Where would I get a reverse T3 test?

[Yppah]

Hi, my endo has asked me to get a reverse T3 test alongside other thyroid and vitamin tests from Medichecks, but I can’t find one from Googling. Any ideas? (He wasn’t sure Medichecks did this test, and if not it wasn’t essential.) Thanks.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Yppah

Why does your endo want this test done? Reverse T3 test is expensive and takes a long time because it has to be sent away. It also can only be done with a venous blood draw.

There is nothing that a Reverse T3 test can tell you that you can't see from your FT4 and FT3 results.

A Reverse T3 test will tell you if your rT3 is high and if it is then there are many, many reasons why it could be high and only one is to do with the thyroid and that is an excess of unconverted T4 and a high FT4 level with a low FT3 level with tell you that.

Other conditions that contribute to increased Reverse T3 levels include:

· Chronic fatigue

· Acute illness and injury

· Chronic disease

· Increased cortisol (stress)

· Low cortisol (adrenal fatigue)

· Low iron

· Lyme disease

· Chronic inflammation

Also selenium deficiency, excess physical, mental and environmental stresses. Also Beta-blocker long-term use such as propranolol, metoprolol, etc. Physical injury is a common cause of increased RT3, also illnesses like the flu. Starvation/severe calorie restriction is known to raise RT3. Diabetes when poorly treated is known to increase RT3. Cirrhosis of the liver. Fatty liver disease. Any other liver stress Renal Failure. A fever of unknown cause. Detoxing of high heavy metals.

Articles

thyroidpatients.ca/2019/01/...

zrtlab.com/blog/archive/rev...

verywellhealth.com/reverse-...

Save your money, don't do an rT3 test, spend it on something else!

[SlowDragon Administrator]

It’s an extremely expensive test and doesn’t tell you why you might have high reverse T3 (if you do)

Unlikely to be high as you are only on 100mcg levothyroxine

Blue horizon do offer it but you can’t do it via DIY finger prick test. Has to be private blood draw so makes it even more expensive

bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...

[Yppah in reply to SlowDragon]

Crikey! Thanks!

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Looking at previous post you said you have low Ft4 and low Ft3 .....so zero point testing reverse T3

You need dose increase in levothyroxine

[Yppah in reply to SlowDragon]

I’ve replied on that one with levels, thanks for looking for me. Seems a bit odd that FT3 lower than pre-levo and conversion worse.

[Yppah]

Thanks SlowDragon and SeasideSusie . He did say not essential. I’ve got a prescription for 125mcg levothyroxine now to try, but he suggests T3 addition helpful. But to try the extra 25mcg for now, do bloods in 8 weeks, and take it from there.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Yppah]

That’s correct way to proceed

You need to get FULL thyroid testing

Make sure you always get same brand of levothyroxine

Which brand of levothyroxine are you currently taking

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)

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 antibodies and vitamins

medichecks.com/products/adv...

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...

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/

Also vitamin D available as separate test via MMH

Or alternative Vitamin D NHS postal kit

vitamindtest.org.uk

[sandpark]

Medicheck stopped doing the RT3 test, last year, because they told me, it went to US for analysis and took too long. But it had helped me; I'd tested low for T3, but was hesitant to take T3 at the time. I had suffered debilitating CFS for years. When I saw the RT3 test result - very high, over range, this made me obtain T3 & within a few weeks my husband noticed I was walking faster than I had for years and I gradually walked away from CFS. Now I am on the go for most of the day; with just a little pacing, if needed. It was the RT3 test that prompted my massive improvement, although it may not have been necessary if I'd accessed T3 easily in the first place.

[Yppah in reply to sandpark]

Thanks for sharing this and I’m really pleased the test and T3 have helped you so much. I have been told I have CFS too (from an EBV infection) and have definitely started listening to my endocrinologist’s advice on pacing (took me a while to listen, and I guess COVID restrictions forced me to slow down). But that sounds so promising that you’ve been able to reduce the need for pacing with the help of T3.