You dread it. I dread it. We all loathe the process. Getting blood work done is the farthest thing from fun. The appointments. Seeing a doctor. Playing the waiting game for results. Last but not least, getting The Bill (cue dramatic music). Awful, isn’t it?!
So, today I want to show you something really cool, a service I’ve recently come across and want to shout from the rooftops! You know I love sharing ways for you lovely readers to be healthier, including healthier bank accounts, so this one is perfect for doing just that, and hopefully making your health care just a little bit happier.
Eating and living healthy is extremely important, but it’s important to actually verify with hard scientific data that our efforts are paying off in all ways, not just the ways we can see and feel. Blood tests are a necessary evil, a veritable wealth of information about our body’s most secret inner workings.
I’ll be the first to admit that I avoid doctors like the plague. I’m a clockwork regular when it comes to eye doctors and dentists, but other doctors? NOPE. If something isn’t bleeding or broken, I’m not going anywhere near a doctor’s office. Three reasons: cost, general distrust, and (admittedly) a bit of phobia. (I’ve had some really stressful encounters due to bad doctors, so trust me when I say that I have plenty of reason for my aversions.)
Thankfully, I’m blessed that I’ve been a very healthy individual, and, as you know, in the last several years, I’ve been taking better and better care of myself to boot, which certainly helps me stay far away from doctors.
However, my aversion to doctors and medical settings doesn’t mean that I’m disinterested in monitoring my health status. It’s important to know your numbers! Thus far, this has proven a bit problematic, since, well, you can’t do much without a doctor’s orders. Right?
Well, not so fast! The times, they are a-changin’, folks! Allow me to introduce you to walkinlab.com, the coolest thing since sliced bread, in my humble opinion.
As you can see above, it’s truly as easy as 1, 2, 3! You browse the available tests online, add to your cart, and pay quickly and easily on their site (they even accept PayPal). The doctor’s orders are generated for you – simply print them out. Next, take your print-out to one of your local Walk-In Lab test centers (click “Lab Locator” at the top to find a lab nearest you). If you’d like, you can make an appointment, but it’s not required – you can walk in any time during business hours (they even have Saturday hours!). You get your blood drawn, easy peasy, and your results will be posted to your online Walk-In Lab account.
→ FYI: Unfortunately, at this time, readers living in MA, NY, NJ, RI and MD, this service is not available in your states due to legalities. Bummer! Also, you must be 18+ to use this service.
Now, in today’s day and age, you see something like this, and even reading the testimonials, you ask yourself if it’s really that easy. I can tell you that, yes, yes it is! (Few things in life are this simple anymore!)
I’ve been wanting a nice, thorough wellness panel blood test done for a while now, and decided that there’s no time like the present, since they’re currently running a December special on select wellness panels. Using that promo, I only paid $58 for one that’s usually $95, so I was one happy camper! I paid online, got in my car, and was to the lab and back home (minus some of my blood) in a half hour. Then, my test results posted less than 24 hours later!
I truly can’t get over how easy and affordable this experience was, so I excited to spread the good word! I certainly want to encourage everyone to at least browse the website, and if you’re on the fence, I say just do it. It’s worth it! Peace of mind is priceless.
I’m sure some of you may be hesitant, asking how you’ll know what to choose. Well, first and foremost, the website is very user-friendly. Available test options are broken down by basic categories, even as simply as tests specifically for men or women. You can click on each test to see all the different things being analyzed, and there’s even a “compare” feature that allows you to view several tests side-by-side to easily look for differences.
Lemme tell ya, they’ve got something for everyone – everything from overall general wellness panels, to gluten sensitivity (and other food allergy/intolerance) tests, to cancer and STD screenings, to hormone panels, to vitamin/mineral tests.
Confession: It’s so silly, but there’s a food intolerance test that checks you against 200 different foods that I want just because. Wouldn’t that be cool to know?! I’m not insane, I wouldn’t go spending $500 for it on a whim, but imagine how useful that’d be for people who get sick when they eat and can’t figure out what’s causing it! What an age we live in.
Anyway! No matter your situation, there’s something for you. Maybe you’ve got something very specific you’ve been wanting to test, for your own peace of mind or general curiosity, and you don’t want to spend a fortune having to ask your doctor to order the tests. Or, maybe there’s something specific that your doctor actually wants you to continually monitor, say, uric acid levels or cholesterol levels, and you’re racking up tons of time and cost having frequent blood draws. This option may prove to be a much easier and cheaper way than continually going through your doctor and your health insurance!
Price-wise, I think you’ll be very happy in what you find on this site, especially if you currently do not have good health insurance (these days, who does?!). Plus, knowing the cost up front takes away so much anxiety over this sort of thing, don’t you agree? I don’t even want to imagine what I would’ve been billed, had I done an office visit just to see a doctor to get this test ordered and done at their lab. And, after the fact, I probably would’ve spent more time on the phone arguing with the insurance that they’re supposed to cover this-that-or-the-other-thing (and listening to whatever loophole they found that excuses them from covering it) than I spent start-to-finish with walkinlab.com. You know I love saving money, but dang it, saving hassle and frustration is a close second on my list!
And another thing! You get the results. You. No waiting for your doctor’s office to call. That right there saves a ton of frustration! A friend of mine recently had a simple blood test done, and she had to call her doctor’s office three times just to finally get her results. Ridiculous! (Keep in mind, if you do want to share your test results with your doctor, you can conveniently fax your results right through the website. Or, of course, you could print them and bring a hard copy.)
In terms of the results, once again, it’s very user-friendly. It’s pretty self-explanatory: here is your result, here’s the ideal range to compare to. Of course, it may still require you to seek the advice of a health professional if there’s something flagged as abnormal in your results that you don’t understand. But, for the most part, it’s very, very helpful. (Interested? You can actually see sample reports on their website before you decide to order! I can vouch that it’s exactly what your real results will look like.)
My favorite thing about walkinlab.com is that this allows us as individuals to really take ownership of monitoring our health, without murdering our bank accounts. Personally, I also love being able to eliminate the middle man from this interaction, but that’s me. It kind of tickles me pink that I got a wealth of information without paying a doctor, essentially, for zilch – for just ordering a test. (Oops. My horns just popped out. I’m done, I swear!)
But seriously, though. Seeing how easy and affordable this was, I absolutely will get a wellness panel done once a year now. That will be an unbelievable improvement! Up till now, I think I had my blood tested only one time between age 18 – 30 (and that only told me a non-fasting glucose level and cholesterol levels). The wellness panel I just had tested for 54 line items! 54!
So, friends, this wonderful website is yours for the taking. Do with it what you will! Depending on your situation, you may find a million and one reasons to love this opportunity. I am 100% satisfied with my experience, and will absolutely use this service again (and recommend it to anyone who’ll listen).
If you have any questions about my experience, please don’t hesitate to ask!
Wishing you healthier, happier days, and wonderful holiday season!
a.healthier.happy 