Can somebody please tell me the exact tests that I should be asking my doctor to do to check thyroid? TSH normal.

[sip1]

Well, I've had yet ANOTHER normal full blood count - TSH normal, and also morning cortisol, normal (to check adrenals). I just seem to be going round in circles. I've never had anything other than TSH checked, ever - and I've been complaining about tiredness (etc) for years! If my doctor doesn't offer any more tests, should I be asking for anything in particular? I did take in a private test that I did from Genova that checked the T3 and T4 (T4 normal, T3 low) and suggested that I was indeed hypothyroid, which he did take on board but I'm not sure if he's going to act on it or not Getting rather tired now.... well, 'more' tired than I already am!!

[chihiro]

When gp says normal do you know what the results actually are?

As for tests I think tsh on its own isn't good enough, at the very least FT4 should be done and even better if they will do FT3 too. Also have you had antibodies checked?

[sip1 in reply to chihiro]

My TSH is 2.64 (one last June was 2.67 so not any different really) and my cortisol (taken 8 am in the morning) was at the top of the range, in fact, slightly over. A saliva test I did in Jan in fact showed this was under first thing in the morning. Confusing! I don't believe I have had antibodies checked - I guess I would know if I had?! What does that check?

[shaws Administrator in reply to sip1]

This is a link in which you will see the interpretation of blood tests is different to the GP's.

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

[sip1 in reply to shaws]

Thank you! This is great

[chihiro in reply to sip1]

My TSH is similar to yours at the moment and I really don't feel well. The antibodies would suggest thyroid autoimmune disease which in the first and second stage of the disease is likely to keep your tsh in range or swinging from high to low. I just noticed you did have t3 and t4 tested, sorry I must have missed that when I first read your post.T3: I've never had mine tested so have nothing to compare to but I'm quite positive of the fact that a low t3 isn't a good thing.

[sip1 in reply to chihiro]

Are you being treated for hypothyroid yourself? It's rubbish how they can say anything under 4-5 is normal when we know, the way we feel is far from normal!

[chihiro in reply to sip1]

I'm about to start a trial of levo because I have high antibodies. My tsh is in range but goes up and down.

Unfortunately for us we live in a country where doctors follow no treatment till over 10 or at least over top of the range. The ranges are a lot bigger than what other countries have too which keeps a lot of people untreated or under treated. It is rubbish and very frustrating and upsetting.

[sip1 in reply to chihiro]

When I go back on Thursday, if he does offer me thyroid medication then I'm going to ask for NDT. I can see me having a battle on my hands! But having read 'stop the thyroid madness', and also having read an awful lot about how people are not getting on with Levothyroxine - I just don't want to even try it. I know some people get on with it, but I'm just wondering how it's going to help me when it's the T3 I'm lacking, and Thyroxine is only T4

[eeng in reply to sip1]

I take levothyroxine. It's fine. Loads of people (I have heard 80%) do so without problems. It's the other 20% who come on this forum. It's definitely worth trying first.