Tests to ask the Doctor for?

[Diyena]

On Tuesday I'm finally going to see the doctor ( had to wait 3 weeks to see him!)

5 weeks ago, I was told, by another doctor, I have a borderline underactive thyroid and given 25mg of levothyrroxine and sent away and told to come back in 3 months. After joining this Forum and posting my blood results I realised I needed more tests and info.

My question is what tests should I request to give me a full picture?

[shaws Administrator]

Ask for a Full Thyroid Function Test and tell him you're suffering with clinical symptoms. (You are not a 'dot' on a piece of paper).

TSH, T4, T3, Free T4, Free T3, Vitamin B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate.

The test should be the earliest (as you may know) and fast (you can drink water). Leave 24 hours between your dose of levo and the test and take afterwards.

You can say you have had information from Thyroiduk.org the NHS Choices for advice. This might be helpful for you as 25mcg is so negligible to make any difference. You can also look on the left hand column and look for symptoms and tick off those you have:

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

[Diyena in reply to shaws]

Thank you, if anything I feel my symptoms have worsened. I'm so stiff it's a struggle to walk without looking like a 90 year old at the moment. My tiredness seems worse too.

[shaws Administrator in reply to Diyena]

Your low dose can be the contributor to you feel worse.

[Hoxo]

I'm not surprised that you feel unwell with TSH over 5 and free T4 only 13.5. Some papers I've read suggest TSH needs to be <2 and ideally around 1 for optimum health and Free T4 in upper end of reference range and that was my experience when I was first taking Levothyroxine. Your results suggest you are hypothyroid and need thyroxine supplementation. Read up on Thyroid blood tests and reference range controversy. Sadly the truth is that you need to be well read on thyroid issues in order to make sure you get the correct treatment to get better.

Best wishes.