After posting my first post on here at the beginning of the week I took the advice and tried to obtain historical blood tests . My access to these are only for the last 6 months and show minimal testing for thyroid which is what I need and want , lab says can’t retest within certain times as already been tested before!! So I have no picture of my recent thyroid health . Previous TPO <9 (1/7/20 ) , vitamin D 54 (7/4/21 ) b12 454 and folate 8.4 . Serum TSH 1.1 in feb . I am currently on 100 mcg Levo but feeling terrible . Ultrasound shows chronic thyroiditis. Can anyone offer advice as to what private blood test providers are the best and exactly what I need to be tested for .
Thankyou
Written by
Coxyella51
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Both tests are available as a fingerprick test or venous blood draw at extra cost.
Always advised here, when having thyroid tests:
* Blood draw no later than 9am. This is because TSH is highest early morning and lowers throughout the day. If looking for a diagnosis of hypothyroidism, an increase in dose of Levo or to avoid a reduction then we need the highest possible TSH
* Nothing to eat or drink except water before the blood draw. This is because eating can lower TSH and coffee can affect TSH.
* If taking thyroid hormone replacement, last dose of Levo should be 24 hours before blood draw, if taking NDT or T3 then last dose should be 8-12 hours before blood draw. Adjust timing the day before if necessary. This avoids measuring hormone levels at their peak after ingestion of hormone replacement. Take your thyroid meds after the blood draw. Taking your dose too close to the blood draw will give false high results, leaving any longer gap will give false low results.
* If you take Biotin or a B Complex containing Biotin (B7), leave this off for 7 days before any blood test. This is because if Biotin is used in the testing procedure it can give false results (most labs use biotin).
These are patient to patient tips which we don't discuss with phlebotomists or doctors.
If you decide to do a fingerprick test and want tips on how to do it if you've not done one before, please ask and I will post some that may help.
Which brand of levothyroxine are you currently taking
Do you always get same brand levothyroxine
If ultrasound shows chronic thyroiditis this is Hashimoto's
Significant minority of Hashimoto’s patients only have high TG antibodies. NHS only tests TG antibodies if TPO antibodies are positive
Hashimoto’s frequently affects the gut and leads to low stomach acid and then low vitamin levels
Low vitamin levels affect Thyroid hormone working
Poor gut function with Hashimoto’s can lead leaky gut (literally holes in gut wall) this can cause food intolerances. Most common by far is gluten. Dairy is second most common.
According to Izabella Wentz the Thyroid Pharmacist approx 5% with Hashimoto's are coeliac, but over 80% find gluten free diet helps, sometimes significantly. Either due to direct gluten intolerance (no test available) or due to leaky gut and gluten causing molecular mimicry (see Amy Myers link)
Changing to a strictly gluten free diet may help reduce symptoms, help gut heal and slowly lower TPO antibodies
While still eating high gluten diet ask GP for coeliac blood test first or buy test online for under £20, just to rule it out first
The predominance of Hashimoto thyroiditis represents an interesting finding, since it has been indirectly confirmed by an Italian study, showing that autoimmune thyroid disease is a risk factor for the evolution towards NCGS in a group of patients with minimal duodenal inflammation. On these bases, an autoimmune stigma in NCGS is strongly supported
In summary, whereas it is not yet clear whether a gluten free diet can prevent autoimmune diseases, it is worth mentioning that HT patients with or without CD benefit from a diet low in gluten as far as the progression and the potential disease complications are concerned
Despite the fact that 5-10% of patients have Celiac disease, in my experience and in the experience of many other physicians, at least 80% + of patients with Hashimoto's who go gluten-free notice a reduction in their symptoms almost immediately.
I always took the actavis brand but since they have changed I have noticed a difference . Currently changed to aristo which I think is better slightly but still don’t feel how I think I should feel ... Well !!I have also stopped taking my oestrogen gel for HRT as I was convinced this was making me feel a lot worse with my symptoms
Do a Subject Access Request. Your past results are stored somewhere, so contact your Health Board and ask where to send the SAR. They have to keep them for some time, I think it is 5 or 7 years depending where you live.
If you contact your Health Board directly, they should be able to talk you through the process and send you the right form. It does take a while but is relatively simple. You do not have to pay anything.
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