Blood tests - my local lab won't test for T3

[Eimear78]

Hi

I've spoken to my doctor and he has ordered blood tests for tsh, t4, vitamin D, B12, folate and ferratin. He says the local lab won't test for T3 and not to get hung up on it. Am I better off going for a private test?

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Elmear

"Am I better off going for a private test?"

Yes. But don't just do FT3, you need FT3 and FT4 done at the same time. So go for Medichecks Thyroid Monitoring medichecks.com/thyroid-func... normally £39, just £10 more than FT3 on it's own, sometimes on offer at £29 on Thyroid Thursdays.

[Eimear78 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thanks Susie. Can I get everything except T3 done at the clinic and then add this on the side or should I get all of the tests done in the same place?

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Eimear78]

Elmear

It's always useful to see how well T4 is converting to T3 and you can only do that when both are tested at the same time from the same blood draw. So it's worth paying the extra £10 to have that information, it can be a very important part of the thyroid jigsaw.

Thyroid Monitoring is frequently on offer at £29 with Medichecks on Thyroid Thursdays, it was last week and I bought one to use in a few weeks' time. So if you want it done immediately then buy it now for £39, if it can wait then it might come on offer again in a few weeks.

If you want all the vitamins and minerals done with Medichecks, in the same bundle as the full thyroid panel, then that is the Ultravit at £99, sometimes on offer at £79.

Just make sure that whenever you do any thyroid tests then do them at the very earliest time possible in the morning, no later than 9am, to give the highest possible TSH, and fast overnight (water allowed). TSH lowers during the day and after eating.

[Eimear78 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Susie. Do I need reverse t3 as well?

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Eimear78]

No, I don't think rT3 is necessary.

[Angel_of_the_North]

Yes. But you need all the thyroid hormones done at the same time. first thing in the morning, fasting, having not taken levo for 24 hours or T3 for 12 hours

[Eimear78 in reply to Angel_of_the_North]

I am going to do the ultravit full panel and get them all done together. It makes more sense.