Thinking of getting a private blood test, but which one do I need?

[Rgeldar1]

Hi, this is my first time posting. I was diagnosed with an underactive thyroid 4 months ago after having a baby. I am currently taking 100mg of Levo and my most recent blood test showed my TSH at 0.7

I discussed these results with my doctor as I am having alot of symptoms still. Hair loss, lower back pain, stiff neck, carpel tunnel that comes and goes, and a strange pain on the left side under my chin. This pain under my chin runs down to my ear. I thought this was my lymphanodes and is the reason I went to the doctors in the first place. It did go for a short while but it seems to have returned and is worse when I turn my head.

Anyway I asked my GP if its possible im not converting. Luckily he knew alot about thyroid issues amd he understood this could be the problem. He agreed to test my T3 and T4 at the end of the month. Ive been lookong online at private tests and its advised to test for reverse T3? I'm confused now as to why im not having this test with the GP and it wont show if im converting. Part of me dosnt want to wait, Id rather order a test online but I dont know exactly what I need.

Any help would be much appreciated

Thanks

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Reverse T3 won't necessarily show if you're not converting, there are other reasons we make rT3. Testing rT3 is expensive. The NHS doesn't test for rT3.

Your FT4 and FT3 will show if you are converting. If your TSH is low in range, around 1, your FT4 high in range or over range, and your FT3 is low that will show if you are converting.

Good conversion takes place when FT4: FT3 ratio is 4:1 or less. So take your FT4 and divide it by FT3 and see what you get, eg

FT4 - 20

FT3 - 6

Ratio 20:6 = 3.3 : 1 = good conversion

FT4 - 20

FT3 - 4

Ratio 20:4 = 5:1 = poor conversion

[Clutter]

Rgelder1.

Blue Horizone Thyroid Plus 11 and Medichecks UltraVits are comprehensive thyroid, antibody, vitamin and minerals tests which can be done as home tests. They don't include rT3. You can also order TSH, FT4 & FT3 tests if you already know your antibody status and don't need vits and mins tested.

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

Medichecks offer #ThyroidThursday discounts.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Ask your GP to also test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12. Especially if you have high thyroid antibodies.

Have you ever had thyroid antibodies tested? If not request this too

[Rgeldar1]

Thank you for your replies. Ok so I dont need the reverse T3 so thats good as it was expensive. Ive never had antibodies tested nor read much info about them to be honest, Im juat about getting my head around T3 and T4. He has already given me the blood form it just says T3 T4 and vitamin D. He did say hes not suppossed to request it and it may not get done at the lab.

[Rgeldar1]

Sorry he did say that my underactive thyroid is caused by my immune system, is that what the antibodies test is for to determine whats causing it? m confused as Ive been reading about Hashimotos disease which sounds similar to what I have but he never mentioned anything except an underacrive thyroid.

[humanbean in reply to Rgeldar1]

Yes, antibodies to the thyroid will gradually destroy it and over time, as the destruction progresses, the thyroid becomes unable to produce enough thyroid hormone and the sufferer becomes permanently hypothyroid.

There are various names for this destructive process, but they really are just different names for the same condition.

In the UK, doctors refer to "autoimmune thyroid disease" or "autoimmune thyroiditis".

Elsewhere in the world the condition is referred to as "Hashimoto's Disease" or "Hashimoto's Thyroiditis".

There is another condition called "Ord's Disease", but it hardly ever gets mentioned by anyone, and it is also an autoimmune thyroid condition.

There is little difference in these various conditions, although being pedantic I could say that it depends on the presence or absence of a goitre (or goiter in the US), or whether the thyroid has shrivelled up rather than swelling up into a goitre. I've read someone on here ( helvella ?) saying that the different names just reflect the same disease process at different stages. On this forum people usually just refer to "Hashi's" because it's easiest and shortest.

The number of antibodies and the activity levels of antibodies will vary. When cells from the thyroid are damaged or destroyed by antibodies the cells will release the thyroid hormones they contain into the bloodstream and the body, and these raised levels of thyroid hormone can be detected by blood test. This confuses doctors enormously - they tell the patient they have an overactive thyroid when in fact the patient is actually headed for having an underactive thyroid. There can be large swings in thyroid hormone levels and TSH which makes the patient feel extra miserable and confuses doctors even more.

I forgot to mention that Hashi's (or autoimmune thyroiditis or whatever you want to call it) is the cause of 90% of the cases of hypothyroidism in the UK, much of Western Europe, and the US, and possibly some other places as well. For the remaining 10% the cause of their hypothyroidism is generally idiopathic i.e. unknown.

In some parts of the world the main cause of hypothyroidism is iodine deficiency.

Sorry, I went over the top with this answer and ended up in school-marm-mode.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to humanbean]

I didn't quite say that! But I think others have.

It appears that no-goitre forms are more prevalent in northern Europe - e.g. UK, Scandinavia. So possibly the difference between Ord's and Hashimoto's is down to genetics?

There are some who clearly and unequivocally say goitre or no goitre - call it Hashimoto's. There are others who disagree! And some say just because the goitre wasn't identified, that doesn't mean there never was a goitrous stage.

Perhaps this is (partly) why many doctors in the UK seem to run away from using the term Hashimoto's?

[humanbean in reply to helvella]

Thanks for the clarification, helvella. I was only writing from memory, so it isn't surprising I didn't get it completely right.

I usually refer to Hashi's on the forum because it is short and simple. I'm in agreement with the people who want to use it as the name under all circumstances. I like keeping life simple.

[tzracer]

Hi and welcome. Do you have your last results, T4, TSH or has the doctor been working with TSH only.

You could wait and save the money, my slight negative spin is that when my doctor has ordered T3 the lab over rule him. They have done T3 once in 4 requests. So good luck.

I have sent you a message with a link to save £15 at medichecks if you go that route.

Lots of very informed people on here who will help when you get some results to post.