Thyroid scan

[Benadrove5]

Morning all,

Question..can you please explain the reasons i'm having a thyroid scan? why is my GP asking for this.

[PurpleNails Administrator]

An ultrasound scan looks at the health & size of the thyroid and will detect any nodules which are very common, (even in those without thyroid disfunction). It can indicate if you might have thyroiditis by the damage left (Graves shows as hyperechoic & hyper vascular). To conclusively determine either you must have antibody testing. It will also show if your have compressive issues (eg thyroid growing into airway, affecting swallowing or growing sub / restosternally)

What symptoms do you have which had prompted your GP to refer you? You have had a number of previous scan showing multi nodules and substernal growth. It is good they are evaluating and checking for any changes.

There is another form of thyroid scan called a radioactive uptake scan where you drink or inject a tiny radioactive substance and it traces the uptake of your thyroid. I had this type of scan to confirm a toxic nodule after ultrasound scans.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Previous post shows you have Hashimoto’s

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu....

Terrible vitamin levels need improvement

Folate deficient

Ferritin BELOW RANGE

Are you now on iron supplements

Likely to need dose increase in levothyroxine once vitamins are optimal

Ultrasound scan of thyroid can show extent of damage caused by autoimmune thyroid disease (hashimoto’s)

[Benadrove5 in reply to SlowDragon]

Hi, yes i'm now on folic acid for 3 months i asked my GP about the low ferritin and his reply was ferritin was a protein nothing to do with iron and was'nt going to do anything about it i questioned my Vit D it was 77 when the bottom range was 76 he told me to take what i wanted and he would prescribe them.

I had a colonoscopy booked for tuesday i started to fast by lunchtime i started to feel unwell faint and shaky the nurse asked me if i was diabetic i was'nt so she said we cant do it the doctor phoning me tomorrow in the meantime i have a knee joint i cant walk on i've upped the Vitimin D to 1200 units a day my GP said you dont want to get kidnet stones can you believe this unless you have Covid you dont stand a chance of any treatment i dont mean that nastily my heart gies out to them. I'm meant to have thyroid scans no mention of that. Thank you.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Benadrove5]

See a different GP.

Ferritin is storage form of iron and you need FULL iron panel test for anaemia

Please reread previous replies in this post by

SeasideSusie re below range ferritin

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu....

Ferritin *11 (15 to 300)

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Benadrove5]

Never supplement iron without doing full iron panel test for anaemia first

Post discussing why important to do full iron panel test

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Eating iron rich foods like liver or liver pate once a week plus other red meat, pumpkin seeds and dark chocolate, plus daily orange juice or other vitamin C rich drink can help improve iron absorption

List of iron rich foods

dailyiron.net

Links about iron and ferritin

irondisorders.org/Websites/...

drhedberg.com/ferritin-hypo...

This is interesting because I have noticed that many patients with Hashimoto’s disease and hypothyroidism, start to feel worse when their ferritin drops below 80 and usually there is hair loss when it drops below 50.

Thyroid disease is as much about optimising vitamins as thyroid hormones

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

restartmed.com/hypothyroidi...

Post discussing just how long it can take to raise low ferritin

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Likely you have very poor conversion of Ft4 to Ft3

Just testing TSH and Ft4 is completely inadequate

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)

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

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Benadrove5]

Have you had coeliac blood test done yet

Are you now trialing strictly gluten free diet

[Benadrove5 in reply to SlowDragon]

I'm having bloods done on wednesday not my thyroid but Ferritin full blood count kidneys and diabetis and a referel to gastro team for CT scan on my Bowel.I'm so glad he's checking the Ferritin as it was so low.

[Benadrove5 in reply to Benadrove5]

He refused to do the Coeliac said the gastro team would deal with that, yes starting with the gluten free diet.

[Benadrove5 in reply to SlowDragon]

Hi, have had a CT scan on my bowels since i was last on here so much constipation and pain.Got recent blood results back today:

FERRITIN 17

FOLATE 12.3

HBA1C 32

TSH 1.72

FREE T4 16.2

VITIMIN D 89

B.12 580

C REACTIVE PROTEIN 12

HAEMOGLOBIN 128

Really need to get to the bottom of this tummy pain with constipation was aondering if it had anything to do with my Thyroid

Thank you.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Benadrove5]

Please add ranges on these results (figures in brackets after each result)

How much levothyroxine are you currently taking

Do you always get same brand levothyroxine

Ferritin looks extremely low

Are you vegetarian or vegan

It can take many, many months to improve low ferritin

Are you currently taking any magnesium supplements?

Calm vitality magnesium powder is cheap and easy to use. Brilliant for improving constipation.

Best taken afternoon or evening and must be four hours away from levothyroxine

Obviously you need TSH, Ft4 and Ft3 tested together

All thyroid tests should be done as early as possible in morning before eating or drinking anything other than water and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test

cheapest option for just TSH, FT4 and FT3

£29 (via NHS private service ) and 10% off down to £26.10 if go on thyroid uk for code

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

monitormyhealth.org.uk/

[4Alexandra]

This will be to check whether or not there are any polyps/nodules and if there are you will probably have to have a biopsy done of it/them. I had a large polyp and after a biopsy which showed it was pre-cancerous had a total thyrectomy. This was in Athens not UK.