Vitamin & mineral test denied!

[sarahstevo1974]

Hi All

Had a telephone consultation with my GP yesterday (couldn't get a regular appointment) to request vitamin and mineral tests and was told that there is no NHS test available!! I explained to him that I was still feeling quite poorly and have had to take some more time off work (not that he cared) his response was that as I have just had a dose increase to 75mcg of levo only 2 weeks ago and my TSH is still above range 6.58 mU/L (0.38 - 5.33) so it's to be expected until TSH is in range I told him I understood that but wanted to try and help myself to feel better and that I thought supplements would help but needed tests to determine which ones he dismissed this by saying get some OTC multivitamins it won't hurt!!! Yes but which ones!!!

I also asked him about my raised thyroid peroxidase antibodies and if that meant I had autoimmune thyroid disease ( 31/5/17 641 IU/ml <50) and was told that was not significant and we need to get TSH in range and will retest TSH in September!!

Pretty pointless phone call really I would swear but I'm too polite!

Anyway rant over my question is

Can anyone recommend the best private blood test to buy to check my vitamins and minerals as I do want to try supplements but am cautious till I know which ones I need

I am desperate to feel better and get back to work as I have an interview in 3 weeks for a really good promotion but at the moment I can't get through a day let alone an interview!

Thanks

[Nanaedake]

I'm really, really sorry you had such an unhelpful response from your GP. Thyroid UK website lists reliable laboratories where you can get private tests done.

thyroiduk.org/tuk/testing/p...

I had vitamin D tested through City Assays and it was all very easy and just under £30 . I contacted bue horizons but didn't need to use them as GP did the tests. They were very good at answering my queries and didn't hassle me afterwards. You could have vitamin D included in a package of blood tests I think and it might be cheaper. The advantage of City Assays is that it's an NHS lab that is used by the hospital etc so GP should accept the results.

You could write to your GP and ask for vitamin tests, copy the practice manager into the letter and supply a copy of research that shows the link between Hashimotos and vitamin D deficiency. Here's one below.

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

The NICE guidance of vitamin D supplementation is here nice.org.uk/guidance/ph56

If you work from 9 to 5 in an office without access to sunshine then tell your GP, as more likely to test for vitamin D at least.

NICE has not yet produced guidelines for Thyroid Conditions although they are in the process with projected timeline 2019 for completion so your GP will need to be guided by best available research on vitamin deficiencies in hypothyroid patients and local area guidelines on vitamin D deficiency. You should be able to find your local area guidelines by googling your CCG (Clinical Commissioning Group). They hold the budgets for GP's.

You could also try a different GP in your practice? I find their approach can vary a lot. If you have vitamin deficiencies, over the counter vitamins will be useless, in fact they are a waste of money as they usually contain poor quality forms of the vitamins.

Perhaps the admins on this forum will have some better advice about how to approach your GP?

[sarahstevo1974 in reply to Nanaedake]

Hi Nanaedake

Thank you for your response I will definitely be looking at private tests and will request to see another GP at my surgery it's worth a shot though I don't hold out much hope and yes I do work indoors!

On a positive note I am on day 4 of Gluten free so far so good also been scoffing a couple of Brazil nuts a day I read they are good source of selenium!

[Nanaedake in reply to sarahstevo1974]

Brazil nuts can be a good source of selenium but I believe they need to be grown in selenium rich soil or they will contain very little selenium. Check where they come from and try to find nuts that say they are selenium rich. You may pay a little more. Do a little research!

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to sarahstevo1974]

Sarah - the packet has to say 'Grown in selenium rich soil' otherwise the nuts wont contain any. Even if it does say that, the selenium content in the soil varies by which country. The only way to know exactly how much selenium you are getting is to supplement.

[sarahstevo1974]

Hmm perhaps your right I got them from the health food store it states on the packet "a good source of selenium" but no idea where there from! Either way there quite tasty so will still scoff them anyway better than biscuits!!

Back to the drawing board on that 1

Thanks again

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Sarah - don't bother with a multivitamin, they contain too little of anything to do any good and usually contain the least bioavailable and worse form of the ingredients. If they contain iron then that cancels out anything else included as iron must be taken at least two hours away from any other supplements. Your GP wont know this as they're not taught nutrition.

Blue Horizon and Medichecks both do vitamins and minerals as part of a thyroid bundle

bluehorizonmedicals.co.uk/t...

medichecks.com/thyroid-func...

They both test exactly the same, and this particular test includes Vit D so you wont have to do it separately with City Assays.

[sarahstevo1974 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Hi seasideSusie

I will have a look on medichecks for an appropriate test thank you for your advice and as for the doctor suggesting a multivitamin I gave up listening to him months ago and don't intend to purchase multivitamins as I know they are useless!

As for Brazil nuts back to the drawing board! but they at least make a tasty snack 😁

Thanks again

[Clutter]

SarahStevo1974,

Did you make it clear to your GP which vitamin and mineral tests you wanted? It's often advised on the forum to have ferritin, vitamin D, B12 and folate tested and they are all available on NHS which isn't to say your GP will agree to order them unless he thinks it clinically necessary.

[sarahstevo1974]

Hi clutter

Yes I asked for B12 vit D & folate (forgot ferritin) he declined the request as said they were not available on NHS which I know they are all he seemed concerned with was TSH and getting it into range which he said will make me feel better!! I explained to him that I understood it was a long process and that I need to be patient and all I wanted was to help myself as much as possible and not just rely on the levo he just said we have to wait until my next blood test in September!

I am going to make another appointment next week but with a different GP failing that I will look to buying a kit from medi checks and do my own then go from there

Thanks for your reply