I would like to get my thyroid and vitamin levels checked.

[Mannequin18]

I have autoimmune hypothyroidism and pernicious anaemia. I would like to have tests done to see if I am on the right dose of Levothyroxine. And to see if I am absorbing vitamins. I have never been tested to see how I absorb vitamins.

Any advice please.

[greygoose]

Details of private testing here:

thyroiduk.org/tuk/testing/p...

[Mannequin18 in reply to greygoose]

Thank you.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Popular tests here for full thyroid/vitamin panel as follows and can be done by fingerprick or venous blood draw (at extra cost):

Medichecks Thyroid Check ULTRAVIT medichecks.com/thyroid-func... You can use code THYROIDUK for a 10% discount on any test not on special offer

or

Blue Horizon Thyroid Check PLUS ELEVEN bluehorizonmedicals.co.uk/t...

Both tests include the full thyroid and vitamin panel. They are basically the same test but with the following small differences:

For the fingerprick test, Blue Horizon requires 1 x microtainer of blood (0.8ml), Medichecks requires 2 x microtainers (total 1.6ml)

Blue Horizon includes Total T4 (can be useful but not essential). Medichecks doesn't include this test.

B12 - Blue Horizon does Serum B12. Medichecks does Active B12.

Serum B12 shows the total B12 in the blood. Active B12 shows what's available to be taken up by the cells. You can have a reasonable level of Serum B12 but a poor level of Active B12. (Personally, I would go for the Active B12 test.)

When doing thyroid tests, we advise:

* Book the first appointment of the morning, or with private tests at home no later than 9am. This is because TSH is highest early morning and lowers throughout the day. If we are looking for a diagnosis of hypothyroidism, or looking for an increase in dose or to avoid a reduction then we need TSH to be as high as possible.

* Fast overnight - have your evening meal/supper as normal the night before but delay breakfast on the day of the test and drink water only until after the blood draw. Eating may lower TSH, caffeine containing drinks affect TSH.

* If taking thyroid hormone replacement, last dose of Levo should be 24 hours before blood draw, if taking NDT or T3 then last dose should be 8-12 hours before blood draw. Adjust timing the day before if necessary. This avoids measuring hormone levels at their peak after ingestion of hormone replacement. Take your thyroid meds after the blood draw. Taking your dose too close to the blood draw will give false high results, leaving any longer gap will give false low results.

* If you take Biotin or a B Complex containing Biotin (B7), leave this off for 7 days before any blood test. This is because if Biotin is used in the testing procedure it will give false results (Medichecks definitely use Biotin, they have confirmed this and the amount of time to leave the supplement off).

These are patient to patient tips which we don't discuss with doctors or phlebotomists.

Post results with reference ranges when you have them for members to comment.

[Mannequin18 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you, that is very detailed and useful. I am on 150mg Levothyroxine, and have B12 injections every 3months. The reason I would like to have further tests is I think I am undermedicated on both. I feel no benefit from them anymore. I am autoimmune hypothyroidism and have PA.

[Baggiebod]

Personally I am not a big fan of Levothyroxine, when I was on just Levo, I felt ill and my T3 levels were Rock Bottom no matter how much they increased the dose. It turns out the more Levo I took, my body transferred into into RT3 - which is Reverse T3 - and counter productive. Luckily I was able to prove that I have a conversion problem - my body doesn't convert T4 (Levothyroxine) into T3 very well. Unfortunately, the NHS doesn't fund the blood tests - I paid for private blood tests from MediChecks to test RT3, FT3, FT4 and vitamin tests - I was deficient in Vit D. Not sure how to test if you'd body absorbs vitamins, maybe someone else can advise on that?

Good Luck!

[Maicat in reply to Baggiebod]

Baggiebod: So is that all you needed to do to turn things around was to take Vitamin D? If so, how much, how long have you been taking it and is it making you feel better? Thanks.

[Baggiebod in reply to Maicat]

NOoo! I now take less Levothyroxine but have had 20mcg T3 added daily and vitamins inc vitamin D. I think the addition of T3 was the biggest improvement to help me feel better.

[Mannequin18 in reply to Baggiebod]

Thank you.