Private testing

[Mdegnan42086]

Going to pay privately for testing. Everything relating to thyroid function including vitimins and minerals. Can someone tell me all I need to test for please x

[Wetsuiter]

if you go to the Thyroiduk.org website and look for About Testing in the pink panel on the left, you'll find several pages of good info

[SlowDragon Administrator]

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

Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially as you have Graves’ disease

What vitamin supplements are you currently taking?

Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and before eating or drinking anything other than water .

Last dose of Levothyroxine 24 hours prior to blood test. (taking delayed dose immediately after blood draw).

This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, best not mentioned to GP or phlebotomist)

Looking at previous posts you appear to be also on T3, so make sure to take last third or half of daily dose 8-12 hours prior to test, even if this means adjusting time or splitting of dose day before test

Is this how you do your tests?

Private tests are available.

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

For thyroid including antibodies and vitamins

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

As you have Graves’ disease Are you on strictly gluten free diet?

[Mdegnan42086 in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks for that, very helpful. I stopped taking T3 a few weeks back as I couldn't get it from chemist due to the covid 19. So I was only taking my levo and really wasn't sure what to do for the best. When I get blood tests my appointment's I get are at anytime of the day what ever I get given. Also u bring up graves, I don't have a clue, do I still have it ? That how my story started was graves about 20 yrs ago and I had the radiation drink thing to wipe out thyroid so I thought that would do away with graves , and I'm now hypo and have IBS . X

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Mdegnan42086]

Graves doesn't go away it's an autoimmune disease

IBS is frequently gluten intolerance and extremely common with Graves and hashimoto's

[Mdegnan42086 in reply to SlowDragon]

Oh ok thanks, so I'm hypo and have graves. Yeh I got my T3 after 4 days without taking it . I was just scared to start taking it again my symptoms were all over the place x

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Mdegnan42086]

Pharmacy should still be providing T3 assuming you have prescription

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Mdegnan42086]

Low vitamin levels are extremely common with Graves

Very important to maintain optimal vitamin levels on levothyroxine

Suggest you read up as much as possible

Elaine Moore has website specifically for Graves patients

Very important to always get blood test as early as possible in morning, ideally before eating or drinking anything other than water and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test

naturalmedicinejournal.com/...

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

Changing to a strictly gluten free diet may help reduce symptoms, help gut heal

While still eating high gluten diet ask GP for coeliac blood test first or buy test online for under £20, just to rule it out first

Probably best to buy online during current situation

Assuming test is negative you can immediately go on strictly gluten free diet

(If test is positive you will need to remain on high gluten diet until endoscopy, maximum 6 weeks wait officially)

Trying strictly gluten free diet for 3-6 months

If no noticeable improvement, reintroduce gluten and see if symptoms get worse

chriskresser.com/the-gluten...

amymyersmd.com/2018/04/3-re...

[humanbean]

The most popular tests are :

medichecks.com/products/thy...

and

bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...

Note that both companies have special offers on from time to time and it is worth registering with each company so you can receive emails telling you about their special offers.

Medichecks has a permanent 10% off their prices with discount code THYROIDUK when they have no specific special offers on :

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

For more info on private testing :

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

Be aware that coronavirus is affecting the choices we have in terms of testing just now. But finger-prick tests are still available.

For some excellent advice from SeasideSusie about private testing with finger-prick samples and under what conditions to do it, see this post of hers :

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...