What regular blood tests do I need?

[yorkshiregirl4]

Many thanks for the fantastic support and information from fellow members on this fabulous site. I am now proud to be SI and starting to feel much better thanks to the advice and support here. I could not have done so without your help. I was equally surprised how quickly this progress faltered after a pretty stressful few days and how long it took to get back on track.

I am looking to ask my not very helpful GP for some blood tests and need to know exactly what to ask for. I hope others can highlight the most useful ones for me as well as the optimum regularity for these blood tests. Do other members generally get these blood tests on the NHS?

Wishing good health to all.

[jade_s]

Hi yorkshiregirl4, congrats on SI! And glad to hear things are going better.

I like to test the following every 6 months or so (less if you don't have issues) :

- Folate

- Vitamin D

- Ferritin - I prefer a full iron panel: serum iron, % saturation, TIBC, ferritin

No need to test B12 of course

Periodically, your doctor may want to do a full blood count, cholesterol, and test liver/kidney markers. At least in Belgium that's common, about once a year or every 2 years depending on age and other issues.

I also test Hba1c periodically because i have blood sugar issues, not a bad idea to get a baseline once.

It is also a good idea to get a baseline thyroid test at least once, since many of us seem to have concurrent thyroid issues: TSH, FT4, FT3.

Some people have success getting them on the NHS, others less so. Seems to depend on the practice and location. Some people resort to private testing : thyroiduk.org/help-and-supp...

Are you still having bowel issues?

Especially with GPC antibodies you should get regular endoscopic screening.

[yorkshiregirl4 in reply to jade_s]

Many thanks for your comprehensive reply. I am now on a low fat diet and that has improved the bowel problems but not eliminated them. I await a SeHCAT scan and hope the result may well result in appropriate medication to control the bowel problems that I have been struggling with for a couple of years now. I have both blood sugar issues and hypothyroidism too so will hopefully get all these tested if I can manage to get a GP appointment! Kind regards.

[jade_s in reply to yorkshiregirl4]

Glad to hear it's a bit improved, and good luck with the rest of the testing and getting ahold of GP. 🙏

Medichecks has the advance well woman panel that includes everything medichecks.com/products/wel... 127 pounds plus 35 for the blood draw, that's with 20% off at the moment. Other times it's 159 but then you should be able to get the TUK discount with the code THYROIDUK10 .

[yorkshiregirl4]

Many thanks jade_s. It is so reassuring to get such good advice.

[Rexz]

Concur with jade_s reply. I would add serum Gastrin to that list and have it done each time. For the Gastrin and Iron it's important to watch for trends. Ferritin continually tracking downward with a PA diagnosis is indicative of a malabsorption issue due to low/no gastric acid. Likewise serum Gastrin being high, way above normal with is indicative of low/no gastric acid.

Rexz