Blood test results

[Tanngales]

I have recently been diagnosed with Hypothyroidism, ( 2-3 months ago), I was put on Levothyroxine 25mg. I was told to do another blood test last week, Friday, and received a text message from my doctor surgery yesterday, telling me to increase my dosage to 50mg. I was told by my brother, who also has hypothyroidism, that I need to get and keep records of all my blood tests results. I asked at my doctor surgery and was told by the receptionist, that each test result contains approx 12 pages, and the cost is £1 per page. I also emailed my surgery and asked if they could email the results to me, but I haven't had an acknowledgement of the email or a reply. What should I do?

[Thyroidprobs]

I was diagnosed last week and today I went into my surgery and they printed off my results for me for free there and then. Also I filled out a form requesting access to my medical records which will give me access to my bloods online. You shouldn't need to pay for any of this as far as I'm aware! I'd go in and ask again.

[greygoose]

That sounds like a bit of an exaggeration to me! 12 pages? Tell them you'll take your own paper! They are not supposed to be making a profit out of giving patients their results!

[Tanngales in reply to greygoose]

12 pages at £1 each does sound extreme to me!

I asked for them to email it to me but seems that request has been ignored!

[greygoose in reply to Tanngales]

Well, it would be! They're obviously just making excuses for you not to have them! Try giving them a list of the results your really want - there's always a lot not relevant to thyroid - and remind them they're breaking the law by not providing you with your results. And, as I said, take your own paper.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

If you just want your thyroid results each time you are tested, there are only one or two results - TSH and FT4, unless antibodies and vitamins and minerals are tested then possibly 5 or 6 more. All that will go on one page.

For 12 pages it sounds as though they are providing lots of blood tests from many past results - is that what you asked for?

I ask my surgery for a print out for any test I get done, and they are provided free of charge. I go and pick it up a couple of days after the result has arrived, this gives enough time for the GP to have seen it, they won't normally release them until seen by a GP.

They are allowed to make a charge for paper and ink, but they're not allowed to make a profit from it.

You can have the whole of your electronic records made available to you, printed, for no more than £50, for that you need to make a Subject Access Request.

Alternatively, for just your latest test, if they want to charge £1 per page and you don't want to pay it, ask to look at the computer screen and write them down yourself - don't trust a receptionist to write them down - and make sure you get the reference range as well as the result eg

TSH: 2.5 (0.2-4.2)

[Quasarlis in reply to SeasideSusie]

Hello Seaside .. Could you scroll down, look at my sisters blood results and give your opinion please? .. Thank you.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Quasarlis]

Done

[Tanngales in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you SeasideSusie

[Tanngales in reply to Quasarlis]

Thank you bruv x

[Nanaedake]

If in the UK, ask your surgery to give you enhanced online access to blood test results which is free. See this link.

nhs.uk/chq/pages/1309.aspx?...

It's your right if in the UK and every surgery must oblige. You may have to take ID, fill in a form and get a GP to sign it but it's free. If you surgery can't fulfil their obligation then ask them to print the result for free as they are not compliant with NHS regulation or speak to the practice manager.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

You can ask for online access to your medical records. Not all surgeries have blood tests online yet - though they are supposed to be able to offer this by now

To register you need to go to surgery with some photo ID - passport/driving license. Fill in form - ask for enhanced access for blood test results.

If they are not available online, I would raise the issue with practice manager that receptionist says you will be charged £12 for your blood test, which is not acceptable

[Quasarlis]

Hello big sister!!! Can you please post your blood results in the order that they were taken and what dosage of T4 you were or were not on at the time. You have asked about T3 medication and if it will help you? We will guide you through that ok sis but the blood results are important so that T4-T3 conversion rates can be calculated and so on !! Ask any question you like!! Seaside Susie is great with this stuff and will help you!! ...

[Tanngales]

Thanks bruv

My blood results on 19th June 17, done while not on any medication,

Serum TSH level = 5.56 mu/L (0.27-4.2)

Serum free T4 level = 12'6 pmol/L (11.0-22.0)

My G.P. wanted to leave it, but I insisted the symptoms were debilitating, so she put me on 25mg Levothyroxine and told me to repeat the blood test in approx 6 weeks.

My next blood test done on 25th Aug 17, while on 25mg Levothyroxine,

Serum TSH level = 4.43 mu/L (0.27-4.2)

Serum free T4 level = 14.4 pmol/L (11.0-22.0)

I received a text message from My surgery 29th Aug 17 to increase my dosage to 50mg Levothyroxine. This I have done, and I have even started taking it as soon as I wake up, so it can start to be absorbed before I get up. I am still suffering with the same symptoms.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Tanngales]

Hi Tanngales

Your August results show that your 25mcg was starting to work. We don't expect much from 25mcg, they could have started you on 50mcg but I suppose you were lucky to get anything, a lot of doctors wait until TSH is 10.

So, your TSH had come down a bit and there was a slight increase with your FT4, but TSH still over range so your GP was right to increase your Levo to 50mcg. You'll probably need a few more increases yet, it can take months to get to your optimal dose.

Make sure you have retests every 6-8 weeks (no longer) with an increase of 25mcg each time, until your symptoms abate and you feel well.

The aim of a treated hypo patient generally is for TSH to be 1 or below or wherever it is needed for FT4 and FT3 to be in the upper part of their respective reference ranges when on Levo only.

When having thyroid tests, always book the first appointment of the morning, fast overnight (water allowed) and leave off Levo for 24 hours. This gives the highest possible TSH which is needed when looking for an increase in dose or to avoid a reduction. Do this every time so that you can compare results accurately. It's worth keeping a spreadsheet or diary with date, test result, reference range, dose of Levo, how you're feeling, etc. Invaluable information for future reference if your GP wants to change your dose and you know that particular dose wasn't right for you.

It would be a good idea to get vitamins and minerals checked, optimal levels are needed for thyroid hormone to work, so ask for (or may be do them privately)

Vit D

B12

Folate

Ferritin

If you post results when you have them we can see if any levels are low or deficient and suggest supplements where necessary.

[Tanngales]

Thank you

[Tanngales]

I am on prescribed iron tablets, and cal vit D as well, should I take these with Levothyroxine?

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Tanngales]

Tanngales Iron must be taken four hours away from thyroid meds and two hours away from any other medication and supplements as it affects their absorption. You should take each iron tablet with 1000mg Vit C to aid absorption and help prevent constipation.

Vit D should be taken four hours away from thyroid meds.

There are important cofactors needed when taking D3

vitamindcouncil.org/about-v...

D3 aids absorption of calcium from food and K2-MK7 directs the calcium to bones and teeth where it is needed and away from arteries and soft tissues where it can be deposited and cause problems.

D3 and K2 are fat soluble so should be taken with the fattiest meal of the day, D3 four hours away from thyroid meds.

Magnesium comes in different forms, check to see which would suit you best and as it's calming it's best taken in the evening, four hours away from thyroid meds

naturalnews.com/046401_magn...

Check out the other cofactors too.

Calcium should be taken four hours away from thyroid meds. Have you tested deficient for calcium? That's the only time it should be taken. As mentioned above, Vit D enhances the uptake of calcium from food, so your calcium level should improve when taking D3 anyway.

Levo Take this on an empty stomach, one hour before or two hours after food, with a glass of water only (no tea, coffee, milk, hot chocolate, etc). You can take your Levo when it suits, just always remember the timing. If taking it at bedtime (suits some people better) then it's best not to have eaten anything for 3 hours.

[Tanngales]

Also should I consider self medicating with T3 ?

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Tanngales]

No Tanngales, not at this stage. It's far too early to tell whether Levo suits you and whether you convert T4 to T3 well enough. It can take months to find your optimal dose. It's more important at this stage to have optimal levels of vitamins and minerals to ensure that you have all your ducks in a row to make sure that thyroid hormone can work properly. Optimal levels are

Vit D - 100-150nmol/L

B12 - very top of range

Folate - at least half way through range

Ferritin - at least 70 for thyroid hormone to work, recommended is half way through range

With these results

Serum TSH level = 4.43 mu/L (0.27-4.2)

Serum free T4 level = 14.4 pmol/L (11.0-22.0)

you first of all have to get TSH down to around 1 to see what your FT4 and FT3 levels are and the free Ts tell you if you are converting well enough or if you would benefit from the addition of T3.You have to have FT4 and FT3 tested at the same time to know that.

So continue with your 6 weekly testing/increases and see how you are in a few months.

[Tanngales in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you very much

[Quasarlis in reply to Tanngales]

That is what I'd suggest too sis, that's why I was a bit unsure to advise you to get some T3 at this stage. As I mentioned to you before also this is only the beginning for you, it's a bit of a time process so that your levels etc can have the time to react to your treatment or not, you may only be a hypo who needs 50mcg of T4 and do well on it, you may end up being a 250mcg hypo like I was who felt like absolute death everyday .. Bit too early to tell yet.