Meeting criteria

[Needhelp82]

Hi all can anyone help, I’ve had some health symptoms for a long time. I meet every single criteria for hyperthyroidism on the nhs website. I had a test in August follow yet another illness (chest infection) which are becoming more recurrent and needing antibiotics and steroids to help clear it. I met my older sister for dinner the other night and yep you’ve guessed it she was telling me she has been diagnosed with hyperthyroidism! I share a lot of genes with my sister (you only need to look at us to see) so wouldn’t surprise me at all have the same thyroid condition! However went to see my GP today and she wasn’t at all convinced! She said she’d send me for a blood test but after getting home I looked at the form and she’s only put down to test for FT4 & TFT thyroid function test! Does anyone know why she hasn’t requested a T3 test ???? From reading up on this T3 is the only hormone capable of removing/absorbing iodine from food into the cells I eat very well and healthy but cannot put weight on I’m 5ft 10 and 9st and 35 y/o! When I’m ill eg chest infection or anything it feels like my body is being poisoned! Sorry I digress if anyone has any help regarding the function test question I will be most grateful many thanks

[humanbean]

Requesting TSH and Free T4 would be standard practice. Sadly, many GPs can't even request a test for Free T3 any more. And those who can find the request ignored by the labs.

If you are hyperthyroid your Free T4 is likely to be over the reference range and your TSH will be extremely low, i.e. well under the reference range.

If you are hypothyroid your Free T4 will be very low in range or under the range and your TSH will be over the range.

In both cases it would be best if Free T3 was measured because patients have discovered that Free T3 is by far the best indicator of the degree of hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism that a patient suffers, and is the best indicator of the severity of symptoms. But sadly, the NHS is far more interested in saving money than making people well, so we have to make do with just TSH, or TSH and Free T4.

Also, there are overlaps in symptoms between hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism. People can lose weight with hypothyroidism and get fat with hyperthyroidism, although I agree the opposite is more common. Sweating and insomnia can happen with both conditions too, as can depression and anxiety. So, you may well be hyperthyroid. But don't be too surprised if you turn out to be hypothyroid.

[Needhelp82 in reply to humanbean]

Thank you so much will take that on board great info that’s why they won’t test for it!!!

[Fruitandnutcase]

I’m in remission from Graves. It took me a very long time to get diagnosed. I felt like I was an utter hypochondriac by the end. Loads of random health problems like sinus infections. Three months before I was diagnosed I was told by a GP I saw that I needed a holiday.

I was never tested for T3, not even when my endo requested it. Not even when I was told that should I relapse I could have radio active iodine treatment. It turns out that the labs can overrule your endo.

I eventually got fed up begging to have my T3 tested and started using the Blue Horizons lab. I then wanted my vitamin D tested? Not a chance so again it was Blue Horizons - same with B12. Now I skip all that and use Blue Horizon Thyroid 11 and get everything I need done - antibodies, vitamins, the lot. Not only that I get the results in my inbox a day after I send them off to the lab. If you can afford it that’s the way to go.

When you get your blood tests always ask for the results for your records, you are entitled by law to have them. Once you get them you can post them here and see what people think.

[Needhelp82 in reply to Fruitandnutcase]

Thank you so much for advice will take on board and look into blue horizon I work for the nhs myself and yes like you I’m feeling like a hypochondriac just cant take feeling so weak and tired all the time I’m 35 feeling I should be retired!!!! Again thank you