Thyroid reading

[1072]

I have to go and get my thyroid tested to see if my levels r ok do take my levothyroxine that morning or leave till after the test to get a better reading appreciate any advice

[1072]

Thanks reallyfedup 123 for your advice I was told it would give n inaccurate reading if I took it that morning

[teresa64]

Hi. I had my annual thyroid check 10 days ago. Nobody had ever told me not to take my medication prior to the blood test. I'm sick of my GP telling me that there's no further action required when I know I'm feeling like death warmed up. I'm so low I keep bursting into tears for no apparent reason. My hair and skin are so dry, sore and itchy they're driving me crazy and the tiredness and deep muscle aches are making new feel like a hypochondriac. In fact, my GP makes me feel like one too so I tend to avoid going to see him unless it's drastically necessary.

I wish I'd read the answer to this post before having my test. I shall definitely keep it in mind for the next one. Teresa

[1072]

Hi teresa64 sorry to hear what u r going through I am not long diagnosed with thyroid so I am still learning but u could ask people in the group who have experience in the illness to help with your symptoms there is some great advice in here, there is ways to help yourself a lot of people have to do that because we all have doctors that think once your levels r fine everything should be fine, which definitely isn't the case thanks for replying back to me and I really hope you get sorted with your symptoms

[Glynisrose]

Never take meds before a test, the blood test only measures whats in the blod not whether its working.

[1072 in reply to Glynisrose]

Thanks glynisrose for your advice I will not be taking any meds b4 the test see what results I get back

[humanbean]

As well as not taking thyroid meds in the 24 hours before a test, it is important to do the test having fasted for 12 hours beforehand (except for water which can be drunk freely), and to do the test as early in the morning as possible - before 9am is best.

[1072 in reply to humanbean]

Thanks humanbean I didn't realise about the fasting for 12 hours I will take this on board the only thing is my appointment is for 9.10 in the morning that's the earliest anyone can get the surgery does not open till 9 will it make much of a difference in results

[humanbean in reply to 1072]

It shouldn't be too bad - and if you have no choice anyway, then there isn't much you can do. Saying it should be as early as possible is because TSH varies according to time of day. Take a look at the first graph on page 2 of this paper :

press.endocrine.org/doi/pdf...

The only other possibility I can suggest is to find out where the blood is sent to - it is usually a pathology lab in your local hospital. If your local hospital has a phlebotomy department for people to get their blood taken then they might open earlier than your doctor's surgery. If that is the case then you'd have to be their very early to be first in the queue.

My local hospital blood test department doesn't open till 9am, so I get no benefit from going there usually.

[1072 in reply to humanbean]

Thanks very much humanbean this information has been has been very helpful I appreciate this thanks for your time