Thyroid results

[Searching4help]

Could I ask for some help with my results. My gp has said my results are ok but my homeopath thinks I have thyroid problems. My thyroid was checked on 29th September. I have extreme fatigue no energy, low mood, can't lose weight. Headaches, always feeling cold. I'm thinking I need to see a private GP Bupa or someone.

[Espisnowwoman]

Those are symptoms of hypothyroid. Do your labs in the morning and fasting.

[greygoose]

Is that the first thyroid blood test you've had? Your TSH is too high, indicating hypo, but the TSH can be raised for other reasons. The protocol is to retest a few months later, to rule out other causes, and see if the TSH is still raised.

However, if you are in the UK, GPs and endos believe that you're just fine until your TSH hits 10!

[Searching4help in reply to greygoose]

I need to be retested then asap

[greygoose in reply to Searching4help]

Yes, that would be a good idea. Make your appointment for as early as possible in the morning, when TSH is highest, and fast over-night.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Your TSH was over range, you would have had a diagnosis of hypothyroidism in another country, only the UK makes you wait until TSH hits 10.

The best thing you can do is a full thyroid panel to include thyroid antibodies and vitamins and minerals

TSH

FT4

FT3

TPO antibodies

TG antibodies

Vit D

B12

Folate

Ferritin

Do this before considering paying to see anyone privately. They will have been NHS trained and generally follow the same guidelines as an NHS doctor.

You can get this test as a home fingerprick blood test (or venous blood draw if you prefer) with

medichecks.com/thyroid-func... or

bluehorizonmedicals.co.uk/t...

Do it early morning (no later than 9am) and fast overnight (breakfast after test). This gives the highest TSH which is needed for diagnosis.

When you have the results, make a new thread and post them, with reference ranges, for members to comment and suggest what your next step should be.

[Searching4help in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thankyou for your reply. Can I ask what’s the difference to paying for this test and havingit done at my gp?

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Searching4help]

Your GP cannot get everything done that is listed.

It's the lab who decides if FT3 is done even when requested, if TSH is in range then FT3 won't get done. But it's a very important test as T3 is the active hormone that every cell in our body needs and we need to see if we are converting T4 to T3 well enough.

The NHS rarely tests TPO antibodies in primary care, and almost never tests TG antibodies although an endo may be able to get it done. If TPO antibodies are negative it's important to test TG antibodies because you can be negative for TPO but positive for TG and that would confirm autoimmune thyroid disease.

You can ask for the vitamins and minerals listed, you may or may not be lucky. They're not keen on testing Vit D as they say that test us expensive.

[Angel_of_the_North]

Your thyroid is struggling (most healthy people have a TSH of around 1.2), but not badly enough for the NHS to treat. In other countries as TSH of 3 with hypo symptoms gets treated, in the UK they wait for TSH > 10 or under range free T4.