How accurate are Medichecks results ,I ve just done one and there is a big difference between nhs and Medichecks
Last October my nhs results were
TSH o.o1
T415.8
T3 3.4
Medichecks done June 2020
TSH 0.019
T4. 22.8
T3. 4.65
I take 100 thyroxine
Had thyroid removed 8years ago
Not feeling well hence I did Medichecks test
Piedo
I should add the range which are
TSH 0.27 - 4.2
T4 12. -22
T3 3.1 - 6.8
The NHS and Medichecks ranges were the same?
Do you have Hashi's?
Hi grey goose
No I had my thyroid removed because of a multinodular goitre which started to grow after the birth of my son 31 years ago the goitre grew slowly and then 8 years ago I had it removed as it was obstructing my throat I was sold old story have it removed all you need is a little tablet and you will be fine
I have been getting gradually worse over last 8 years
Felt really bad recently with fibro vand anxiety .my T s h has been surprised ever since i had thyroid removed
I was shocked that my latest results showed 22.8
I only take 100 thyroxine should I drop down 75
You didn't say if the NHS ranges were the same as Medichecks, because we can't really compare anything except the TSH without them. And, the TSH hasn't changed.
But, even so, a lot can change in nearly 8 months, so you shouldn't be surprised that the results aren't the same.
Hardly surprising results are different several months apart
Very important what time of day you do tests
For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 tested. Also EXTREMELY important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12
Low vitamin levels are extremely common when on only levothyroxine
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)
Is this how you do your tests?
List of private testing options
thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...
Medichecks Thyroid plus ultra vitamin
medichecks.com/products/thy...
Medichecks often have special offers, if order on Thursdays
Thriva Thyroid plus vitamins
Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes vitamins
bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...
I did my test first thing in morning fasting and didn’t t take my thyroxine until after test
I thought it would show up low T3 so was shocked to see high T4
I have been feeling very anxious lately
Your Ft3 is rather low
High Ft4 and low Ft3 is poor conversion and often causes anxiety symptoms
Likely low vitamin levels. Vitamin levels need to be OPTIMAL for good conversion
What vitamin supplements are you currently taking?
Common after thyroidectomy to need addition of small dose of T3 alongside levothyroxine.
But important to get vitamin levels optimal first
Email Dionne at Thyroid UK for list of recommend thyroid specialist endocrinologists who will prescribe T3. NHS and private lists
tukadmin@thyroiduk.org
Thank you for your reply
Do you think I should drop my thyroxine to 75 to see if it improves anxiety ?
My surgery have been pressing me for a long time to reduce because of my suppressed TSH I have always resisted as my T4and T3 were in range
I feel that 100 is low anyway for someone without a thyroid
Piedo
SlowDragon
Just thought I'd let you know, the Medichecks ULTRAVIT no longer includes Folate.
They now have a new test ULTRAVIT WITH FOLATE and it has to be done by venous blood draw
medichecks.com/products/thy...
This new test is exactly the same as the old UltraVit test but more expensive at £119 and no fingerprick version. I think it's come about because so many of the old UltraVit tests were failing on the folate test.
Thanks for update.....yes they have been having to repeat many failed folate tests recently
I had the UltraVit test done on 12 June with no problems at all but I did make sure I filled the tube. Why can’t they just send out 8ml tubes 🥵
Was your brand of levothyroxine changed between October and June. What brand are you taking now?
No I have been on same brand Almus for years
This has all come out of blue my T4 reading in October 2019 was 15.8
Then jumped to 22.8 June 2020
Still on same dosage 100
At the moment I have extreme anxiety
Thanks for replying
Piedo
Next step ...get vitamins tested
You may need to reduce levothyroxine and add T3
But vitamins need to be optimal first
Come back with new post once you get results
Hello Piedo
A fully functioning working thyroid would be supporting you on a daily with approximately 100T4 + 10 T3. T4 is Levothyroxine which is a storage hormone and your body needs to be able to convert the T4 into T3 which is the active hormone that is said to be about 4 times more powerful than T4 and it is T3 that the body runs on and read most people use about 50 T3 daily, just to function.
Your ability to convert the T4 into T3 can be compromised if you do not maintain ferritin, folate, B12 and vitamin D at optimal levels. These essential vitamins and minerals maybe in the NHS range but all this means is that the doctor is not obliged to write a prescription. You do need to get these checked out and you may need to raise your levels to optimal by supplementation these essential vitamins and minerals yourself.
The thyroid is a major gland responsible for full body synchronisation including your physical, mental, emotional, psychological and spiritual well being your inner central heating system and your metabolism.
Personally I just think that if there has been a medical intervention and the thyroid surgically removed or ablated with RAI that both T4 and T3 should be on the patients prescription for if and probably when required.
Some people can get by on T4 alone, some people simply stop converting the T4 into T3 at some point in time, and some people simply need both T3 and T4 dosed independently to bring both these vital hormones in balance to offer the patient a level of wellbeing that is acceptable.
It is perfectly acceptable for your T4 to run slightly over range if this gives you a good level of T3 but your T3 result is at around 40 % though whilst your T4 is at just over 100% :
Your conversion ratio is coming in at 4.90 ( just divide T3 into T4 ) and most people feel better when this ratio is around 1 / 3.5-4.50 with most preferring not to go above 4 :
The right thing to do is suggest a trial of T3 alongside you T4 :
Certainly do not reduce your T4 as your conversion will go lower and a lower T3 will give you further debilitating symptoms.
The TSH level will move around - it is of no consequence , you haven't a thyroid and need to have T3 and T4 blood tests and dosed on T3 and T4 blood test results, with the aim being to have both T3 and T4 in the upper quadrants of the ranges, and this may mean, adding a little T3.
Thank you for your detailed reply
I have just spoken to my GP and at the moment I am banging my head against a brick wall !,
All she wants to do is drop my thyroxine to 75
She asked me to go for blood test but says the hospital won t test T3
I asked about conversation of T4to T3 and she had no answer
So she said have blood test and we’ll go from there in other words they will do nothing!
Also the phone line was so bad I could hardly hear her which didn’t t help !
I have the list of private endocrinologists from Thyroid uk so will look into that
Thank you for you help
Piedo
How accurate are Medichecks?
Ferritin blood results different between medichecks and NHS
Medichecks results 
Results from medichecks
