Help with the DR hypothyroid
Hi,
Im just after some advice really, I've been to the Dr and have been told 3x I am borderline hypothyroid. The Dr won't prescribe or do anything as it is borderline.
My hair is continuing the fall out, there are now bald spots, my energy is low, my mood is horrible, constant sweats etc. Is there anything I can do/say to the Dr on Monday to try and speed up a diagnosis?
Welcome to our forum Buttonbears
The first thing to learn is that all blood tests for thyroid hormones have to be at the earliest possible, fasting (you can drink water). Also if you were taking thyroid hormones you'd allow a gap of 24hours between last dose and test and take afterwards.
This procedure keeps the TSH at its highest. It is highest early a.m. and drops throughout the day and can mean the difference between getting a diagnosis or not.
Always get a print-out of your results with the ranges, for your own records, and post if you have a query.
Your doctor will have a different 'range' than TUK or any reasonable endocrinologist.
thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...
Hi Shaws,
All previous tests have been non fasting, so I will make sure I fast next time and get an early apt.
This is a link I'm going to post and I think you will find it helpful. The first is for doctors and second for patients:-
Essential to find out exactly what tests were done and the results and ranges
Just testing TSH and FT4 is inadequate
For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4, TT4, FT3 plus TPO and TG thyroid antibodies.
Plus very important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12, these are often too low as result of being hypothyroid
Private tests are available. Thousands on here forced to do this as NHS often refuses to test FT3 or antibodies
thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...
Medichecks Thyroid plus ultra vitamin or Blue Horizon Thyroid plus eleven are the most popular choice. DIY finger prick test or option to pay extra for private blood draw. Both companies often have money off offers.
All thyroid tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and fasting. This gives highest TSH and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, GP will be unaware)
If antibodies are high this is Hashimoto's, (also known by medics here in UK more commonly as autoimmune thyroid disease).
About 90% of all hypothyroidism in Uk is due to Hashimoto's. Low vitamins are especially common with Hashimoto's. Food intolerances are very common too, especially gluten. So it's important to get TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested at least once .
Do you have copies of actual blood test results? if not will need to get hold of them. You are legally entitled to printed copies of your blood test results and ranges
UK GP practices are supposed to offer online access for blood test results. Ring and ask if this is available and apply to do so if possible, if it is you may need enhanced access to see blood results.
In reality many GP surgeries do not have blood test results online yet
Alternatively ring receptionist and request printed copies of results. Allow couple of days and then go and pick up. They can no longer charge for printing out,(EU rules changed after May 25th 2018)
Hi SlowDragon,
I've not got the print outs no, to be honest I've never thought to ask for them. I will ask when I am there Monday and then see what the "borderline" actually is. Thank you for all the info, I'm sure I'll be back next week for some more help, absolute nightmare GP's seem to make it as hard as possible.
Dr said the thyroid was 13.7 and the range is between 7 - 13. Reception wouldn’t give a print out so I asked if I could get access to them online so hopefully that can clarify things. Nothing was done, thyroid was mentioned again but have been sent to the hospital to check on my heart as I mentioned a flutter feeling again. Has anyone had any luck going private? Do they seem to listen more? x
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Do you have a copy of your results? What a doctor considers 'border-line' is often overt hypo. But, we can't know without seeing the actual results and ranges.
If you don't have a copy, ask at reception. If your TSH is over-range, then you are hypo, not 'border-line', and need thyroid hormone replacement to keep you well.
Thank you for your reply, I will ask for a print out and see what the exact ranges are.
Results and ranges. We need to see both.
Hi Greygoose,
Dr said the thyroid was 13.7 and the range is between 7 - 13. Reception wouldn’t give a print out so I asked if I could get access to them online so hopefully that can clarify things. Nothing was done, thyroid was mentioned again but have been sent to the hospital to check on my heart as I mentioned a flutter feeling again. Has anyone had any luck going private? Do they seem to listen more? x
Sorry, but that's meaningless. I can't think of anything that would have a range of 7 - 13. And, if it were your FT4, you would be borderline hyper, not hypo. There isn't just one thyroid test, there are 5. So you can't say any one test is 'the thyroid'. I think he was just fobbing you off. Or, he has no idea what he's doing.
So, did they say you could get your results on-line? Because, if not, they are breaking the law by refusing you a print-out. Did they say why they wouldn't give you one?
Going private is a huge gamble, unless someone can recommend a doctor to you. Most private doctors are also NHS doctors, so would just give the same responses.
He just said thyroid he didn't specify which test "just the one ticked on the blood form". I had to put in writing that I wanted access to my results and it would be passed on to the practice manager as they have to give it the okay apparely, absolute nightmare I think they just like to make it difficult.
I got some results from the hospital visit this evening, but they were just standard tests:
TSH - 1.34 mu/L (0.3-5.0)
Free T4 - 15.7 pool/L (7.9-16.0)
I don't really know what they mean to be honest, I'm going to have a google now and try and make some sense out of them. Thank you for your replys I really do appreciate them x
Oh, I think they love to make it complicated! They don't really want you to have copies of your results because they don't like informed patients. And they don't like informed patients because they're all way out of their depth and are scared you'll ask awkward questions, or argue!
TSH is a pituitary hormone. When the pituitary senses that there's not enough hormone in the blood, it secretes TSH to stimulate the thyroid - Thyroid Stimulating Hormone. When the thyroid makes enough hormones, the pituitary senses it and secretes less TSH. Your TSH is more or less OK. But meaningless without the other tests, because not all hypos have high TSH.
FT4 is Free T4, the thyroid storage hormone. It needs to be converted to T3, the active hormone needed by every single cell in your body to function properly. It's the FT3 the most important number, but the NHS, in all its wisdom, has decided that the FT3 test isn't necessary! Thereby keeping lots of people unnecessarily sick.
Your FT4 is right at the top of the range. But, we don't know if that's good or not - although your doctor will tell you it's good, because he doesn't know any better - because we don't know how well your body is converting it into T3. It could be that although your FT4 is good, your FT3 is very low.
But, I still don't understand why your doctor says you are borderline hypo. Those two results are euthyroid. Unless he did do an FT3 in secret! But, I doubt it.