Spoken to my GP

[Bellmitzi]

Hi everyone thanks for all your advice yesterday spoken to a gp this morning he has agreed to give me a blood test for T3 but said my levels are fine but I did say I’ve been unwell for 2 years he also said maybe the lab would refuse to do it He also put up my thyroxine by 25 msg so now on 125 I also asked about all my other meds would it alter Levels of thyroxine he said no should I take my thyroxine as normal b4 my bloods Monday.? I’d usually take b4 bed Sunday night late thanks

[SlowDragon Administrator]

GP are generally unaware of advice not to take Levo before test

As you normally take at bedtime, delay and take straight after blood test

Hopefully test is booked for as early as possible in morning and fasting

Really want to test 6-8 weeks after dose increase

[Bellmitzi in reply to SlowDragon]

Hello and thanks I will be more on the ball now not getting anywhere without a fight so fingers crossed my results will show something other wise I’m stuck I asked about Vit D Test he said it’s fine I was unaware I’d had it done but will check my earlier results now as I cannot remember having it thanks again

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Bellmitzi]

Don't start your increased dose until after your blood test on Monday (unless already started it)

You well need repeat testing 6-8 weeks after dose increase. RSH, FT3 and FT4

Vitamin D level needs to be around 100nmol. If you are not supplementing it's likely low

Post result when you find it.

Have you had ferritin tested? And folate

As you have B12 injections do you supplement a good vitamin B complex?

Presumably you have Hashimoto's also called autoimmune thyroid disease and diagnosed by high thyroid antibodies? If so are you on strictly gluten free diet?

[Bellmitzi in reply to SlowDragon]

Hi no I’m not supplementing I’ve been on ferrous fumerate as my Ferritin was down to 19 I didn’t know I should be supplementing with a B complex I’m not on gluten free but will also look into this now if my T3 Isn’t right will they advise gluten free as my gp doesn’t give any advice whatsoever also doesn’t help that they keep leaving sorry to be so vague but really haven’t got a clue thanks for your input it’s very helpful this forum I don’t know where I’d be without it

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Bellmitzi]

Do you know if you have Hashimoto's also called autoimmune thyroid disease diagnosed by high thyroid antibodies

Ever had TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested?

If you have Hashimoto's then low vitamins are more likely, as is gluten intolerance or dairy intolerance

[jimh111 in reply to SlowDragon]

Taking the levo the night before is no problem. There will only be a small effect if levo was taken a few hours before the blood test due to the long half life of levothyroxine.

There is no need to fast, it makes no difference to thyroid blood tests. I don't know who started this rumour, I'd shoot 'em if I knew who they were!

[Bellmitzi in reply to jimh111]

I’ve no idea lol but I’m looking at my old bloods now and ranges of my free T4 were up to 18 but now only 11.4 I’ve no idea what’s happening. This thyroid is so complicated well to me it is brain fog doesn’t help either thAnks for reply

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to jimh111]

Research into fasting or non fasting tests

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

[jimh111 in reply to SlowDragon]

'Phlebotomy was performed after an 8-12 hour overnight fast between 7:30-8:30 am for free T4 and TSH measurements and the patients returned 2 hours after breakfast for their samples to be rechecked between 10:30-11:00 am on the same day.'

The person I'd like to shoot is the one who originally spread the rumour that fasting was necessary but didn't bother to read the Materials and Methods. As we can see from the above sentence the plonkers took blood at 7:30-8-30 am, sent the subjects away for breakfast and then took the second blood samples at 10:30-11:00 am. They found that the second TSH levels were lower! We all know TSH falls during the morning. These Einsteins also managed to get p values of p=0.00 which must be a world record (they didn't proof read their own study, neither did the peer reviewer).

Having realised their mistake the same team had another go ijem.in/temp/IndianJEndocrM... . This time they split the subjects into two groups, one group had breakfast and the other group had none. This study found no difference between fasting and non-fasting blood test results. The study is a bit difficult to read but essentially we are looking at the 'delta 1' and 'delta 2' figures. 'Difference between Delta 1 and Delta 2 was not statisticallysignificant (P = 0.61)'. No need to go hungry for thyroid function tests.

[Bellmitzi in reply to jimh111]

Thanks for this very helpful read

[elwins]

If you live in the UK you are allowed copies of your test results, when they come back just make sure you ask for a printed copy. So you can keep it for your records.

[Bellmitzi in reply to elwins]

Thanks I have started doin this now and twice my results have been read wrong by receptionist thanks for replying