Blood tests on nhs: So ive asked for certain... - Thyroid UK

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Blood tests on nhs

jwoodward5 profile image
35 Replies

So ive asked for certain blood tests to be authorised by gp and she has refused to do the following can anyone tell me why and if i can add them to my blood form will they be done?

Reverse t3

Tg ab

Tsi

Magnesium

Vitsmin d

Folate

Cortisol

Iodine

Zinc

Selenium

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jwoodward5
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35 Replies
greygoose profile image
greygoose

Pointless testing rT3. It's very expensive and doesn't give you any information that you can't get from other tests, like FT4+FT3.

No point testing for magnesium, it will always be in range due to the way the body handles magnesium. But that doesn't mean you're not deficient. Most people are because soils are depleted. Just take some. It is also a very expensive test.

TSI is for Grave's. Do you really want to be tested for Grave's? I don't think a GP can order that test, you need to see an endo. Nor can he order TgAB. I don't think an endo can, either.

A cortisol blood test is notoriously unreliable, and only give you one answer. Ideally, you would need a 24 hour saliva test. But, you won't get that on the NHS.

Iodine tests are controversai. Nobody seems to know which is the best way to do it.

The ones you might get away with adding to your blood test form are vit D, folate, zinc, selenium. But it's a bit of a gamble. :)

jwoodward5 profile image
jwoodward5 in reply togreygoose

Thankyou

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply tojwoodward5

You're welcome.

deannajoy profile image
deannajoy in reply togreygoose

Strange, but as a nurse in the US, we have patients with low magnesium and we give it orally or through the iv. It is not always in range. I think testing for antibodies seems reasonable.

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply todeannajoy

If they're low in the blood test, they they must be very low in reality.

You might thing testing for antibodies is reasonable. I think testing for antibodies is reasonable. But most doctors in the UK don't. They don't understand the implications of high antibodies, and are not in the least interested.

jwoodward5 profile image
jwoodward5 in reply togreygoose

Isnt tgab to test for antibodies though like tpo ab

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply tojwoodward5

Yes, it is. But the dear old NHS, who is so wrong about so many things, wrongly believe that you cant have a high TgAB with a low TPOab, so the TPOab is all you need to do!

jwoodward5 profile image
jwoodward5 in reply togreygoose

Isnt tgab necessary to check for antibodies like tpo

jwoodward5 profile image
jwoodward5 in reply tojwoodward5

Ive posted bloods just now on separate post can you see them? They obviuosly in range as endo will say but she no better

HealthyEmski profile image
HealthyEmski

My GP ordered a test for antibodies when I asked why my previous TSH readings were all over the place. I would never have known to ask for this test if not helped by this community. So maybe there needs to be a clinical reason for the test. My test confirmed Hashimoto's.

there really is no point being tested for things like Magnesium ,selinum etc. You just take them as everyone is deficient . there are good multi supps out there like lamberts and bio Car.. the vitamin D she will test and I have people tested about every 3 yeers but you need to know where the levels should be and th GP will not know that..40 -60 ng/mi or 100 -150 0n the nmol scale.

jwoodward5 profile image
jwoodward5 in reply to

Where do u get supplements?

in reply tojwoodward5

a good healthfood shop if you have one.What part of the world do you live in?? or the site on line is lambertshealthcare.co.uk

buy the 4000iu vit d and take 2 together every day.

I use lamberts for myself and most of my patients.They are good. Or you can see a proper nutritionist and get help with it.

jwoodward5 profile image
jwoodward5 in reply to

I live in uk we have a holland and barrett health food shop

in reply tojwoodward5

Holland and barret do not sell much that is good. I do not recommend it.Where in the UK? There should be a good shop near you or use the website I gave you online.

Angel_of_the_North profile image
Angel_of_the_North in reply tojwoodward5

Holland & Barret are not very good quality and expensive for what you get. biocare.co.uk are OK, so are bitvits.co.uk

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply tojwoodward5

We usually recommend getting supplements on Amazon as there is a good range of prices. However, we do not recommend multi-vits with minerals, for many reasons. Mainly, because if there is iron in it, it will block the absorption of the vitamins, so you won't get much benefit from it. If it contains calcium and iron, you won't absorb either of those because they bind together and cancel each other out. And, they often contain things you probably don't need like iodine, calcium and copper. These things you should have tested before taking because you do not want to over-dose on them. :)

linkit profile image
linkit

Be careful just ticking additional boxes as everything is done online these days so your form won’t match the request GP made online and therefore they might not even do it. It’s all about responsibility for the results too. The results will all come back electronically to your GP who will know they didn’t request some and might accuse you of tampering with the form

jwoodward5 profile image
jwoodward5

Hadnt thought of that

Starfish123 profile image
Starfish123 in reply tojwoodward5

You could ask for the form to get it done at a hospital?? I’ve been sent there when they can’t get my blood out. You could say you are not available at times they offer?? Add something to form. I don’t know if possible, last time I had to go to the hospital for bloods it was still written on by hand.

greygoose profile image
greygoose

Under or over? If it's under then you are very deficient. However, be careful not to take too much magnesium. For a woman 400 is rather a large dose, but it's ok for a man. :)

Sheffield6 profile image
Sheffield6

My GP requested T3 but the lab refused. No problem testing for vit D and folate though.

Howard39 profile image
Howard39

Hi

Re the magnesium was there a reason you wanted it done or were you covering your bases?

If you have say severe night cramps or have been properly diagnosed as having CFS/ ME then you will need a red cell magnesium test.

People( including gps) get confused between serum magnesium and red cell magnesium. Serum levels must be kept within a tight range or your heart stops. So levels are maintained at the expense of levels inside cells. If you were tested it would be normal( I am sure) so to test intercellular magnesium you gave a red cell magnesium test.

It’s not expensive £28 ish plus a £5 postage fee. If you don’t have a specialist then it goes to your gp. This includes others you have mentioned- so you’d have to tell them. It’s easy in range outside range. If you have several tests done there is no £5 fee. I’ve sent you the lab details.

Not everyone has magnesium deficiencies- that’s not true.

If you did have - severe you can have mag sulphate injections on the nhs.

Magnesium tablets vary massively- mag chloride is usually considered to be better absorbed.

It’s a while ago but saw some results that said citrate was v low absorbtion- under 10%.

And no I’d not mess with the blood form. Gps are hard work- but best not to naff them off.

Yes amazon is fine but I order in bulk with other people from say puritans pride/ popping rock and share the postage and import duties - vastly cheaper and no gunk. Biocare are first rate and body kind stock most brands- worth shopping around.

Good luck

jwoodward5 profile image
jwoodward5 in reply toHoward39

Just advised if low magnesium could stop levo tablets working

Rmichelle profile image
Rmichelle

Hi i had tgab requested by my gp but tsi not a chance and even my endo would not order it!! I cannot even get my frees done at my local hospital even though my gp requests them-so i have to travel 40 miles to endos hospital to get frees done. Good luck.🌟🌟

Valarian profile image
Valarian in reply toRmichelle

My endo gives me the forms for T4/T3 (and antibodies if required), and the phlebotomist at my local practice draws the blood. Admittedly it’s all within the same health authority (and in Wales), but given your GP is willing to order the tests anyway, might they be willing to draw the bloods locally, and post the samples to your endo’s lab ?

Rmichelle profile image
Rmichelle in reply toValarian

Hey Valarian😊 yes i tried that 2 months back at my local hospital but unfortunatley there was abit of a argument whether they would do them as they said"they are not the normal local blood forms" i did explain they are from endo-they done them but again labs refused the frees, so endo secretary just daid dont waste your time and just come here!! So thats what ive got to do now-ive got to go friday.😊😊 but thankyou anyway.🌟🌟

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

NHS never ever tests Reverse T3

greygoose profile image
greygoose

Are you absolutely certain that you need to take calcium with your vit D? Taking vit D will increase the absorption of calcium from your food. So, you should be taking vit K2 - MK7 with it, to make sure that calcium goes into the teeth and bones, rather than building up in the soft tissues, which can lead to things like kidney stones and heart attack. If you're taking calcium as well, you doubly need that vit K2. Calcium supplements are not a good thing to take unless you absolutely need them. It's very rare to be calcium deficient in this part of the world. So, 1000 mg seems like a very high dose. Do you have parathyroid problems?

greygoose profile image
greygoose

I don't really know. But I believe there's a blood test. You'd have to ask your doctor, or post another question on here. Sorry.

However, don't take that 1000 mg for very long without getting retested. Especially as you're also taking vit D.

greygoose profile image
greygoose

Then you should tell your doctor asap. Did they never check them after the RAI?

greygoose profile image
greygoose

Peripheral neuropathy, I believe. The other two are more likely to be under-medication for your thyroid hormones! Or nutritional deficiency. Or low cortisol. Dustbin diagnosis! Allows your doctor to get rid of you quickly whilst appearing to have actually done something!

How's your vit B12?

greygoose profile image
greygoose

Well, I'm not a doctor, but I would have thought that was basic care! Time to have them checked, then, I would have thought.

greygoose profile image
greygoose

Oh, I believe it! What sort of neuropathic pain do you have? Is it in the legs and feet? Alpha Lipoic Acid could help with that.

greygoose profile image
greygoose

Oh, I know what you mean! But, Alpha Lipoic Acid did help a lot with the burning.

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