Morning all, as you can probably see this is my second post today. I feel really down today when I thought (foolishly) I was getting somewhere. Out of the blue yesterday I had a call to book an appt with an NHS endo (my gynaecologist refereed me after all due to fertility issues) and by chance they had an early appointment this morning. Off I went with my list of questions, the supplements I take and my Levo. I asked when I booked the appointment should I take my medication before and was told to carry on as normal. Well arrived at the appointment, my bum had barely touched the seat before I was sent to have blood tests done and wait for a letter. I had no time to ask any questions so none of my queries were answered. When he said to go for the bloods I said I’ve taken my medication today can I do it another day was told no it will be fine it won’t affect the results. I feel so let down. I’m so worried now that my bloods will be severely skewed that any help I may have got with a dose increase won’t happen. I know you’ve all probably felt this way at some point. It’s just so heartbreaking when it’s affecting other parts of my life and I can’t get the help I need.
Thanks for listening
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Catlady101
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If you have an appointment with a GP or a hospital doctor don't take your thyroid meds, or any supplements at all, on the day, before the appointment. If the appointment is first thing in the morning I would fast overnight apart from water as well.
Doctors can say that these things make no difference to the results but we all know they can do, in some circumstances. And doctors don't always tell patients to expect blood tests. So, just assume that blood tests are on the menu and act accordingly.
Actually I have been taking a B12 so that’s in-fact true and would definitely skew them. Although I think he’s only testing TSH and T4. Not really sure what I can do now that they’ve been done
It's B Complex, not B12, that causes false results. This is because of the Biotin it contains when biotin is used in the testing procedure. The only thing B12 will do is skew a B12 test result.
Catlady101 Do you take B Complex as well as B12 (we should because it keeps all the B vitamins in balance). So if you did make sure you tell them that the Biotin in B Complex may have given false results so you'd like a retest. Biotin can affect any blood test result regardless of what's being tested.
Are they answering your calls or is it that you can't get through?
Presuming you didn't leave off the B Complex for a week, see what the results come back like and if you can't get your increase, or een if they want to decrease your dose, you'll have to persuade them that the Biotin may have affected your result and you need retesting. Going by some print outs we see here, some labs actually give the warning that if Biotin has been taken the results wont be reliable.
No I didn’t have the time to stop taking it given the short notice. That coupled with taking my Levo before isn’t great at all. I’ve tried calling the sister that was in the appt but getting voicemail. I’m hoping I’ll get a call back so I can express my concerns. I know I’m jumping the gun before knowing the results but I’m just worried about the outcome of this
I managed to get a call back from the sister. She said that the Levo won’t make a difference to my results 🤯 and she will ask about the Biotin but I’m not holding my breath here. Let’s wait and see I think x
I know I think that makes me feel even worse because now what chance do I have against my own false blood results! Hoping to get some recommendations on the back of my other posts for a private endo so if I need to go down that route I will x
I know I feel so frustrated with myself and them! What did you do after the ones that you took meds before? I phoned the clinic again once I got home to stress the point and they didn’t seem bothered at all.
Taking your levo before the blood draw will affect your FT4, but won't affect your TSH. And, as all they'll probably look at is the TSH, it might not matter. BUT, the time of day affects the TSH, and they don't seem to know that, either! What time was the blood draw?
Yes I think I definitely need another dose increase. And now that you say that, I think he only asked for TSH and T4. Am a bit worried that the Biotin in the B complex I take will falsely lower my TSH levels. I just don’t want to give them any excuse to dismiss me you know x
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FED UP FEELING TIRED.
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Feeling cold and thoroughly fed up.
