Even the 'Top Man' won't help ?

[sooziemoo]

Hi, have Hashi's ( 5yrs since diagnosis ) also Systemic Lupus... Was initially on T4 Levo..felt no benefit, so GP said that it seems I can't convert the T4..was put on T3 only, 3 years ago. Currently taking 20mcg am and 20mcg pm.

Still feeling no relief from all the usual Hashi's symptoms, in fact, feel like have deteriorated over the last year or so. Went to GP and 'demanded' a full & thorough blood test, which apparently had to be sanctioned by the 'Head/Consultant Metabologist' at my local hospital.

The bloods form said test for Full TFT : FT4 FT3 TSH TPO & REV. T3

Have just had the results back, and they have only done TSH & FREE T4 !!

TSH = 5.91 ( month ago was 8.9 )

FREE T4 = 10.6

Am just about at the end of my tether ! ..had to really badger my GP to get this full test done, and now, looks like they havn't bothered to do it after all !

Now have to make another GP appointment, to see what the hell is going on ! Why don't they just do this simple thing ? TSH & T4 results alone are not good enough to get the 'full picture' ? Sorry to rant, but am just so annoyed with being fobbed off , and only offered anti depressants as a solution ! x

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Are you on gluten free diet as you have Hashimoto's

amymyersmd.com/2017/02/3-im...

and have you had your vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 tested?

If so put the results up on here, including ranges. Very common these are too low

I don't think NHS ever do RT3. Not sure if it's relevant if only on T3, Clutter will know

Obviously you do need to know FT3!

Many of us have given up battle to get tests on NHS and just get done via private test

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

[Clutter]

Sooziemoo,

There are often local agreements between CCGs and labs which may restrict which tests labs will analyse. FT3 is rarely tested unless TSH is suppressed <0.03 because the lab is looking for evidence of hyperthyroidism not low FT3 in hypothyroid patients. The lab might have done FT3 if your GP had annoted the form to say you were taking T3 only. Labs usually hold onto blood samples for up to 7 days so there may be time for your GP to ring and insist the lab checks FT3 and TPOab.

rT3 isn't tested on NHS except for Southampton Hospital which is running some sort of clinical trial. As you are taking T3 only you won't have high rT3 so there is no point in having rT3 tested. It is Levothyroxine (T4) which converts to T3 and rT3 and unconverted T4 which causes high rT3.

You are under medicated to have TSH 5.91 and should have dose increased. FT3 is likely to be low with TSH 5.91 and I would expect FT4 to be below range as you are taking T3 only.

If you can't get the tests you want via your GP you can order private tests via thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin... Medichecks offer #ThyroidThursday discounts.