Tests thyroid

[Pam2017]

Does anyone know where I can get tested for Graves’ disease:- & full thyroid function

Also has anyone got graves and treating it with supplements or medications

Thanks

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Medichecks do Graves’ disease test

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested for Hashimoto’s .

Also EXTREMELY important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12. Low vitamin levels are extremely common, if you have Graves or Hashimoto’s

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 .

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 as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or thyroid antibodies or all relevant vitamins

List of private testing options

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

Medichecks Thyroid plus ultra vitamin

medichecks.com/products/thy...

Medichecks often have special offers

25% off at moment

Thriva Thyroid plus vitamins

thriva.co/tests/thyroid-test

Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes vitamins

bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...

Graves Disease antibodies test

medichecks.com/products/tsh...

If TPO or TG thyroid antibodies are high this is usually due to Hashimoto’s (commonly known in UK as autoimmune thyroid disease). Can also be slightly raised with Graves’ disease

. Low vitamin levels are particularly common with Hashimoto’s and Graves . Gluten intolerance is often a hidden issue to.

Link about thyroid blood tests

thyroiduk.org/tuk/testing/t...

Link about antibodies

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

Hashimoto’s

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

[pennyannie]

Hello Pam

You might like to take a look at the Elaine Moore Graves Disease Foundation website.

Elaine was diagnosed back in the 1990's and had RAU thyroid ablation. Finding no help nor understanding with her continued health issues, and being a medical researcher, decided to research her own disease and wrote a book to help other people who might be in a similar situation.

Roll on a good few years and her website is the most comprehensive platform for all things Graves Disease and autoimmune. There are sections on holistic and alternative options, diet, life style, and current research along with a open forum much like this amazing site where people can ask the community and widen their knowledge accordingly.

It does appear to be a poorly understood and badly treated autoimmune disease and suggest you to read up all you can, and become your own best advocate, taking an active role in your Graves Disease journey.

I'm with Graves diagnosed in 2003 and had RAI in 2005, and deeply regret this action. I was given no treatment options, though well on the anti thyroid drug, and believe my age was the deciding factor as to the treatment I was given. I have had to lean of my situation back to front becoming very unwell some 8 years after ingesting the RAI.

You are much placed with information in 2020, so read all you can, ask questions, and there are very many people on here to support you through.

P.S. I've just looked back to find that I replied to you about 2 months ago, and have said all this before !!!

[Lora7again in reply to pennyannie]

Elaine Moore helped diagnose me 10 years ago when my Doctor kept fobbing me off and told me I was suffering with the menopause.

here is a link to her site for the op

elaine-moore.com/

[Pam2017 in reply to pennyannie]

Thanks for all the information much appreciated

Obviously went to junk box as never rcvd

Will look into this book and research further

Why did you have to have op ....

Could the thyroid be saved via diet supplements and iodine free diet

Vegan free

Thanks

[pennyannie in reply to Pam2017]

Thyroid ablation is not an operation :

Thyroid ablation is undertaken by your ingesting a dose of Radioactive Iodine.

This is the treatment of choice as offered by the NHS. for Graves Disease.

It takes about 20 minutes in the Nuclear Department of the hospital, generally found somewhere in the basement.

This treatment slowly burns out, and disables your thyroid in situ :

The other option could be an operation, a thyroidectomy.

This would be a hospital stay and obviously be more costly.

Another option would be to stay on the anti thyroid medication with a view to riding out the reason why you own immune system decided to attack your thyroid, sending you ' over active '. This maybe, long term, more expensive.

Please do your research :

Graves is an auto immune disease and depending on the severity of your symptoms you may need to start AT drugs.

The thyroid is the victim in all this and not the cause - the cause is your immune system :