Becki’s health story:
Becki (37) wanted to optimise her health to combat tiredness and prepare herself for pregnancy. Find out how Medichecks has helped her, here’s her story:
“I'd been feeling tired for a while and started to wonder if perhaps I was low on certain vitamins, despite taking supplements.
I began looking into doing some kind of health check that went a bit deeper than the purely physical (for example, BMI, blood pressure, resting heart rate etc.), as these checks kept coming back as fine! I found Medichecks online and was impressed with their reviews.
At the same time, I noticed on social media that an acquaintance was taking the Advanced Well Woman Blood Test, and she raved about her experience, so I knew this test was for me.
The Advanced Well Woman Blood Test fitted my specifications perfectly. I wanted to check my vitamin levels and appreciated the opportunity to check other aspects of my health with the same test, such as thyroid hormone levels and cholesterol. We’re also thinking of starting a family, so the fact that the test included some fertility hormone levels has given me peace of mind about our chances!
Most of my results were good, and the doctor's report said that I have an 'excellent profile.' However, my levels of ferritin (an indicator of my iron stores) and vitamin D were at the low end. I'm vegetarian, so I do try to make sure that I'm getting enough iron, but this was a good reminder to make sure that I focus on it.
The report mentioned that "low levels of vitamin D can cause fatigue, bodily aches, poor memory and difficulties concentrating" which sounded exactly like the tiredness, general lethargy and achiness that led me to take the test in the first place.
I was relieved to find out that a lack of vitamin D was probably the only problem, and one that would be easily fixed with supplements and spending more time in the sun (safely of course).
I was advised to increase my intake of certain foods as part of the doctor's report, and also consider taking a vitamin D supplement. I have been trying harder to make sure I'm eating more of the suggested foods and have started taking a multivitamin and mineral supplement that is designed for women trying to conceive.
I definitely feel less tired now that I have put a bit more thought into what I'm eating and how much sunlight I'm getting. It's also helped my mental health and anxiety level. It's been reassuring to know that no major problems showed up in my test results, and I'm feeling calmer now that there is one less thing to worry about.
I've told lots of my friends and family about Medichecks - how easy it was to get the blood test done at the local hospital, pop the vials in the post and then receive the personalised results and report on an online portal just a few days later.
They've been very impressed by the array of tests that were included in the Advanced Well Woman Blood Test, and I think a few people are seriously thinking about getting their own blood test done.
I would definitely get Medichecked again. As there's a tracker function in the online results portal, I think it would be really interesting to see if I've managed to improve my results in a year or to check whether my vitamin D levels vary by season.”