FancyPants54

Hi

You don’t have any useful thyroid blood test result there, just TSH, which if you felt well would be OK, but because you don’t, you need more testing of the specific thyroid hormones free T3 and free T4. You will have todo this privately. Blue Horizon and Medicheck both offer full thyroid panels.

To have this condition for 10 years, felt unwell for 10 years and not done your research is a little lax. You can’t rely on GP’s for this. Start with the book Your Thyroid and how to Look After it by Dr Barry Durant Peatfield. It’s available on Amazon and is a good entry level introduction in easy format.

So I would advise you buy one of the private blood tests for a full set of results and read the book. Come back with your test results and their reference ranges.

Make sure your blood test is taken first thing in the morning. Eat nothing and drink only water from the night before. Don’t take your Levothyroxine until after your blood test is finished.

With a stubborn GP you are going to have to help yourself. This is the start. Better things lie ahead.

rogerant in reply to FancyPants54

thank you

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shawsAdministrator

A TSH alone is not evidence of a problem with your thyroid gland, you need a Full Thyroid Hormone test, which is TSH, T4, T3, Free T4, Free T3 and thyroid antibodies.

Doctors only look at the TSH alone and if low, like yours, believes there's no problem with your gland The fact that tsh means Thyroid Stimulating Hormone and is from the Pituitary Gland I think they're completely unaware.

You can get a private test through one of our private labs who do home pin-prick finger blood tests. If you decide, you should make sure you are well hydrated a couple of days before draw and make sure your hands/arms are warm so it is easier all round.

Before blood tests and levothyroxine replaced NDT (which contain all of the hormones) we were diagnosed upon clinical symptoms alone and given a trial of NDT. If we improved we were hypo and stayed on NDT for life with adjustments when necessary.

That important skill of knowing clinical symptoms has now been lost through the insistence that a TSH and T4 reveal all. Not so.

When deciding to do a private test (or even one at GPs). It has to be at the earlist possible time, fasting (you can drink water) and allow a gap of 24 hours between last dose of thyroid hormones and the test and take afterwards.

If GP hasn't also tested B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate ask for these at the same time. Deficiencies can also cause symptoms and all have to be optimal to give thyroid hormone replacements a chance of success.

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testing/interpretation_thyroid_blood_tests.html

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

T4 is an inactive hormone. T3 is the only Active hormone and if low we will not feel well as our millions of T3 receptor cells need T3. T4 should convert to T3 but not always effectively.

Always get a print-out with the ranges and post for comments. Sometimes DIY improves our health more quickly.

rogerant in reply to shaws

thank you ill book some private blood tests can you recommend a company please

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spongecat in reply to rogerant

Hi rogerant

These are the 2 most commonly used companies that are used on here.....

medichecks.com/

They often have deals on Thursdays for people with thyroid problems.

The other is......

bluehorizonmedicals.co.uk/t...

I have taken you to this page because the Thyroid check plus 11 is very popular and tests all this. The ferritin, folate and B12 are essential for the body to be able to convert and utilise T4/T3:

TSH

FT4

FT3

TT4

Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies

Thyroglobulin Antibodies

Ferritin

Folate

Vitamin B12 (NOT ACTIVE B12)

C Reactive Protein

Vitamin D (25-OH)

You get a lot of "bang for your buck" and will find out if you have Hashimoto's (the commonest form of hypothyroidism and auto-immune related). This will give you many answers and there is a lot that we can do for ourselves as GP's are given so little training on thyroid issues..."It will all be better when you take this pill daily". If only it was that simple!

I do this test once a year and thankfully my GP is open to accepting the results and adds them to my notes. Some GP's are more sniffy which is rather odd as both labs are used by private doctors and some NHS work.

I'm afraid a lot of this condition is down to Go Your Own Way. It does help when you feel a bit more in control too with lots of help and advice from this terrific forum.

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rogerant in reply to spongecat

ok thank you for the advice I'm going to send for private testing out and take it from there ill post my results when I get them. many thanks

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SlowDragonAdministrator

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4, FT3 plus TPO and TG thyroid antibodies and also very important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

Private tests are available. Thousands on here forced to do this as NHS often refuses to test FT3 or antibodies or vitamins

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. When on Levothyroxine, don't take in the 24 hours prior to test, delay and take straight after test. This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 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 .