical Express covers London area, and they do children's phlebotomy. Medical Assistance UK do more geographical areas: here is their general leaflet and prices. Noviche also offers more coverage - see their list of postcodes and info here.

There are also freelance phlebotomists and local services around the country so check Google etc. Most pathology labs have the names of freelance phlebotomists who can come to you instead if they don’t do it. One freelancer, for example, is Jenny Brown who does phlebotomy and centrifuge in Glastonbury and within 1-2 hours of mid-Somerset so roughly Somerset, Devon, Wiltshire, Oxfordshire, Dorset, Bristol and Gloucestershire. Another is Jayne Atkins, who covers Warwickshire. Nurse Gail is in St Austell, Cornwall (no centrifuge as of Oct 23, although she does say to ask the nurse at your GP surgery to whizz it up before posting or, at a push, to wrap the blood sample tube in cotton wool and tape to your washing machine on spin cycle! That would be sufficient to mix the sample. I can't guarantee that will work, obviously!)

If your test needs centrifuging, check your facility or service can do that - usually larger operations such as hospitals and some of the mobile services above; most GP surgeries can't afford one! Regenerus will sometimes centrifuge the blood sample for Cyrex tests for you. Check the gluten section Q&A on Cyrex testing for more on this: Gluten Tests section of the shop

Please do make sure you have thought about how to have blood taken before you order a blood test; it's wise to call your chosen facility and ask before you order.

When you have made your phlebotomy appointment, simply take the whole test kit in with you, say you are having a private test done via a medical nutritionist, hand them the kit which will include instructions for what sample needs taking etc and they will do the rest. You will then be given the sample back and can send it back to the lab in your packaging.

Note that Genova has recently stopped including a needle and syringe - the so-called 'bleed kit' - in the test envelopes. Most places where people have their blood taken don't need the bleed kit as they have and like to use their own which is why Genova have stopped sending them, they were just getting hundreds returned through the post. But you can still request one for circumstances where people don't have access to the needles and syringes. Just contact Genova direct or leave a comment on your order and I will ask for it to be included.

I'm not sure about how to take my sample, how do I get help? Or: Aargh, I think I have made a mistake with my sample; what do I do?

If you have any questions about taking your samples or you think you might have done something wrong, it is often quicker and safer to call or email the lab direct as I can’t guarantee to be about just when you need me. That way, you know the lab will accept your sample or tell you to do another one, so there’s less possibility of the sample being rejected. If in doubt, re-do it or ask me to send a fresh test kit FOC which most labs will do.

It says to include payment with my samples but I have already paid?

You do not need to enclose payment with any samples if you have already paid. If you haven't already paid, please follow whatever the forms ask you to enclose. Failure to pay may result in the lab rejecting your samples. You may wish to pay for the lab’s postal service and that is between you and them: follow their instructions in the kit. I don't get involved in return postage. Note: if it says the test is £0.00, it's not free (sorry!), it just means the lab will invoice you direct either when they send your kit or when you return your samples.

How do I return my samples?

In a word: quickly! Most samples are required within 24-48 hours of taking them. Be led by any specific instructions in the test kits etc, but overnight delivery is the best idea to ensure freshness.

Most tests on the shop are returned to a UK lab and either analysed in the UK or drop-shipped to Europe or the US for lab for you. There are a couple of exceptions and I'll try to point those out on the relevant test pages for you. All companies provide suitable postage packaging. Some companies will include a courier pack for you. Please note this is great convenience but they do charge for them. If you use them, you will need to pay for that direct, not through me. Follow their instructions in your kit. Or, you can use Royal Mail very often. Check the up to date details, but this is what I have at the time of writing:

UK: If your samples (not the package) weigh less than 50ml/50g, you can still use the Royal Mail post if posting in the UK to a UK address. Biological specimens that are classed as category B or exempt (ie. non-hazardous, that’s most of the usual ones) must be less than 50g/50ml and must be sent in packaging conforming to P650 rules ie. one leak-proof bag inside another leak-proof bag, all in a sturdy outer-box, labelled with the sender’s name and return address clearly on the outside. If the sample measures or weighs more than 50ml/50g, you must use a suitable courier. eg. UPS, APC, FedEx etc. Call your preferred company and check they can ship it for you.

International: Royal Mail don’t allow you to send biological specimens abroad, so you need to use a suitable courier. DHL and Fed Ex seem to be favourite, but it does seem to vary from country to country and even office to office of the courier companies! Couriering samples abroad can be expensive and difficult, so do please make sure you have worked this out before you order!

Thankfully, most of our labs do that for you, but do please think about that and check you can courier it if necessary before you order.

Once you have your samples ready, you return it to the relevant lab in the special packaging provided. It does not come to us at Purehealth, so no sending us stool samples please! Please aim to get your samples back within the time frame specified in your test instructions - 24-48 hours max is usually required.

Generally-speaking, for most tests, your samples go back to a UK lab who courier it overnight to wherever it is being processed. Many are done in the UK, but some are sent on to other countries.

I am in Europe, how do I return my samples?

If you are outside the UK, your samples usually need to be couriered back to the UK lab for onward processing. This is best done quickly on overnight services. Aim to get your samples back within the timeframe specified in your test instructions - 24-48 hours max is usually required.

The courier packs included in kits are usually UK mainland only so you will need to organise a courier return. Sometimes, if the test is being done in Germany or the US, it can be quicker to send the results to the labs direct - I will advise. Also, some of the labs can send a courier pack for you to use, and you can pre-pay that direct with them if you need to. Contact the labs direct to check and pay for that service.

It says postage is included in my kit. Is it?

It could be. Be aware, though, that if postage says it is pre-paid, this can often be in the US or UK only. Check. It might also be that postage is added by the lab when they invoice you if you are paying the lab direct - it varies.

Something's come up and I can't do my test for a while. Is that OK?

There are usually no problems with holding onto a kit for a while if you can’t get to it straight away; they don’t tend to ‘go off’. Just check if there are any dates on the vials or paperwork to be sure. If you need another test kit, just let me know or ask the lab. NB. FDX has a limit of 90 days to return your samples and will charge after that - so do bear that in mind.

How do I get my results?

Results usually take 10 -14 working days, but some can take longer - the complex tests like DUTCH, Metabolomix, GI360 etc can take about 3-4 weeks. With others, if you haven’t heard 3 weeks (working days!) after sending your sample off, please feel free to prod me to chase them. Tell me when you sent your samples off so I can give the lab the right info. Please do NOT chase the labs as it only gives them more work and is a tad embarrassing when they have to email me. Please don't chase your results too early - after 3 weeks only, thanks, otherwise I get deluged! The likelihood is you will have got them by then but after the 3 weeks, do prod me gently!

As soon as I have your results, I will send them to you using secure Google for Business. I will usually include the headlines of what the results suggest, with some direction on what to do next if appropriate.

What if I need more help with my results?

You should discuss your results with your chosen health practitioner, always. I am happy to help if you need more help from me, see the Support options here.

Phew - I think I have covered everything but if you still have an unanswered question, just contact me (micki@purehealthclinic.co.uk).