My first online blood test!

[Jenny583]

I got my 1st private TFT today, I only posted it yesterday! hundreds of miles to an overseas foreign country, It must have been delivered by a racing pigeon on steroids LOL.

I fasted from Biotin for 7 days, took last dose late night, & drew blood in morning.

I take a 25mg Tiromel in split dose, & recently switched from 2 x max dose 'Porcine' Metavives to 2 x max dose 'Bovine 'Metavives - split dose, so I took 1st dose in afternoon instead of morning. I did everything right. Never managed to get prescription for anything, not even Levo, & will soon have to switch to just metavive (by the bucket load)! as I cannot find a (genuine )source of T3 anymore.

Subclincal hyperthyroidism was mentioned with the test.

TSH ( 0.01 ), (normal range ) 0.27 - 4.2

Thyroxine ( 13.9 ), ( FT4 normal range ) 12 - 22

FT3 ( 6.2 ), ( normal range ) 3.1 - 6.8

[MartinCo]

Well done!Did you have to draw your own blood?

😘😘

[Jenny583 in reply to MartinCo]

Yes! It's a finger prick test so I had to stab myself - twice, 2nd time I bled like a stuck pig. How are you doing MartinCo?

🤗

[MartinCo in reply to Jenny583]

That's no to bad.Not to good to be honest,apart from my RLS I suffer from constant back pain due to a R.T.A WIN 1993, I'm on morphine and sometimes it takes it off sometimes it doesn't,I also suffer from diverticulitis which is very painful I'm waiting to see two specialists I should imagine that will be some time never!

Good results for you.

Martin.

😇

[Jenny583 in reply to MartinCo]

Oh you poor thing! I have no idea what a RTA win is but it sounds nasty whatever it is!Morphine huh? that sounds dire. I almost cured my bad back (caused by wedging of the spine) - by buying very high dose vitamin D3, k2, magnesium, & now also boron. Everyone seems to benefit from those cheap supplements, And then they sell the morphine on ebay 😉 I don't know if your back pain is muscular or bone, but back pain is horrible.

I think I came across something recently about diverticulitis - something that helps? I'll look into it later. I made the nasty restless limbs go away with B12, magnesium oil, & B vits/vit c & iron, as well as the internet thyroid meds. Hope you don't have to wait too long, let us know how it goes. Good luck.

💪

[humanbean in reply to Jenny583]

I have no idea what a RTA win is

RTA = Road Traffic Accident

WIN = I don't know what this means either.

[Hidden in reply to humanbean]

I think it was a typo.

I read it as "RTA in 1993"

[MartinCo in reply to Jenny583]

RTA=ROAD TRAFFIC ACCIDENT.

[Jenny583 in reply to MartinCo]

Ah thanks MartinCo. I knew that, but couldn't think of the answer, brain fog getting worse than ever! I mean't to also say that I was - for many months eating liver pate, & that brought my iron & ferritin up, I think that made the biggest difference to the RLS. Obviously Iron pills with vitamin C are also good if liver or pate are not an option.

BTW, they say that garlic, ginger, green tea & turmeric are good for diverticultis, but I guess you already know that. On a personal note, I was looking at apple cider vinegar as I have had to resume taking it, & apparently - although ACV is acidic it converts to alkaline, though that maybe sellers talk! I think coconut oil is also good.

I remember kaolin & morphine as a child, I had it regularly from the GP. That was definitely my favourite remedy! I hope you make progress, H.U is best place to be. x

[MartinCo in reply to Jenny583]

Well I knew ginger is good for your stomach but thanks I didn't know about the rest.My GP put me on iron tablets I did notice a slight difference she didn't put it on my repeat meds?

I ring my surgery to try and get in touch with her it's like asking for a miracle our surgery is next to useless!Thanks for the info.

👍

[humanbean in reply to MartinCo]

MartinCo

RLS - Restless Legs Syndrome is often caused by low iron and/or low ferritin (iron stores). Try to get an iron panel done, either by your doctor or privately :

medichecks.com/iron-tests/i...

You can get 10% off the price with the discount code given on this link :

thyroiduk.org

Once you have the results post them in a new post and ask for feedback.

[Shield-Maiden]

Hi Jenny,

We've chatted yonks ago, hello again

Can I ask you how you arranged your blood test please? You mentioned it being private, and, being done in another country....what a super-fast turn around time, I like your joke, I agree lol

Perhaps you wouldn't mind PMing me the details please?

I am no expert, like many of the fabulous members on here....but, to me, your T4 could do with being a little higher (it's my understanding that it should be three quarters through the range) and, your T3 does not need to be increased.

As for your TSH....doctors generally do not like a low TSH, but again no expert here, but, I am of the understanding that, your TSH is where it should be. I have the same TSH reading, and I finally feel the best I have done, Thyroid-wise, in years.

How do you feel on these levels?

Take care,

Shield

[Jenny583 in reply to Shield-Maiden]

Hi there Shield - Maiden, The test "Monitor my health" online which is an English lab, (we don't have private labs here in Jersey,) hence I'm guessing the lab is hundreds of miles away, & of course overseas. I'm just amazed it only took 1 day, as local mail takes a week or 2! You say; "but, to me, your T4 could do with being a little higher (it's my understanding that it should be three quarters through the range) and, your T3 does not need to be increased.".... I agree.This means that I will have to gradually cut out all thyroid pills. I will have to anyway, as I cannot obtain anymore, just 120 days on current dose left to put my affairs in order!The time I stopped suddenly - after about a week I thought I was dying! & unbeknown to me at the time when I stopped the T3 - my T4 was under range, & TSH same as always 0.02, (but I had left off the biotin for 3 days yet had accidently taken an extra dose of T3 a few hours before the test at ( GP's ) the week before. Then After 6 days with no pills Just before I crashed I went to hospital, the Phlebotomist I knew (slightly )socially, & so she agreed to take blood but there was no record of it, so the Endo must have censored the result.

I'm so happy that you feel good, long may it continue. I have forgotten how you obtain your treatment, or if you are free of Dr's & their TSH obsession, anyway all the best x

[Shield-Maiden in reply to Jenny583]

Hi Jenny,

Thank you for letting me know, I was hoping that the company was in Europe, but, now I know. After the pandemic vanishes, I will go to the UK for private bloodwork.

Unfortunately, I still have to ensure doctors not understanding TSH levels....and,

hand-on-heart, the Endo, who I saw last, asked me what T3 was!

Needless to say, I will not be seeing her again.

She, and my equally-not-so-impressive GP, told me to reduce my T4 (last July, and, then again in September) but I haven't, as I feel the best Thyroid-wise, that I have felt in ages; plus my numbers are where they should be.

Lack of knowledge and understanding, by doctors, about Thyroid Disease, seems to be a global issue, unfortunately.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend x

[Redlester in reply to Jenny583]

You need to look at the test results in combination with how you are feeling - what I am trying to say is the results might show X Y Z but if you have symptoms and aren't feeling well then why would you eliminate all your thyroid meds [albeit gradually]?? (if I have read you correctly re what you intend to do) Would it not be the case that you continue medicating without increasing doses upwards - ie maintain current dosing levels or possibly reducing slightly if you feel you need to. What I am trying very ineptly to say is that while the results might show levels x y and z - in terms of your medication dosages and how you are feeling symptom wise would it not be a case of "if it ain't broke don't fix it"?

[Jenny583 in reply to Redlester]

Yes, normally that's what one would do, but I don't live in the UK. I have never had treatment for anything, always had to buy my own medicine, & even tell Dr's what tests to do. The last test that I asked for where the GP confirmed my suspicions - I still had to research to find out what I needed, as the medicine that I needed was not on the prescribed list, & I wasn't told what it is, that was secondary hyperparathyroidism, I needed high dose vit D. They now charge to phone up for no reason, like - if you need a repeat prescription! I learned of what medicine I needed for my back pain last year on this forum. I have spent £1000's over the years, not just on tests & Gp's, but also medical equipment, beds, matresses, & stuff to try & keep from freezing to death, been disabled, housebound, in pain, balding, accused, mocked, lied to, overcharged, been refused treatment & tests, been told ive had test results of tests that I never had. & had nothing but stress.I was expecting a phone call today, it never came, it never does.

They have no intention of getting to the bottom of things, they just want to continue to cover up the truth, & extort £, I don't have it, they have taken it all.

I have no quality of life at all, & frankly I've had enough. As long as I continue to self medicate I am playing into their hands. For all I know a supplement maybe making me worse? Everyone regards me as a hypochondriac, so I have no human rights as long as I keep taking pills. That wont help other sufferers, the only way is to stop gradually, I'm only masking things right now.

[pennyannie]

Hello Jenny :

These results " look " good but how are you felling ?

I am on NDT and this result would be considered good as I now look for a low/suppressed TSH and a low in range T4 with a high in range T3 :

The blood tests and ranges and guidelines were all introduced to be used alongside Levothyroxine - Big Pharma's answer to supersede NDT treatment : with NDT you simply dose to the relief of symptoms not a blood test or a computer print out ;

However numbers don't tell the full story as it's more about dosing to relieve symptoms.

[Jenny583]

Hi Pennyannie,

Yes they do look good don't they. I don't feel so cold or exhausted now that I have optimum FT3, but I really don't feel well at all well, but in a different way to hypo? I don't like the peaks & troughs of T3, or having to avoid calcium 4 hours away from doses. I am always hungry, & have to eat fattening rubbish to avoid calcium & iron. So I'm going back to a healthy diet & just leave a 2 hour gap & eat what I want from now on.

I know the big pharma plan & how they brainwashed GP's. My damaged brain is a daily reminder of the success of that plan. I will know soon enough if my HPA axis is gone. I don't think its just thyroid TBH.

😔

[pennyannie in reply to Jenny583]

Yes, I tried a T3 / T4 combo and felt " turbo charged " on just 6.25 T3 and 100 T4 and I also trialled NDT and feel this option is calmer and softer on my body.

I now take 1 + 1/2 grains at around 3 am to dovetail into with the circadian rhythm of the body and seem ok and this seems to work ok for me, and if anything run myself slightly hypo rather than hypo.

My HPT axis was destroyed by the RAI treatment I received back in 2005 for Graves, and I think RAI does more damage than we know about and I deeply regret, but knew no different back then and simply trusted the system.

i also supplement adrenal glandular and obviously the vitamins and minerals ferritin, folate, B12 and vitamin D to maintain optimal conversion of the T4 content in the NDT.

[Jenny583]

I'm so sorry you - like many had RAI. I didn't realise that it can destroy the HPA, I thought it only destroyed the thyroid. It's good that you can be awake at 3 am to keep the circadian rhythm right. I think mine is still upside down, but that could be the chronic stress.

I had severe graves many moons ago, I think the huge prolonged doses of carbimazole along with the chronic stress destroyed my HPA. But of course I can't get tests or scans...

I don't know if you get your NDT through DR in spain, but it's good to know that you can get some kind of treatment. Hope your Daughter is finding the answers, she was quite ill a few months ago I recall. I'm not getting notifications!

I may have to trial adrenal glandular soon....

[pennyannie in reply to Jenny583]

I think you have mixed me up with someone else - i do not have a daughter and do not buy my NDT through Spain :

Graves is an auto immune disease, it's for life, and in your DNA - you might like to read further on the Elaine Moore Graves Disease Foundation website.

[Jenny583 in reply to pennyannie]

Sorry pennyannie, you are right, I have got you mixed up.