MyMedLab.com allows us, the consumer, the patient, to take control of their own journey. It puts the power back into our hands. MyMedLab connects you with a confidential medical laboratory in your town, and allows you to pay for reasonable laboratory work up. So, you want a full thyroid panel done and your doctor says "it isn't necessary" but you believe it is - you can order one. And you get the results quickly! It took me about 48 hours to get my results.
The results are also easy for you to read. It gives you the normal ranges, and it gives you your numbers so you are able to see where you are low, where you are in range and if you are over the range. And while you personally may not be able to interrupt these results, or if you want a second opinion from someone other then your physician, they help you interpret them as well through a group of experts who will answer your questions, identify risk factors and help create a plan WITH you on how to move forward with your physician.
After hearing my story and sensing my frustration with my thyroid journey, David - the founder and creator of MyMedLab suggested that I request a full panel from his company. After meeting with him personally and learning more about why he created MyMedLab and why he was passionate about the average everyday consumer knowing their baselines and taking ownership of their health, I decided that this was the right process for me. We talked in depth about what my results may show and he really put my mind at ease of the unknown. The unknown, of course was about to be revealed.
My blood was drawn and I impatiently waited for results. Which were quickly delivered to my account I had created at MyMedLab.com. But what exactly was I looking at? It looked like all my numbers were in the range that was allowable, albeit it very low - like 1 or 2 points over the lowest number that was deemed acceptable. So was my thyroid inactive or active? So many questions -
David reached out to me when he noticed that my lab results came in and reviewed them with me. Indeed, my numbers were all in range, and thus when my dr. prescribed the synthroid, I had an adverse reaction because it was then creating too much thyroid! So what numbers did my dr. see that made her think it was low? Of course, we couldn't answer that question because I had never received a copy of the lab results - another important reason to use MyMedLab - you get a copy of your lab results so there are no unanswered questions.
With a new revelation that my thyroid indeed was in working order, it brought on the questions of:
SO why is my hair falling out in huge amounts?
Why so much weight gain in such a short amount of time?
Why am I so fatigued all the time?
Why am I so emotional at odd times and yet so disinterested at other times?
Why is my skin so insanely dry all of a sudden?
Why does it seem like I have 99% of hypothyroid symptoms but yet, my numbers say I don't have it?
Where do I go from here?
David advised me to go ahead and get a full, fasted blood draw so we could look at my baselines and maybe, there, in my bloodwork, we would find some of the answers.
So my next step - was...a fasted blood draw at my local lab. I put in my request for it to be done at MyMedLab and went in a few days later for my fasted blood draw. This time, I encouraged my husband to get his done as well. He has battle chronic pain for years, and I thought this might be a good time to get his baseline as well. Baselines are important because they may or may not change through the years and can reveal all sorts of information about your health.
I spoke with a couple of nurse friends about my experience. They had never heard of a patient being able to request specific blood work without a doctors' order and even commented that it made them sad "thinking that our medical professionals have let down their patients that the patients know have to advocate for themselves" . Others thought it was great that patients are wanting to take ownership of their health and were being empowered in such a unique way.
Are you wanting some answers to your health questions? Do you suffer from a low thyroid or overactive one? Just want to know your baseline? Create your account now and order your lab work thru MyMedLab.com. I'd love to hear back about your experience with them.
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