Requesting thyroid function test.

[confusseled]

I had a hemi-thyroidectomy in February this year due to a nodule. I haven't had any thyroid function test since and was wondering if I am able to request this from my gp surgery? I am aware my remaining love should take over and keep me regulated but would like to have them checked to be sure. Is this something I can simply ask for? Any help would be really appreciated.

[Lalatoot]

I think you should contact your gp to discuss. Don't leave it too long. I had rai so different scenario slightly. Got bloods checked by endo and was well in range. 2 months later I was very very hypo.

[Greekchick]

Hi there,

I would recommend you ask your doctor for a full thyroid blood panel - and you can order this yourself through Medichecks or Blue Horizons if your doctor won’t do it for you. It is important to see where you are since your operation . Please see posts of SeasideSusie and SlowDragon - they list all the different tests you should order. Once you have these, please post them so our panel experts can help you. Wishing you all the best.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

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

Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially if Thyroid antibodies are raised or if hypothyroid

Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and fasting. This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, best not mentioned to GP or phlebotomist)

Private tests are available. Thousands on here forced to do this as NHS often refuses to test FT3 or antibodies or all 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 special offers, Medichecks usually have offers on Thursdays, Blue Horizon its more random

[lorilou107]

Hi, I had the same surgery in 2017 and my consultant was sure my remaining thyroid would pick up the slack. However my thyroid tsh went through the floor a few weeks later and it has taken me a lot of stress and illness to get them to listen to my symptoms.

I was eventually left on 100mg Levothyroxine for 2 years even though I went back to my gp with recurring symptoms again a year ago as I was starting to feel most unwell again. After 3 more blood tests I finally got increased to 125mg and all my symptoms stopped only to recur again 3 months later. This is now and I cannot get any higher dose prescribed because I am 'normal '. I suffer from severe cold and heat intolerance, weight gain, anxiety and a number of other problems but although my doctor is quite happy to refer me to a heart consultant for the heat and cold I cant see a thyroid consultant on the NHS unless I am over active not under.

I am now going down the route of medicheck blood tests to get my T3 and T4, TSH all tested again.

I would definitely ask to have a full thyroid check to see if your remaining thyroid is working well enough don't leave it until you feel really ill. I had no idea that a rubbish thyroid can make you feel so incredibly unwell until I started having problems and a goiter started growing.

Take care

Lori Lou

[tcpace in reply to lorilou107]

My wife had the same operation in 2010. Her consultant said the same thing. He was totally wrong. Unfortunately for a while after the operation, it may look as though the remaining lob is taking up the slack but that's because your T4 level is your body takes time to diminish. Personally I think patients should be started on at least 50-75mg T4 immediately after the op and then be reviewed regularly for some time afterwards to see how things are panning out. If the patient isn't given T4 straightaway, it will take time before it becomes apparent that they're deficient, partly because of the inadequate endogenous T4 but also because the patient puts feeling unwell down to the after affects of the operation. Why on earth do endos think it a good idea to deprive patients of something as important as T4 when they've in recovery from a fairly major op?

[pennyannie]

Hello there,

It does seem that there is no joined up thinking or the appropriate aftercare for thyroid patients.

Just as a point of reference, a fully functioning working thyroid would be supporting you with approximately 100 T4 + 10 T3 daily and it just sense sensible to me that if there has been a medical intervention and the thyroid either surgically removed, in full or in part, or ablated with radio active iodine and slowly burnt out in situ, that both these vital hormones need to be on the patients prescription, for if and when the patient isn't well and needs some thyroid hormone replacement.

Why do we wait, while people struggle to cope, wearing themselves down even further and causing more health issues to overcome along the way ?

[Otto11]

I would expect so. I had same surgery for adenoma several years ago & a few years after surgery the other half gave up so have been on Thyroxine ever since. So I think they should monitor yours.