CTX and P1NP Bone Turnover Markers (BTM) self-pay experience notes here. I just did these self-pay tests related to osteoporosis. Many people, such as @gently, have helped me by sharing information or their experiences, so this post is part of my "give back".
Normally I also include references but this post would be to large for that. But please do as I do and always independently verify everything you read to authoritative sources.
Although various testing labs offer some self-pay tests, Jason Health (JH) offered more tests, and far better prices. Example: I could not buy CTX or P1NP tests directly from Quest Diagnostics, even though that is the lab who actually did the tests ordered by Jason Health! I did find a blood self-pay calcium test to compare Quest with JH and the Quest price was 10x what JH charges.
Price = $150 for CTX & P1NP & collection. I also ordered 2 additional tests that I will post about separately. If your doctor orders the tests but your insurance will not pay for them, you could be on the hook for hundreds of dollars more than cash-pay-in-advance self-ordered.
After deciding which tests to do, I ordered and paid online from Jason Health. JH offered a list of labs to choose from before paying. Two Quest Diagnostics labs were very near me, and so one my choice.
An important weak point in the process: the instructions that came automatically from JH about how to prep for the tests were not adequate! If you get these tests from ANY source, even ordered by your doctor, please read more about how to prepare. After I rang JH to ask, they answered some questions and emailed me links to better, but still not full, prep instructions on the Quest website. I looked up full instructions elsewhere on OP sites.
CTX test must be done as early in the morning as possible, and subsequent comparing CTX tests at the same time of day. JH information says that you can do the tests as walk-in, but everyone wants those first-thing-in-the-morning tests due to fasting overnight or needing to get tests done before work. So walk-in for CTX is a bad plan. Fortunately I was able to book a time slot at 8:10am online at Quest less than a week out.
I did the 2 days of prep, including fasting 12 hours before, and went to my local Quest Diagnostics where they drew the blood.
Results came back about a week later as these tests, and another test that I ordered, take a bit longer than the usual standard blood panels.
Interpreting the results is the next challenge. I will take these results to my doctor later. My primary, but not only, references for how to understand my results are from videos by Dr. Doug Lucas. One of those videos is linked below.
Connect
Connect
Like
Helpful
Hug
CTX and P1NP Bone Turnover Markers (BTM) self-pay experience notes here. I just did these self-pay tests related to osteoporosis. Many people, such as @gently, have helped me by sharing information or their experiences, so this post is part of my "give back".
Normally I also include references but this post would be to large for that. But please do as I do and always independently verify everything you read to authoritative sources.
Although various testing labs offer some self-pay tests, Jason Health (JH) offered more tests, and far better prices. Example: I could not buy CTX or P1NP tests directly from Quest Diagnostics, even though that is the lab who actually did the tests ordered by Jason Health! I did find a blood self-pay calcium test to compare Quest with JH and the Quest price was 10x what JH charges.
Price = $150 for CTX & P1NP & collection. I also ordered 2 additional tests that I will post about separately. If your doctor orders the tests but your insurance will not pay for them, you could be on the hook for hundreds of dollars more than cash-pay-in-advance self-ordered.
After deciding which tests to do, I ordered and paid online from Jason Health. JH offered a list of labs to choose from before paying. Two Quest Diagnostics labs were very near me, and so one my choice.
An important weak point in the process: the instructions that came automatically from JH about how to prep for the tests were not adequate! If you get these tests from ANY source, even ordered by your doctor, please read more about how to prepare. After I rang JH to ask, they answered some questions and emailed me links to better, but still not full, prep instructions on the Quest website. I looked up full instructions elsewhere on OP sites.
CTX test must be done as early in the morning as possible, and subsequent comparing CTX tests at the same time of day. JH information says that you can do the tests as walk-in, but everyone wants those first-thing-in-the-morning tests due to fasting overnight or needing to get tests done before work. So walk-in for CTX is a bad plan. Fortunately I was able to book a time slot at 8:10am online at Quest less than a week out.
I did the 2 days of prep, including fasting 12 hours before, and went to my local Quest Diagnostics where they drew the blood.
Results came back about a week later as these tests, and another test that I ordered, take a bit longer than the usual standard blood panels.
Interpreting the results is the next challenge. I will take these results to my doctor later. My primary, but not only, references for how to understand my results are from videos by Dr. Doug Lucas. One of those videos is linked below.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
2 Reactions