Going private

[Lynne1980]

Have made an app with Dr Toft in Edinburgh. Does anyone have any experience with him. Also can anyone tell me what normal levels of t3 are. Thanks.

[Clutter]

Lynne1980,

Typical FT3 range is 3.1-6.8 but it can vary and the range at my hospital is 3.2-6.2.

[Lynne1980 in reply to Clutter]

Clutter

Thanks for your reply. My t3 level is 1.5. Why are they saying that's normal.

[rosetrees in reply to Lynne1980]

To avoid having to do anything sordid. Such as treat you.

[Lynne1980 in reply to rosetrees]

No wonder so many people are walking about feeling rubbish.

[Clutter in reply to Lynne1980]

Lynne1980,

As I said, ranges can vary. Ask your GP receptionist what the FT3 range is. If the range is 1.0-3.0 yours is normal.

[Lynne1980 in reply to Clutter]

Gp receptionist said she wasn't medically trained which is fair enough. Thyroid uk had ranges but I didn't know they vary depending where you are. So confusing.

[Clutter in reply to Lynne1980]

Lynne1980,

Receptionists don't have to be medically trained to read out a set of figures in brackets, assuming they are on the results sheet. Perhaps you could ask for a printout of the results and ranges.

[Lynne1980 in reply to Clutter]

I'm getting print out to take to private consultant so I'll have a look. Don't understand why there's different ranges everywhere.

[Clutter in reply to Lynne1980]

Lynne1980,

For most tests, the reference ranges are specific to the laboratory that produces the test results. Different laboratories use different kinds of equipment and different kinds of testing methods. That means they have to establish their own ranges, and will provide your test result with an accompanying reference range appropriate to the laboratory. The doctor should therefore apply the reference range supplied by the laboratory which performed the test rather than that used by another laboratory or one given in a book.

The first step in determining a reference range is to define the population to which the range will apply. A large number of individuals from a group who are thought to represent a "normal" population, will be tested for a particular laboratory test. The reference range is then derived mathematically by taking the average value for the group and allowing for natural variation around that value (plus or minus 2 standard deviations from the average). In this way, ranges quoted by labs will represent the values found in 95% of individuals in the chosen ‘reference’ group. In other words, even in a "normal" population, a test result will lie outside the reference range in 5% of cases (1 in 20). This is why the term "reference range" is preferred over "normal range".

labtestsonline.org.uk/under...

[Clutter]

Lynne1980,

Dr. Toft authored a book on Thyroid which is available in most pharmacies for £5 or £6. He was interviewed by Pulse magazine and extracts are included in this link thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_... Email [e-mail] if you would like a copy of the Pulse article.

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

[Lynne1980 in reply to Clutter]

Thank you for the advice just ordered book from Amazon so hopefully will get a better understanding of him before I go and meet him in June.