Blue Horizon

[karen1507]

Hello All, further to my previous posts I've finally on the home run for my appointment with an Endo, TPO still 279, TSH 5.1, still feeling pretty rubbish in fact now on Naproxen 500mg for joint pain, I'm looking to have a complete upto date panel of tests before my appointment in October, Blue Horizon I understand do a discount but I cant find what the code is, can any one help. Much appreciated. Karen

[fibrolinda]

thyroiduk.org/?v=d3dcf429c679

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Karen1507

Blue Horizon "Premium" tests are discounted with the code mentioned on ThyroidUK's main website here :

thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...

[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 autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's) diagnosed by raised Thyroid antibodies

Ask GP to test vitamin levels

Are you currently taking any 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 .

If/when on levothyroxine.........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)

Is this how you do your tests?

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

List of private testing options

thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...

Medichecks Thyroid plus vitamins including folate (private blood draw required)

medichecks.com/products/thy...

Thriva Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins By DIY fingerpick test

thriva.co/tests/thyroid-test

Thriva also offer just vitamin testing

Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes antibodies, cortisol and vitamins by DIY fingerprick test

bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...

If you can get GP to test vitamins and antibodies then cheapest option for just TSH, FT4 and FT3

£29 (via NHS private service ) and 10% off if go on thyroid uk for code

thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...

monitormyhealth.org.uk/thyr...

Have you had coeliac blood test done

Are you on strictly gluten free diet?

[karen1507 in reply to SlowDragon]

Great, thankyou all for replying, no my GP will not medicate me apart from Naproxen which required me to have a very frank and blunt discussion to get, all GP has done is monitor my results for over a year now. every three months with a selective range of blood tests, hence why I want to be fully prepared for my Endo appointment in October.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to karen1507]

Likely to have low vitamin levels

Improving low vitamin levels if necessary, by supplementing frequently results in a TSH rising so that you can get treatment

Low vitamin d can cause joint pain

But with TSH already over range, high thyroid antibodies and symptoms, a trial of levothyroxine should be prescribed

See flow chart on top of page 2

gp-update.co.uk/Latest-Upda...

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to karen1507]

approx 5% with Hashimoto's are coeliac, but over 80% find gluten free diet helps, sometimes significantly. Either due to direct gluten intolerance (no test available) or due to leaky gut and gluten causing molecular mimicry (see Amy Myers link)

Changing to a strictly gluten free diet may help reduce symptoms, help gut heal and slowly lower TPO antibodies

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

healthcheckshop.co.uk/store...?

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 gluten free diet for 3-6 months. If no noticeable improvement then reintroduce gluten and see if symptoms get worse

chriskresser.com/the-gluten...

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

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

drknews.com/changing-your-d...

restartmed.com/hashimotos-g...

Non Coeliac Gluten sensitivity (NCGS) and autoimmune disease

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/296...

The predominance of Hashimoto thyroiditis represents an interesting finding, since it has been indirectly confirmed by an Italian study, showing that autoimmune thyroid disease is a risk factor for the evolution towards NCGS in a group of patients with minimal duodenal inflammation. On these bases, an autoimmune stigma in NCGS is strongly supported

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/300...

The obtained results suggest that the gluten-free diet may bring clinical benefits to women with autoimmune thyroid disease

nuclmed.gr/wp/wp-content/up...

In summary, whereas it is not yet clear whether a gluten free diet can prevent autoimmune diseases, it is worth mentioning that HT patients with or without CD benefit from a diet low in gluten as far as the progression and the potential disease complications are concerned

restartmed.com/hashimotos-g...

Despite the fact that 5-10% of patients have Celiac disease, in my experience and in the experience of many other physicians, at least 80% + of patients with Hashimoto's who go gluten-free notice a reduction in their symptoms almost immediately.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Essential to stop all supplements that contain biotin a week before any blood tests