Is it thyroid, is it not

[Pastelart]

Wondering whether I have a thyroid problem at all. My iron level was 14 and TSH 4.9 in January 2019 (wasn’t told that my iron was low) Suffered with extreme fatigue and many other symptoms and was told that it was age related. September 2020, iron level 7 and TSH 2.6. Given an iron infusion. Doctor told me yesterday that I absolutely, definitely don’t have a thyroid problem. She herself has thyroid problems. Do I just accept and move on?

[Lora7again]

Has your T4 or T3 been tested? The TSH is a pituitary gland hormone not a thyroid gland hormone. I would think she would know this if she has a thyroid problem herself.

[Pastelart in reply to Lora7again]

Thanks for your reply Lora7again. Nobody will do anything as they say that everything is normal. I’m the odd one out here, I’m not a doctor. I don’t know whether to follow up with a private test, or is that just throwing money away. I’m confused.

[Lora7again in reply to Pastelart]

I do my own private blood tests through Medichecks because my surgery will only test the TSH. I had a thyroid storm last year and still the NHS only tested the TSH even though they know I have Graves' because it is written on my notes.

Can you afford to pay for a private blood test?

[SlowDragon Administrator]

NHS rarely tests more than TSH, which is completely inadequate

Low vitamin levels are EXTREMELY common result of being hypothyroid

Low iron

Are you vegetarian or vegan

Do you suffer very heavy periods - common hypothyroid symptom

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 D, folate and B12 levels and thyroid antibodies

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)

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...

Come back with new post once you get results

[Pastelart in reply to SlowDragon]

I’m not very well off, but will try the private blood test route if you think I might have thyroid problems. I eat plenty of meat and have a pretty good varied diet. I no longer have periods and my colonoscopy was clear. No idea why my iron levels dropped. It seemed to have happened fairly quickly. When I was 68 I was fine, turned 69 and everything went pear shaped.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Pastelart]

Any new medication, change in diet....different bowel habit etc

Push GP for further testing

[Pastelart in reply to SlowDragon]

No to the above, but thank you, will try.

[Jazzw]

Did you ever get hold of all of your blood test results going back several years? Just been reading through previous posts and can see that humanbean recommended getting hold of them a while back.

When your iron was previously declared “normal” what was the reading? I’m wondering whether it was on the low side but within the reference range.

I think you have every right to be concerned and frankly I find your GP’s dismissive attitude to be extremely rude and patronising. You know something isn’t right and she isn’t listening. Just because she has thyroid problems it doesn’t mean she knows yours don’t exist! Has she done the full gamut of tests—TSH, FT4, FT3 and antibodies? Because if she hasn’t, she cannot categorically state you don’t have thyroid problems. There are too many variables. Maybe she’s fortunate enough to have a relatively straightforward case of hypothyroidism that responds nicely to levothyroxine. Lucky her. The fact that this board has over 112,000 members is testament to the fact it isn’t always that simple...

If you get no joy from her then yes, private testing might give you the answers you so badly need. Medichecks currently seems to have the cheapest basic thyroid checks but Thriva do one that tests folate, ferritin, B12 and Vit D for a tenner more. But I can well imagine how you feel about spending precious cash on something that you should be having on the NHS—and which still might not change her mind...

[Pastelart]

The furthest back was January 2019, which is around the time I started to feel awful and my iron level was 14, just above low range. What I don’t understand, is why the doctor didn’t flag that and suggest iron supplementation! Ever since then, every appointment has been about my extreme exhaustion, aches and pains etc. Even my hairdresser noticed the hair loss and suddenly my cholesterol and blood pressure went up and I was prediabtic. It all adds up in my mind. Will definitely get private tests done. So nice to talk to people who understand 😊

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Pastelart]

High cholesterol is linked to being hypothyroid too

nhs.uk/conditions/statins/c...

If you have an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism), treatment may be delayed until this problem is treated. This is because having an underactive thyroid can lead to an increased cholesterol level, and treating hypothyroidism may cause your cholesterol level to decrease, without the need for statins. Statins are also more likely to cause muscle damage in people with an underactive thyroid.