Timing of Thyroid monitoring check by Medichecks

[Caroline888]

Am all set to go with trying to squeeze blood out of my fingers for the Medichecks thyroid test. Mainly i need the FT4 and FT3 results. Have just started with a tiny increase in Levothyroxine (8.3 mcg !!!) and am wondering if I have to wait six weeks for that to take effect or if I can do the test straightaway.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Caroline

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

If you want to know how the small increase has changed your previous results, then unfortunately you do need to wait the 6 weeks.

[Caroline888 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thanks SeasideSusie. I suspected that but just wanted to be sure. I, of course, appreciated that the TSH would most likely be affected by the increase but thought maybe the FT4/FT3 ratio was a different thing and not so easily affected.

Well, stabbing myself in the finger or fingers wasn't going to be the best part of my day! Happy to delay😊

Thanks again for your valuable help.

Best wishes

Caroline

[spongecat in reply to Caroline888]

Hi Caroline888 .........Also bear in mind that it's a good idea to do your bloods and send them off on a Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday to be on the safe side. You can also get away with Thursday if you opt to do a Royal Mail Next Day delivery.

Doing your fingerpricks on Friday or the weekend means your sample will be festering in the post!

Sorry if I've misread your post but it's a useful thing for all to know.

[Caroline888 in reply to spongecat]

Thank you spongecat. You are right to mention that. I've seen it before on the forum but was not taking it into account when I considered doing it today. Today wouldn't have been good😡. Thank you for the reminder.

Best wishes

Caroline

[Caroline888 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Would the small increase only affect the TSH level? I am keen to check whether T4 is converting properly. I will get the TSH level checked by the NHS in approx 6 weeks time but wondered if there would be any value in checking FT4/FT3 conversion before then. Would the the FT4/FT3 ratio be likely to remain fairly constant regardless of TSH level of does it depend on it?

Any information would be appreciated. Thank you so much for all the invaluable help you have already given me.😃

Best wishes

Caroline

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Caroline888]

An increase in Levo would affect the FT4 level, Levo is T4 so as TSH goes down then FT4 should go up and if conversion is good then FT3 will increase as well. It is a small increase in dose, but when fine tuning meds to find our sweet spot, sometimes a small increase is all that's necessary.

[Caroline888]

What i was wondering was would the FT4/FT3 ratio be the same regardless of the levels of FT4 and FT3. In other words, would the efficiency (or otherwise) of the FT4 to FT3 conversion be clear from a blood test even if both levels were not optimal yet?

Are you saying there would be no value at all in getting a Medichecks blood test at the moment? Sorry, this is all still new to me - perhaps a stupid question but I'm just so hoping that the levo is working as it should.

Thank you for your reply.

Best wishes

Caroline