Blood tests for overactive thiyroid : Hi Can any... - Thyroid UK

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Blood tests for overactive thiyroid

birkie profile image
18 Replies

Hi

Can any lovely people on here tell me if you should have regular blood tests that's every 6 to 8 wks after being diagnosed with hyperthiyroid overactive thiyroid..I was diagnosed on Sep 18th my T3 was 24.2 I'm on no anti thiyroid meds as I cannot take them and I've had no further blood tests done..🤔🤔

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birkie
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18 Replies
purple64 profile image
purple64

Seems a bit odd that your GP hasn't asked for more blood tests. Did they test for antibodies? Usually in the beginning you have regular tests every 4/6 weeks and then the time between becomes longer.

birkie profile image
birkie in reply to purple64

Hi

No he as not requested any bloods my diagnosis was my first blood test no further bloods done,I am suffering from server shakin in all muscles especially hands and legs,,I'm fatigued quite a bit my body is covered in scratches because I'm itchy all the time and sweating profusely 😫 He is aware of me because I've been bugging him constantly to find out when my appointment is with the endo...so far no response from him.it seems I need to get past the receptionist first because everytime I ring or go in to the surgery she says 2 things the doctors not available or I'll pass the message on to him...she does not because iv had no response..I phoned to get an appointment for this week..it will be over a fortnight before I can see mg GP...discussing it's not like iv got a cold or something...😡😡😡😡😡

purple64 profile image
purple64 in reply to birkie

That's appalling. I was shaking and felt unwell that's why I went to GP. Had a blood test within the hour and was put on a low dose of Carbimazole until I had a hospital appointment. Can you request an appointment with another doctor 🤔. You can't wait for a hospital appointment and feel like that in the meantime. I get what you mean about receptionist 🙄. If you don't get anywhere I would go to a local walk in hospital centre or A&E.

birkie profile image
birkie in reply to purple64

Thank you so much for your response...I have just rang my surgery up requesting that bloods be done,,she has just told me she will need to ask the doctor about that I give her my dates and she said "well do u think you need another blood test" she knows my illness ,,,I said I should have bloods ever 4 to 6 weeks..I'm afraid I lost my temper I'm so sick of this..I don't even know if he as got me an appointment with an endo yet..it's making my life hell..😭😭😭😭

purple64 profile image
purple64 in reply to birkie

If he won't do your bloods then try another GP and if need be go to a different surgery. Who does the receptionist think she is she's not qualified!!!!😡.

purple64 profile image
purple64 in reply to birkie

Are you in the uk? If so you can call 111

birkie profile image
birkie in reply to purple64

Hi

What's 111 🤔

MaisieGray profile image
MaisieGray in reply to birkie

Info re 111 service:

nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/nhs-se...

Fruitandnutcase profile image
Fruitandnutcase in reply to birkie

How does he / you know you can’t take antithyroid drugs? Did he not offer you beta blockers? Now I know you can’t take those if you have asthma because I had to do it on carbimazole alone which my GP prescribed. I was given 20mcg which when I was tested after 4 weeks turned out not to be strong enough to do anything so I got a letter from my endo telling me to double up on the dose.

Di you know what your T4 and TSH were? You need to find out the lab ranges used. What were your thyroid antibody results like and did your doctor check out your ferritin, folates, vitamins B12 and D as well?You want all of those well up in their ranges to help your thyroid.

I was contacted by my hospital’s booking service to arrange my endo appointment - sounds like that hasn’t happened for you yet. There was a three month wait between me being diagnosed and seeing the endo although she was obviously monitoring my test results.

I can see why you’d like to know more. I’m very surprised your doctor has just left you.

birkie profile image
birkie in reply to Fruitandnutcase

Hi

Firstly I was on carbimazole but I threw up every time I ad it was rushed to hospital and taken off it same with the PTU I vometed it bk and was taken of that...only did t3 that was 24.2..no antibodies as my GP said my endo will do those blood tests and I'm still waiting..iv had no monitoring he has only done one blood that was my diagnosis Sep 18..he has given me beta blockers propranolol ..but my shaking is still bad my fatique is bad..I can only stand for a short time my legs feel like jelly also my ankles have started swelling bad..I have taken photos but to be quite honest I showed him a photo of my scratches that were bleeding and his face said it all when I got the photo up..his diagnosis it's just an irritation...I'm hoping to get the endo app soon because she's doing my bloods according to my GP...😥😥😥

MaisieGray profile image
MaisieGray in reply to birkie

The NICE guidance to GPs is that whilst waiting for your Endo appointment, if other first line meds can't be taken, they can prescribe other drugs such as amiodarone or lithium, following dialogue with the Consultant if they feel they need guidance. Can you ask for a telephone consultation with your GP which might be quicker than your booked appointment?

birkie profile image
birkie in reply to MaisieGray

To be quite honest I'm frightened of my GP he has not bothered with me since pescribing me beta blockers..no further blood tests my T3 was 24.2 no T4 antibodies done by him..he knows I can't take the anti thiyroid meds but as only prescribed carbimazole and PTU,,I have seen him for my bleeding whilst scratching..he wasn't bothered I keep an eye on my own blood pressure with my own pump and his fine with that to..he always gives me the impression I'm a nuisance to him..to be quite honest after the holidays I'm thinking of moving to another surgery..but you know I always think if u move they get away with it..I'm waiting for a phone call from him today as I rang to ask why I had only had one blood test threw my hyperthiyroid illness..it's about 12 weeks since that blood test was done..😡

MaisieGray profile image
MaisieGray in reply to birkie

In advance of you speaking to him, you might like to inform yourself, by reading the NICE guidance, which informs GP on the protocol for hyperthyroidism,: cks.nice.org.uk/hyperthyroi...

birkie profile image
birkie in reply to MaisieGray

Thank you..I definitely will.. ☺

Fruitandnutcase profile image
Fruitandnutcase in reply to birkie

Birdie, that’s really not good enough. I take my own BP because I’ve got white coat syndrome and it is ridiculous when I have it done at the surgery but my GP rings and tells me to bring my read8bgs down to the surgery.

Inly having T3 done seems weird to me because I have never had T3 d8ne in the NHS and it’s the presence of antibodies that indicates autoimmune thyroid disease. It’s hard to know what your doctor is thinking. Like the others say if you feel really bad call 111 for advice or even go to A&E.

I would never have advised that in the past but my most recent experience trying to get an appointment left me feeling a lot more sympathetic towards people who do that.

birkie profile image
birkie in reply to Fruitandnutcase

These were what the surgery gave me

Serum free T3 levels 24.2..pmol/ L..3.10-6.80pmol/L

Serum TSH level <0.02 mU/L 0.30 4.50 mU/L..I have no idear what this means..all I know is it says see DR as soon as possible with in 7 days..😕

MissGrace profile image
MissGrace in reply to birkie

Hi Birkie, I was wondering how you have been getting on as I recall your earlier posts and you have clearly had a really awful time with not much help or support. Your GP cannot leave you like this, it’s not fair and it’s dangerous to your health. As MaisieGray points out, there must be other drugs that can help? You really need a second opinion and have the right to ask for one. I’m also beginning to doubt you have been referred to an endo if you’ve heard nothing, usually you’d have been contacted by now even if the appointment isn’t for a while. Ring your local hospital endo department and ask them if they have received your referral. Or ring PALS about it and ask them for help. I was waiting on a cardiology referral last year for 3 months and it was only when I rang I found out they’d never received it! At least you can make sure it has happened. Once they got my referral, I rang every other day asking what was happening and explaining I’d been waiting ages as the first referral was lost and I got in quicker as a result. Also, your doctor waiting for the endo to do blood tests is - excuse the pun - bloody stupid. Your doctor needs to do some blood tests just before you see the endo so they have some up to date results to work with. If you turn up without them, they’ll refer you for blood tests and then you’ll have to wait even longer for treatment. I wish I could come to your GP’s with you. I’d insist we were staying till he saw you and treated you properly. What a b*****d!

birkie profile image
birkie in reply to MissGrace

Hi thanks for the lovely reply to be honest it'very hard to type when your shaking..I am suffering with this but my GP thinks I'm a pain I've seen him because l am making myself bleed due to scratching he said its just a irritation..when I do speak to him he is very ignorant at one point he told me he did have other patients as if I was taking all his time up..not so..I think it' really bad not to have second bloods done when it' been 12 weeks..or am I wrong..the thing that buggs me is our receptionist think their doctors..when I asked for the bloods she said..do u think u need them..what else can I do..I did loose my temper with her..but we're not to do that...they have all the balls in their court and if I make a fuss I'm a troublemaker..can u prosecute a GP for negligence 😔

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