Thyroid tests

[Angel-Lee]

Greetings everyone,

I have move to UK recently, so I am not much aware about NHS rules. In my country I was treated for for FT3 and FT4, but I have stop taking medicine 'cause it was very expensive ( Imagine to pay 400 GBP every time when you go to chemist...)

Results from abroad for FT4 are before treatment ( 2007 ) 11,3 pmol/L (min 12.0 max 22.0 )

when I was taking medicine 18.3 pmol/L (min 10.3 max 24.4 )

when I've stop 15.89 pmol/L (min 12.0 max 22.0 )

Prolactin (2007) 340.6 mlU/L ( min 102 max 496) , prolactin after 60 min with MTC 3104 mlU/L

FT3 (2007 ) 4.7 pmol/L (min 2.3 max 6.3 )

TSH 1.15 mlU/L in 2007 ( min 0.4 max 4.0 ),

TSH 3 gen. 1.32 mlU/L in 2009 (min 0.27 max 4.20 )

New test from 23.06.2016 1.38 mU/L (0.30- 4.20) and from 15.07.2016 1.05 mlU/L (0.30- 4.20)

I have now 2 appointments here with NHS GP, who have received from me list of my symptoms in UK, photos of my body before and after treatment abroad. GP have order only blood test for basic TSH, when he was aware about results of ft4 and prolactin. He told me, that everything is normal for him and he don't see point of starting any treatment and if results of basic test for TSH will show anything wrong for him, he will send me to specialist. Also that I need to do do a blood test after 6 months.

I don't feel well, now. I don't want to take any benefits or be all time on off-sick, just start treatment to have normal and regular healthy life.

Where I need to go, or with who I need to contact, to have proper blood test for my problems?

Please help.

Best wishes!

[lc1973]

Hi Angel Lee and welcome

Were you prescribed T3 and T4 (levo and lio) in your country before coming here? Or did you have to pay for whatever treatment you had but you are saying it was much cheaper than here? Can you not get your doctors notes translated for the thyroid issues and sent to your GP here so that you can continue your treatment? i worry that in 6 months time if not much sooner you will be quite poorly. If it is the cost of the T3 you are referring to it is very difficult to get this prescribed on the NHS, if this is the case you will read on here that others have to buy their T3 and self medicate which is a lot cheaper than paying the cost of a private prescription here, if you put up a new post and ask for where to buy T3 you will get some replies. Hope this has been of some help?

[Angel-Lee in reply to lc1973]

Hi lc1973,

Thank you for your reply

Before I went to doctor in my country I have made private tests there, where it is not that much expensive ( around 20 GBP) as a medicines ( around 400 GBP ). I have show English GP all files, results and prescriptions from my country, and he didn't have continue any treatment.

I know that 6 months is a really long time

I need to be treated for T4 and prolactine.

From my experience it is not safe for me to treat myself with hormons without consultation with GP... I have a very bad side effects after medicines for prolactine.

[Clutter]

Welcome to the forum, Angel-Lee,

Unfortunately a lot of GP practices will not test FT4 when TSH is normal and it is increasingly rare for FT3 to be tested in primary care. You can order FT4 and FT3 privately from Blue Horizon or Genova via thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

[Angel-Lee in reply to Clutter]

Hi Clutter,

Does results of FT3 and FT4 are taken serous by British GP-s if they are made privately outside UK ( where is cheaper) ?

[Clutter in reply to Angel-Lee]

Angel_Lee,

It will very much depend on individual GPs. There is no guarantee that a GP will act on private results from the UK or abroad.

[Angel-Lee in reply to Clutter]

Thank you Clutter.

What I need to do in this moment? When I didn't have take any medicines I was more than overweight ( I have water retention) and now I have a lot of symptoms that I have had before... Like insomnia, hair loss and many, many more. Most of them with pain.

[Angel_of_the_North in reply to Angel-Lee]

You need to get blood tests for FT4, Ft3, TSH, folate , ferritin, D3, B12, and buy your own T3 online (you are very unlikely to get GP to prescribe it).

[Angel-Lee in reply to Angel_of_the_North]

Where is best to buy it? I mean- online retail shop?

[Clutter in reply to Angel-Lee]

Angel_Lee,

NHS won't diagnose hypothyroidism and prescribe Levothyroxine until TSH is over range or FT4 is below range.

I would order the tests Angel_of_the_North has recommended and post the results and ranges in a new question.

[Angel-Lee in reply to Clutter]

Clutter

Thank you, I will book test in Nuffield hospital asap.