Bloods

[paul1978]

My gp has lifted my dose to 200mcg Levo on Xmas eve and she wants to do bloods on 11th jan

Should I have them done or will results be messed up?

Thanks

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Paul1978

That's too soon. Retesting should be done 6-8 weeks after a dose change, it takes 6 weeks for any change to be fully effective and for some people they need 8 weeks. The earliest you should have your retest is 4th February. Your GP wants to retest 2 and 1/2 weeks after the increase, this wont give a true picture. If I were you I would rearrange your test for no sooner than 4th February, following the advice always given here:

* Earliest appointment of the morning for the test, no later than 9am

* Last dose of Levo before the blood test taken 24 hours before (take that day's dose after the blood draw)

* Fast overnight (water allowed) - have your evening meal/supper the night before then delay breakfast until after the blood draw, drink only water, no coffee, tea, etc, before the test.

[paul1978 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you. My last test was 27th nov and I have not been doing it correctly only join this page last week and learnt a lot!!!!

As U know my last TSH was 4.35 and I don’t have a thyroid and they have never done a T3 or free.

I think that’s why she wants to do it on the 11th jan because I kicked off that they let my TSH get so high. It was 2.8 in October and. They did not increase

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to paul1978]

It doesn't matter that your last test was 27th November, your dose change was 24th December so it's 6-8 weeks after a dose change that retesting should be done. You need to know if the new dose is right for you, if you don't give it the 6 weeks to fully take effect then you will not get an accurate result and your dose may be changed again erroneously.

[spongecat]

That's far too soon to give a meaningful result. It going to take around 6 weeks for the dose change to "percolate" around the body.

You should therefore be tested at 6 weeks after a dose change so make the test for around February 4th. I would cancel any earlier appointment for a draw, it will be a waste of time.

As usual in this, get the earliest draw appointment preferably before 9am and don't take your levo in the morning of the blood draw (or the night before if you normally dose at bedtime) and take your dose after the draw. Have an empty stomach (last meal the previous evening) , though you can drink water of course. Your doctor and phlebotomist do not need to know this, it's a patient-to-patient advice.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Make sure they also test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

These could be done now. Always get actual results and ranges on all tests

[paul1978 in reply to SlowDragon]

Any privet company I can pay to have just them done?

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to paul1978]

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 when also including thyroid testing

DIY finger prick test or option to pay extra for private blood draw. Both companies often have special offers, Medichecks usually have offers on Thursdays, Blue Horizon its more random

They also do just vitamin testing, but the whole bundle is cheapest option

You could just test vitamin D now

Just vitamin D via NHS postal kit £29'

vitamindtest.org.uk

Start by improving vitamin D.

Then get full thyroid and vitamin testing (minus vitamin D) privately at 6-8 weeks