Help with advice about private testing please

[Cn13]

Hi Everyone,

Hoping I can have some help following on from my GP appointment today. I seem to have a lot of symptoms of being hypothyroid so asked if GP could do further tests for Thyroid not just TSH and T4 but he politely refused.

He said even if Thyroid antibodies were positive it would just mean I have a high risk of developing Thyroid problems in the future and don't actually have the disease. Is this correct.

My recent result is:

Serum TSH level 1.76 miu/L [0.35 - 4.94]

Serum free T4 level 10.6 pmol/L [9 - 19]

Result in March was:

Serum TSH level 1.82 miu/L [0.35 - 4.94]

Serum free T4 level 16 pmol/L [9 - 19]

Just wondering if someone could advise is GP correct about the antibodies and also is it worth me doing a private test.

Thanks in advance.

[Clutter]

Carmel13n.

Your GP is right about the antibodies and I don't think it is worth you doing a private test just now. High thyroid antibodies means you have autoimmune thyroiditis (Hashimoto's) which will eventually cause hypothyroidism. Currently you have euthyroid Hashimoto's because your thyroid levels are normal. UK doctors are not good at acknowledging that euthyroid Hashimoto's can make a person symptomatic, probably because there is no treatment or cure for autoimmune disease and it isnt until TSH and/or FT4 are abnormal that treatment will be given.

Many people have found that 100% gluten-free diet is helpful in reducing Hashi flares, symptoms and eventually antibodies and may delay progression to hypothyroidism.

chriskresser.com/the-gluten...

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

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/resear...

medscape.com/viewarticle/76...

I commented on your previous post that FT4 had dropped considerably in a couple of months and advised you to retest in a few months to keep an eye out for FT4 dropping below range when you will be able to get Levothyroxine treatment. If your GP won't retest TSH and FT4 in 3 months time then it would be worth you ordering your own TSH, FT4 and FT3 tests then.

In the meantime you might like to supplement 200mcg selenium which is good for the thyroid and might also delay your progression to hypothyroidism.

[Cn13 in reply to Clutter]

Hi,

Thanks very much for your reply Clutter. I will follow your advice and get retested in 3 months and look at purchasing the selenium too.

[Cn13 in reply to Cn13]

So if the T4 goes down by just the 1.6pmol would that be a diagnosis of Hashimotos or would I need the testing for the antibodies done at that time?