Should I pay private

[Megymoo]

My TSH is 6.8 but the doctor said it’s borderline and I don’t need any medication but I have a few signs of under active thyroid

[SlowDragon Administrator]

First step is to get FULL thyroid and vitamin testing ....before considering booking an private consultation

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

About 90% of primary hypothyroidism is autoimmune thyroid disease

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 .

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 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...

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 down to £26.10 if go on thyroid uk for code

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

monitormyhealth.org.uk/

NHS easy postal kit vitamin D test £29 via

vitamindtest.org.uk

Come back with new post once you get full results

[PurpleNails Administrator]

Hello.

Your doctor needs to test more than just a TSH. Especially as 6.8 is quite high and this means your thyroid levels FT3 & FT4 could show as low.

Often doctors wait to treat until TSH is over 10 as then hypothyroid is overt and the need for treatment is not in question.

Have you had FT4 & FT3 Tested?

If you are symptomatic you could test thyroid Antibodies TPO & TG and If these are positive this might convince your doctor to begin treatment “early”.

Also important to test Key nutrients B12, folate, ferritin and vitamin D.

If your doctor refuses to do full testing there are private testing options.

[fuchsia-pink]

Your result is over-range - and in many countries they would treat you once TSH is more than 3. But as PurpleNails says, in the UK they often wait until it's waaay over range - and you feel really ill - before you get treated. This rather makes a mockery of having an upper range of 4.2 (or whatever - lab ranges vary from lab to lab)

If you can get your GP to do more tests this will help: if you have 2 over-range TSH results and high antibodies they should start treatment; likewise if you have under-range free T4 and over-range TSH. Always have an early morning fasting blood test, when TSH is highest.

Good luck x

[Anthea55]

On the ThyroidUK website you can download a tick-box list of hypothyroid signs and symptoms. Go to the page below and click on the link to get the list and print it out. Fill that in and take it back to your GP. That might help you to persuade him/her that you need treatment. I'm sure I remember other people saying that they had done this effectively.

thyroiduk.org/if-you-are-un...

Once upon a time diagnosis was done by symptoms - now too much emphasis is placed on blood tests.

Good luck.

[JAmanda]

This shows route doc should take for sub clinical hypothyroidism. gp-update.co.uk/Latest-Upda...

You have to wait for page to load.

The gist is that if you have continuing symptoms they should give you a trial of levothyroxine.

If they don't yes I'd go private. Get a name from the Thyroid U.K. list of recommended doctors.

[Lotika]

Perhaps your GP will agree to retest with antibodies, vitamins, antibodies? If you test first thing in the morning TSH should be slightly higher anyway. Husband went from 6.8 to 10.1 in the space of about 3 weeks, or maybe the difference was because the second test was first thing in the morning before food or caffeine... Either way, he went from borderline to medication zone very quickly.... !