Companies that do blood/saliva tests to find underlying issues as to why no weight loss?

[SandraCC]

Hi

Does anyone have any experience of those companies that do blood test/saliva tests to help those who have medical issues? In particular, one who can assess your bloods to find out why people are not losing weight?

Once again I have ballooned to over 10 stone having stopped the thyroid meds, NDT, on the say so of 2 Doctors I paid to help support me with this.

I have gained 8 lbs in the last few weeks inexplicably. This is whilst on my new year resolution I joined a well know weight loss company and increased exercise steadily over a period. My clothes feel very tight.

Late last year, of the 2 doctors I paid for support with taking NDT ie, so they could prescribe it, one took bloods on the morning that I had taken the meds and said that my reading was way too high and told me categorically that I was at risk and should stop taking as my body is producing enough. The other, was not happy with Dr P’s original diagnoses and said that I didn’t need thyroid lest I become dependent on them and told me to stop taking this and my own thyroids stop produding. He has since then prescribed over £70 of stuff that hasn’t worked as he convinced himself this was hormonal.

I have gone back to both and the first Doctor said, ‘no, I didn’t tell you to stop, just reduce’. So I imagined that red flag and the alarm in your voice after the £55 consultation to get my results did I?

The other Doctor asked me ‘what I thought was wrong’ – I didn’t pay him over £300 to have to do a self diagnoses.

I have now gone back to Doctor P but cannot help feeling an overwhelming amount of concern as to whether to self medicate is the ‘right’ thing to do. Does my current escalating weight and emerging return of other symptoms suggest I should be taking this again? Dr P thinks so so I gues that will have to be good enough for now.

[CarolineC57]

Hi Sandra - I don't know anything about the blood/saliva tests to do with weight loss, but I do know (from my own experience) that being hypothyroid will certainly make you gain weight and be unable to shift it. If you've stopped your meds are you making yourself more hypo?

I'm not diagnosed by the NHS (TSH "normal") but based on clinical signs/symptoms Dr P said he thinks I'm hypo (along with adrenal problems). I'm now self-medicating with NDT and adrenal support. I've definitely noticed some improvements but it feels like there's a long way to go. Mind you, I've been ill since the 1990s - NHS telling me it was fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Anyway it does sound like the docs you've mentioned (apart from Dr P) are just basing their comments on TSH results only and coming out with the standard stuff they spout about TSH having to be "in range". Maybe you need to read up on all this and self-medicate like I'm doing? I'm no expert so I hope someone with more experience than me in this comes along and gives you better advice than I can.

[SandraCC in reply to CarolineC57]

Hi Caroline,

Thanks for responding. I was ok with listening to what Dr P said but in the back of my mind I did worry about self medicating hence wanting to go to a Doctor that would prescribe and perhaps reassure me. No such luck. I intend to go back on Armour as per Dr P's instruction but first, have to do the adrenals.

I was working with a trainer who offered to give me my money back and start me on some supplements he does because he doesn't think that the weight training will help me!

What improvements have you noticed Caroline?

[CarolineC57 in reply to SandraCC]

Hi Sandra - sorry for the delay replying - been busy all day!

You ask about what improvements I've seen. Well, I started on a very low dose - a quarter grain - of WP Thyroid. Since I've been ill since the 1990s and I've had no thyroid treatment before I figured I'd need to start really low. I've gradually worked up to where I am now - 1.75 grains.

So far the most noticeable change has been that I have longer periods through the day when I feel more alert, can concentrate better and have more energy. I tend to flag later in the day but I don't feel so bad earlier on now. And my insomnia is improving. I still have poor sleep sometimes but I'm certainly getting much better sleep more often than I used to.

Another thing I noticed really quickly after I'd started it was that my body hair started to grow back! I always had to shave my lower legs until this problem flared up .. then suddenly all my hairs vanished! (that was probably the only good thing about the condition - lol!). Now, they've started to appear again - pity really.

But I do feel there's a long way for me to go yet. Perhaps as I've been ill for so long I'll never be 100% but I'd definitely like to feel quite a bit better than I do now - though I'm really grateful for the improvements already.

Hope you find the right dose for you and see some improvements soon.

[Ruthi]

I'm still struggling to lose the extra 8 kilos after I allowed a GP to persuade me to stop the NDT and go back to Levo only.

Never again!

[SandraCC in reply to Ruthi]

Hi Ruthi

Why did your gp persuade you to do this? Were you self medicating on NDT previously?

[Ruthi in reply to SandraCC]

Well it was the usual stuff. I was self medicating, and had done for years. But in order to get access to the testing In was also taking a small amount of Levo. She persuaded me that my suppressed TSH was a problem, and that we needed to cut out the NDT in order to see what was really going on. Looking back now I cannot even begin to understand how I let her talk me into it. I never will again!

Rather oddly I didn't go downhill as quickly as I usually do, and then a whole lot of other stuff kicked off, and I just thought I was reacting to the stress! Eight weeks later I had gained 8 kilos, my skin was like sandpaper and my energy was on the floor.

Just going back on the NDT wasn't a complete answer. My poor adrenals had taken a real beating, dealing with the stress AND trying to make up for me being hypo. So now they are in overdrive, producing roughly double the cortisol they should, and In feel terrible despite my T3 being pretty well optimal. My B12 and folate are way high, and my D is fine due to a life in the outdoors.

[SandraCC]

I didn't put the results I had when I was taking NDT

Thyroxine = 22 (Range 12-22)

T3 = 12.8 (Range 3.1-6.8)

TSH = 0.01 (Range 0.27-4.2)

[Ruthi in reply to SandraCC]

Sandra, that looks like you were overdoing the NDT!

[silverfox7]

I wouldn't say you were self medicating under Dr P. Dr P from what I have heard and read is a wonderful doctor who has decided to help Thyroid patients regain there help. The late Dr Skinner was another but Dr Skinner was continually hauled before the GMC for prescribing thyroid medication. They failed to get him struck off but I'm sure his health suffered from the continual stress.

This is stress Dr P does not want so, as I understand, he advises patients but does not prescribe the actual drugs required so a technicality which enables him to help many.

The readings you have posted do suggest you were over medicated at the time of the test but I should trust the advice of Dr P.

[SandraCC]

Hi All

Thanks for the replies - yes, even I can see that I was over medicated but when the one doctor dismissed the hypo even without seeing any bloods and the other that did the test said I should stop taking then I thought well, I have 2 people telling me the same thing here, this is really worrying. Both talked about future health implications too so as you can imagine, that made me even more worried.

I do feel like I should be able to access blood tests as and when necessary thought to check levels - I guess I will have to do this privately? NHS wont allow me access even if I pay will they?

[CarolineC57 in reply to SandraCC]

Re blood tests, no the NHS won't do these for you. I pay for my own via Blue Horizons. To be honest I haven't even told my GP I'm taking NDT yet. I keep thinking I ought to ... but I'm afraid she'll strike me off their list or something.

[Clutter in reply to SandraCC]

Sandra, Ask your GP practice how much they'll charge to do private FT4, FT3 & TSH. Some members have paid for NHS tests.