Skipped to method 3, 3, though the rest is worth a read!
METHOD 3:
Functional testing through blood, urine, stool and saliva to elicit detailed information not only about current health status, but also to predict health trends with multiple tests over time...
3. Comprehensive thyroid function – Feeling ‘tired all the time’ (TATT) is a leading cause of why people visit their doctors. Given that the thyroid is the master controller of the hormonal system and also regulates metabolism, it’s not surprising that thyroid testing has increased. Visit your conventional doctor displaying a major symptom of thyroid under activity (hypothyroidism), or over activity (hyperthyroidism), and you’ll likely have just two markers run to determine thyroid function – T4 (thyroxine) and TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone). TSH is a pituitary hormone that monitors levels of thyroid hormone in the body. When the need increases, TSH tells the thyroid gland to release active hormone (T3, triiodothyronine) by converting T4. From the broader clinical perspective in functional medicine, these two hormones are insufficient markers to determine true thyroid function. In a comprehensive thyroid screen, by contrast, you’d find TSH, free T3, free T4 (free refers to the amount of hormone being used by the tissues), total T4 (the amount in ‘storage’), reverse T3 (inactive), T3 uptake and thyroid antibodies, to check for the presence of autoimmune activity. In our increasingly hectic and stress-filled modern world, reverse T3 is coming into play more and more. It’s the body’s evolutionary ‘safeguard’, the brake on the system, when energy needs to be saved and channelled into more important systems like the immune system, on which survival depends. Reverse T3 has the ability to decrease active T3, bind to receptors and prevent what’s left of the T3 getting in. It increases symptoms of hypothyroidism, yet doesn’t change the T4 or TSH levels, which to your doctor, makes your thyroid function look normal and increases the likelihood of your symptoms being put down to a psychosomatic cause! With autoimmune diseases rising at a rapid rate, full functional thyroid screening is becoming more and more relevant given it’s often the first predictive chink in the armour to show. Catch these things early and the chance for recovery is greatly enhanced before someone descends into full pathology. Again, another tick for preventative and sustainable....
That would just seem common sense to me. But most health systems aren't big on common sense. Has thyroid testing really increased? If you read on here, it seems more like it's decreased, with doctors refusing to even consider it.
As much as I totally agree with you, the Doctors order a TFT a 'Thyroid function test ' this should encompass all elements of the thyroid test but the lab says they will only test the 'TSH'. I'm afraid your GP is primary care the lab is secondary care they say and dictate what will be tested not the GP's there hands are tied. Please note: General practice sees no budgets for lab testing and there is no current incentive schemes for reduction..
As well as I understand everyone's frustration perhaps this should be aimed at the right source i.e. government/MP rather than the General Practitioner who is working within a messed up system out of there control.
In that case, why would one GP at a group practice test FT3 without any problem, but another will insist that the same lab will not do it? This is the situation in which my husband found himself. The junior salaried GP was willing to test FT3, and she achieved this on the first occasion, but she was subsequently over-ruled by one of the partners. It seems likely that money, as well as ignorance, was a factor.
All I know is that for our lab the decision to test anything other than TSH lies with them. I do believe they work to a system though that certain ranges triggers different testing. I will see if I can find the literature. I also know that in Northern Ireland we never see lab budgets in 23yrs lab prices have never been discussed or tests limited in General Practice, with the exception of what is dictated to us from the top down or directives from the lab itself
Hillwoman , It's such folly when the lack of testing causes more illness & repeated visits to the practice. I've lost my faith in the medics, so lucky we have TUK!
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