Having private blood tests, which ones please d... - Thyroid UK

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Having private blood tests, which ones please do I need the most please as this feeling urgent now?

Cup-cake7 profile image
21 Replies

Hi

My tsh is 6. Told the t4 in the middle and the lab doesn't give T3!!

Ordering private test to get the free 3

Is this sufficient please? Or do I order t4 as well?

Feel absolutely no energy Nd can't think straight , had palpataions this week for the first timeJ and anxiety

Jx

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Cup-cake7 profile image
Cup-cake7
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21 Replies
shaws profile image
shawsAdministrator

Your TSH is above range which is around 5. If in the UK, it is horrific that the Guidelines state that it has to go to 10 before being diagnosed. If we were in the USA they prescribe at 3+. I find that strange as the BTA usually just copy the ATA guidelines.

Palps and anxiety are symptoms too. I'd get FT4 and FT3. Be well hydrated for a couple of days before drawing blood. I believe it's quite easy although haven't done so myself.

Palps can be due to our heart struggling to pump due to low hormones. It can be due to too much but I doubt that's your case :)

Remember to leave 24 hours gap between last dose and test and take afterwards.

It is a fasting test but you can drink water.

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

Cup-cake7 profile image
Cup-cake7 in reply toshaws

O thankyou for reply

I did the blood prick t3 and couldn't get enough blood so was inconclusive so am going to clinic now, and was checking if te enough, I will get Both t3 and t4 done then

What do I do with the results of this, any thoughts please

shaws profile image
shawsAdministrator in reply toCup-cake7

It should be Free T3 and Free T4 as there are also T3 and T4 just to confuse us.

Post the results with the ranges and put on a new question. Also draw blood as early as possible.

Cup-cake7 profile image
Cup-cake7 in reply toshaws

...why is it early is it just the fasting ? ( Just in case the clinic appointment is not early? )

Will the two of these, f 4 and f 3 show what I need to know re tablets as I'm a bit lost with it all,

My other results are Feb 25th

Thnx

J

startagaingirl profile image
startagaingirl in reply toCup-cake7

It is because your levels change throughout the day and the best level to know is one taken as early as possible.

shaws profile image
shawsAdministrator in reply toCup-cake7

To get the best result of a blood test - Doctors only take notice of the TSH and don't appear to know the effect of any thyroid hormones have on our body.

TSH is highest early a.m. and drops throughout the day so therefore many get an adjustment (lower) to their hormones unnecessarily as the TSH is meaningless when we are already diagnosed as hypo.

I mustt admit it is difficult to understand and in reality we should not be on Help Line but we have to if we are to recover and get well. The FT4 and FT3 when we are taking thyroid hormones should be towards the upper part of the range. Not middle, or lower. Unfortunately doctors pay no attention to these and wouldn't even know why you wanted them.

If our FT3 in particular is low, we don't have sufficient T3 going into our receptor cells and it is T3 which makes our body function efficiently.

Cup-cake7 profile image
Cup-cake7

I suppose then it is of no use to get my ft3 tested this week as my tsh is 6!.?

Or not?

Thanks lots for reply

Cup-cake7 profile image
Cup-cake7

....re reading your post I am confused as you say the tsh is meaningless when hypo?

I was under impression I had to try and get it down as low as possible for optimal well being? Confused sorry

Stourie profile image
Stourie in reply toCup-cake7

What is meant is that the tsh is meaningless once you are medicated. Then t4 and more importantly is the t3 reading.

Jo xx

Cup-cake7 profile image
Cup-cake7 in reply toStourie

Thanks jo, clear as mud😊 So do I need to see my tsh at a one to feel good or not?

Do you mean t3 t4 or ft3 ft4. ? As I'm gathering the ft3 is the one that sows how it is getting into cells etc

Also, as my t4 is at 14 I'm told this is ok?

What does this mean then please in my case with my tsh 5 and t4 at 14

So sorry, I don't know what to think or do?

I don't want to start meds if I don't need to, 2 GPs said as my 4 ok that I soils the.

Please can someone in authority analyse this for me, maybe how I feel is purely anxiety and not thyroid,

I'm told I'm hypothyroidal as a 5

X

Stourie profile image
Stourie in reply toCup-cake7

T4 and T3's are free unless it says total. With a tsh of 5 I would say that yes you are hypothyroid. Doctors often don't diagnose until it reaches 10 though. Even if the range is lower. Don't ask me to explain that as it doesn't make sense.

14 is probably low in range but I don't know what your range is as they all differ. The doc will think that you are ok because it is in range but not optimal. Doctors really mostly know diddly squat about thyroid and how to treat it so you'll have to learn all you can.

You could always ask for a trial of 50mcg of levo and say to him/her that if you don't feel good then you would stop it. It might work. Hope all this helpas.

Jo xx

Cup-cake7 profile image
Cup-cake7

But the doctors aren't concerned about me as my t4 ok???

Would endocrenist be the answer

I woke this morning and thought I would count my pulse, it was 55??

I feel very confused about all this and want to sleep deeply but cant

Cup-cake7 profile image
Cup-cake7

Ps. And BP only 125 over 65

Cup-cake7 profile image
Cup-cake7

Yes I believe I'm struggling and my mood so low and anx high, tinnitus worse

I've ordered a blood test for the ts and antibodies and Vits. And tsh

I'm going to the clinic

And thankyou sincerely I think it is sinking in, I get it that if medicated the tsh isn't relevant I had just got confused as another post said to get it down to 1, I do wonder if I have antibodies as I had pre eclampsia and psiriosis. Luckily the pigment stayed ok years ago and I do believe my system righted itself, But then the psiriosis returned in 2002 and now gone again but no pigment, I've seen this in the symptom list, I have knobbly fingers but lucky they don't hurt, Maybe this is all auto immune, will see soon!

Should InFast before going to clinic?

Thanks so much

Px

Charmaine50 profile image
Charmaine50

I'm just about to order a T3 test from Medichecks but am a bit concerned about not getting enough blood from finger prick too. I am not near to one of their clinics either. It has been suggested to me to get a Free T4 done at the same time but already have results for that which was done back in June by the doctor. I sympathize with you as have all the symptoms that you have. It makes me cross that we have to do all this ourselves when the doctors should be doing it. Best of luck to you.

Cup-cake7 profile image
Cup-cake7 in reply toCharmaine50

Hi yes it's a bit of a nightmare

Where are you?

Charmaine50 profile image
Charmaine50 in reply toCup-cake7

Near Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk

Cup-cake7 profile image
Cup-cake7

You get head around it bit by bit, not easy when living it and anxious etc

Follow vitamin advice and tips here, the symptoms will lesson sadly it's not a click of fingers, maybe make a log to see how far you've come? I'm not breathless or Palp now 👍🏼 Lots of good wishes x

Cup-cake7 profile image
Cup-cake7 in reply toCup-cake7

Also if having your bloods test, it's important to have free t3 which should be in higher part of the range

Also b12 d3. Ferratin and folate

Take selenium 200 is helpful, maybe zinc and copper, b complex along side the b12

If have digestive problems. Leaky gut/ low stomach acid, the spray vitamins are particularly good ( as can't absorb through tummy well if I take is porous lining, you can heal this )

Cup-cake7 profile image
Cup-cake7

I'd recommend going to clinic or hospital for the bloods! Maybe it's me, it was hilarious I couldn't make mymthumb bleed hardly at all

I didn't want to think I had to take tablets, probably like most, do you feel depressed and anxious? X

Cup-cake7 profile image
Cup-cake7

....I'd be very surprised if one of your hospitals won't take the blood it may be an extra 20£. Charmaine Or even at your local surgery, the Blood Test people will advise who are you are having mine was Medichecks

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