thyroid t4 tests shortage?

[Mandlou]

hi I’ve had lots worse symptoms of struggling to stay awake, fatigue , body ache constipation or sometimes fluffy dioreah .. freezing cold to the bone especially hand and feet ..

I was sent for thyroid test but all that was tested was my tsh and I was told

Hit’s sue to shortage of t4 tests and that my tsh is okay so it’s not thyroid 🙈

is this true ? I’m so sick of the run around with it all thinking get home testing kit but is there’s hair rage everywhere ? Or is that me getting fobbed off again ? Thanks x

[SlowDragon Administrator]

That’s incorrect

NHS now only tests TSH in many cases and this is completely inadequate

what was the TSH result

What time of day was test done

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 tested

Also both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested at least once to see if your hypothyroidism is autoimmune

Very important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

Request GP test these vitamin levels

Low vitamin levels are extremely common when hypothyroid, especially with autoimmune thyroid disease

About 90% of primary hypothyroidism is autoimmune thyroid disease, usually diagnosed by high TPO and/or high TG thyroid antibodies

Autoimmune thyroid disease with goitre is Hashimoto’s

Autoimmune thyroid disease without goitre is Ord’s thyroiditis.

Both are autoimmune and generally called Hashimoto’s.

Significant minority of Hashimoto’s patients only have high TG antibodies (thyroglobulin)

20% of autoimmune thyroid patients never have high thyroid antibodies and ultrasound scan of thyroid can get diagnosis

In U.K. medics hardly ever refer to autoimmune thyroid disease as Hashimoto’s (or Ord’s thyroiditis)

Recommended that all thyroid blood tests early morning, ideally just before 9am, only drink water between waking and test

This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip)

Post all about what time of day to test

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Testing options and includes money off codes for private testing

thyroiduk.org/testing/

Medichecks Thyroid plus BOTH TPO and TG antibodies and vitamins

medichecks.com/products/adv...

Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes BOTH TPO and TG antibodies, cortisol and vitamins

bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...

Only do private testing early Monday or Tuesday morning.

Link about thyroid blood tests

thyroiduk.org/testing/thyro...

Link about Hashimoto’s

thyroiduk.org/hypothyroid-b...

Symptoms of hypothyroidism

thyroiduk.org/signs-and-sym...

Tips on how to do DIY finger prick test

support.medichecks.com/hc/e...

Medichecks and BH also offer private blood draw at clinic near you, or private nurse to your own home…..for an extra fee

[Mandlou in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you I can’t take much more of it all I know my thyroid is low they didn’t test ferritin, folate, and only tsh said I’d already had those tested in February but I’ve gone very down hill the last month ..

My tsh is 0.76

My test was at 11.30am

if I eat gluten dairy yeast my t4 drops and t3 I thought I had celiac years back ate gluten for 4 weeks had the test they said only thing was wrong was my thyroid a bit low gave me Prozac !

so now I’m just clinging on to diet but it’s not enough I can’t do gluten dairy free yeast free soya free low fodmap low histamine low fat … it’s to hard and even in diet I struggle but when I go off I can’t remember what I’m talking about my knees hurt I can’t keep eyes open feel like walking quicksand ..

I just feel I’m given the run around all the time 🥲🥲 I have autistic boy on my own I need to get this sorted out x

Test results

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Mandlou]

This says B12 and vitamin D tested not long ago

What were B12, vitamin D results

[Mandlou in reply to SlowDragon]

B12 was 1500 but I’m on injections and vitamin

D was okay

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Mandlou]

What was actual vitamin D result

How much vitamin D are you taking

Do you also take a magnesium supplement

As you have B12 injections it’s recommended also to supplement a good quality daily vitamin B complex, one with folate in (not folic acid)

This can help keep all B vitamins in balance and will help improve B12 levels between injections too

suggest you get the Blue Horizon thyroid and vitamin test if you have possible cortisol issues suspected

[Mandlou in reply to SlowDragon]

Thankyou x

I also have Mfthr gene I take klaire labs multivitamin soectrum as I’m also autistic..

I was taking. Its mind one with coconut oil for absorption and magnesium but my vitamin d was about 98 last time was pretty good .. maybe I should just keep taking it ..

Maybe I’m not having enough folate for b12 ..

I will order from BH thyroid the consultant who said I had PA but also can be sue to Sibo said b12 deficient but if my thyroid is low then that will affect all the vitamins won’t it and from what I can make out sibo is due to slow motility so constipation will encourage sibo and yeast ..

I’m 48 aswell son have had sixth testing if sex hormones get result in a week or two that also tests cortisol .. x

So do you think it’s best I eat gluten and dairy for the blood test because it defo effects the blood test trouble is it’s affecting me a lot more now I have symptoms even avoiding the foods but massively if eat them ..

Also have to make sure no caffeine ..

and how long do you think I have to eat normally for ? I find it so hard as I have to keep going there’s no one else here .. I’ve also been diagnosed adhd which is on symptoms isn’t it 😔

Thank you

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Mandlou]

Stop any vitamin supplements that contain biotin 5-7 days before any blood test

Biotin is used in lots of lab equipment. Biotin supplements can falsely affect test results

I would suggest you remain gluten and dairy free

Hashimoto’s and adhd and autism can be linked

thyroiduk.org/related-condi...

Autism

autismparentingmagazine.com...

drbrighten.com/hashimotos-a...

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Mandlou]

Gluten and dairy intolerance suggests autoimmune thyroid disease

Request GP test antibodies or test privately

NHS won’t test TG antibodies unless TPO are positive

[Mandlou in reply to SlowDragon]

Yes I think me doing diet holds some of it back but it’s getting a lot harder now as I think it’s getting worse and I’m

Getting older and I’m

Very busy as my son autistic and struggling school so home a lot ..

I will

Order tests and book to do it for me at my home I think x

[Mandlou in reply to SlowDragon]

thank you x

[Sparklingsunshine]

Sounds like they're fobbing you off, its not a FT4 test shortage, but that many GP's only test TSH, more penny pinching courtesy of the NHS.

I do wish they wouldnt lie about it though. We aren't idiots. We have a booming private blood test industry in the UK. Now we know why 😠

[Mandlou in reply to Sparklingsunshine]

Yes I think so ..

I had my b12 in Estes is quite high but not m in injections for pernicous anemia .. my vitamin d was good in February ..

I wake up and m my body aches so have to get out of bed .. I have such dry skin it’s Finley peeling on my hands

I’m sure this diet I’m on is holding back some thyroid symptoms but causing more stress and so hard make sure I getting all I need ..

And chronic sinusitis I read can be thyroid aswell years back befire my son I kept eating gluten my t4 and t43 drops my vitamin d n12 iorn ..

I think I just need to get private done don’t I but I really struggle doing the finger prick as my hands so cold and is hard as I have try get through rest of the day .. maybe I need get some one to do

It for me ..

I had two doctors say my thyroid and had nurse practioner say no and they won’t test it again as only every few months !

X I’ve just done a Dutch test which tests cortisol

Aswel im

Sure my adrenals are a mess

From

All of it xx thank you

Who is best to use medicheck ? Thanks

[Sparklingsunshine in reply to Mandlou]

I've never used Medichecks. I use Monitor My Health.

[Mandlou in reply to Sparklingsunshine]

Oh okay is that a better one to use ? Thank you

[Sparklingsunshine in reply to Mandlou]

Its not necessarily better but I find them to be quite reasonable. MMH do TSH, FT4 and FT3 but no antibody tests. If you go on Thyroid UK website you can find discount codes to use for private blood tests.

[Mandlou in reply to Sparklingsunshine]

thank you I can’t take all of it any more just need to feel normal and be able

To eat normal food I don’t mind gluten dairy free

But yeast and

Low histamine low fodmap no

Soya etc it’s just so hard I get really bad

Constant yeast infections aswell just so fed up of being me