Help with latest thyroid test results

[giggy63]

my latest thyroid blood results from doctor are tsh 0.73 and t4 18.4, are these normal as i know nothing about t4, any help welcome

[fuchsia-pink]

I'm guessing you are on thyroid meds?

We really need the lab ranges for the Free T4 result as these vary from lab to lab [you can edit your post using the "more" button on the right].

How do you feel?

[giggy63 in reply to fuchsia-pink]

havnt got lab ranges but i will post again when had full thyroid and vitamins tested with medichecks. Thank you.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Just testing TSH and Ft4 is completely inadequate

How much levothyroxine are you currently taking

Do you always get same brand

How do you feel?

What vitamin supplements are you currently taking?

When were vitamin levels last tested

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 if you have autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's) diagnosed by raised Thyroid antibodies

Ask GP to test vitamin levels

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)

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...

[giggy63 in reply to SlowDragon]

the receptionist only gave me these results, will post again when had full thyroid and vitamins tested again with medichecks. Thank you for your reply.

[BrynGlas in reply to giggy63]

Hi, have you ever written a list of blood tests which you want done and handed them into your surgery when you book a blood test?

I ask because in over 2 decades since my diagnosis and being put onto Levo, I just let them take the blood and test what they wanted to test, because I didn't think I would be given a choice.

However in February this year I was away from home, I live in North Wales but was in Stoke where my mother lives and I was looking after her there from November to March 2020.

I approached a practice who had been providing me repeat prescriptions while I had been in Stoke for blood tests, saw the GP and told him that I thought my thyroid was out of kilter and always had been and gave him a list of tests including vitamin and full thyroid including antibodies. To my surprise, because I was expecting a fight, he did test everything that I had asked for.

The only thing was that it took me until April to get a printed test result sheet. They didn't let me have them until I raised a complaint to NHS England.

I was however told by a receptionist that my results were perfectly normal, which I did not understand and was suspicious.

When my results did finally arrive they were far from normal, my T3 for example was 3.6 in a range of 3.5 - 6.5 and vit D was very low.

This month I tried the same thing with my GP in Wales, gave him a comprehensive list of what I wanted testing and it was all tested for me with no arguments, though I was amazed that they tested me for Sex Hormone Binding Globulin, which I never really thought was necessary for me and I really thought would not be tested as a request.

The GP rang me a week ago today and asked why I had asked for this test and I explained that I had been trying to teach myself what I needed to do in order to get my health back to somewhere near normal, because I knew that Levo had never suited me and turned the question onto him, why was he asking?

He was asking because the SHBG was sky high and of concern, that led to another test for testosterone, which they are expecting to be low though I have no result yet.

So I am telling you from my newly discovered prospective that if you don't request all of the tests you want doing, in writing, you won't get anything but the minimum tests done.

If they refuse some tests on the NHS, they will do some, (which was what I was expecting to be honest) and it will save you paying for so much privately.

If they refuse you, or refuse to give you the results, go to the Health Board and complain by email is quickest, copy in your MP & GP and be willing to push it because I have had every test that I asked for twice now, so it can work to our advantage.

[giggy63 in reply to BrynGlas]

Thanks for your reply i will try that, noticed frm your posts you find accord levo best, i struggle with weight too, how do you make sure you always get that brand as i get different each time. Ime on 100mc a day of levo.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to giggy63]

If you know which brand of levothyroxine you must have ask that GP add that to prescription

If there’s brand (s) you cannot tolerate, have note added to prescription (eg no Teva or eg Lactose free levothyroxine only)

Otherwise you just need to ask for brand you want...might need to try several different pharmacies

[BrynGlas in reply to SlowDragon]

I have SlowDragon, but it didn't work.

[BrynGlas in reply to giggy63]

I asked my local chemist, who knows me well, and when I told him Accord suited me better he said he would try to get it and I have had it ever since, so I would try to befriend a chemist!!!

You are supposed to be able to do it through your surgery too, but my surgery would not put themselves out for anyone, so it failed drastically. I tried requesting Accord brand on my repeats but they wouldn't take any notice of my request

Try signing up with a chemist near you, so you use them every time you need your repeats. They may be able to automatically get your prescription from doc to then electrically. In North Wales this is not possible, we are still in the darkages and my Chemist has to walk to the surgery 3 times each day to collect repeats for his customers.

I have tried to use the surgery to dispense for me before, but I was often forever told you have brought it in too early. In which case they laid my script somewhere on the counter didnt inform me until I turned up to collect it and THEN gave me the good news! And when that happened, more than likely they hadn't got the meds I needed in stock, so it might be a further day or so until I got my meds.

So I discussed this with the chemist and he took me under his wing - no, he really couldn't have done that - but I have never been let down by him. Plus the village needs to take care of our Chemist he is worth his weight in gold. His father had the chemist shop before him, so my advice is find a small independent chemist and stick to him like glue!

Don't let the smaller chemist die out in favour of the biggies because they will let you down sooner or later.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to BrynGlas]

Couldn’t agree more ....my (not so local) but small helpful, friendly independent pharmacy is wonderful

[SlowDragon Administrator]

This is presumably after levothyroxine was increased to 100mcg 3 months ago

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Vitamins were low

What vitamin supplements are you currently taking

Are you now on strictly gluten free diet

[giggy63 in reply to SlowDragon]

Maxi focus, probiotics, folate, omega 3, curcumin, liposomal vitamin c, selenium, zinc, magnesium, d3, vitamin b1, and elleste solo hrt.

[giggy63 in reply to giggy63]

not on gluten free diet.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to giggy63]

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