I feel pretty good except for my trigger finger

[Trying-hard]

So I have been fasting and I feel great except for my joints and I’m ‘supposed to be getting steroid infection in my finger on Monday. I have been having ‘flare ups’ with my joints and it’s awful but right now I feel pretty good. I actually think it’s the fasting BUT would some of you clever people look at my blood results.

Oh and I have had both vaccines AstraZeneca

Thanks

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Trying-hard

So that we can comment on your results, please tell us what thyroid meds you are taking and when you took your last dose before this test.

Also, what supplements are you taking and if taking a B Complex or Biotin did you leave this off for 7 days before these blood tests?

[Trying-hard in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thanks sorry for the confusion and I’m on 150mg Levó and the brand seems to change every time I get it. Also I have been taking biotin 500ug and no I haven’t stopped those but my hair has stopped falling out and looks good again.

Should I have stopped that? I’m taking magnesium at bed time too.

Thanks and sorry for the duplicate messages I thought I was editing and adding the photos can I not post more than one pic at a time?

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Trying-hard]

Trying-hard

We can post one picture in the opening post of a thread, further pictures can be posted in "Replies" in the same thread, this style of forum allows one picture per post. To add a picture in a "Reply" you click on the rectangular icon below the message box, it's at the end of the row of icons, next to the smiley face.

Yes, you should have stopped Biotin before the test, Biotin can give false results for any blood test when Biotin is used in the testing procedure (which most labs do). This is often mentioned on print outs of GP tests, and is also mentioned by the private testing companies who may say only 2-3 days but we suggest 7 days so it includes people who take large doses for medical conditions.

So really, we can't rely on your results being accurate I'm afraid.

As for different brands of Levo, we advise sticking to the brand you know you do well with, swapping brands can cause problems. Pharmacies will say there is no difference, the active ingredient will be the same but excipients differ.

When doing thyroid tests we advise :

* Test no later than 9am

* Nothing to eat or drink except water before the test

* Last dose of Levo 24 hours before the test

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Just testing TSH and Ft4 is completely inadequate anyway

But obviously need to retest stopping ALL supplements that contain biotin a week before ANY BLOOD TESTS

Bloods should be retested 6-8 weeks after any dose change or brand change in levothyroxine

Which brand of levothyroxine do you get most commonly Recommend trying to always get same brand

Steroids may affect TSH ...so don’t test after steroid injection

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

Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially if you have autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's) diagnosed by raised Thyroid antibodies

Do you have Hashimoto’s

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 .

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)

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

[Trying-hard]

Oh thank for all this SlowDragon and Suzie tbh I didn’t have time to stop anything cos they messaged and booked me in for the next day for my bloods. All of that aside my dr called me just now to tell me they were dropping my thyroxine by 25mg.

I did try to ask him about the biotin but he said it wasn’t aware that it would make any difference to my result. I was also saying that aside from my joint pain I was feeling pretty good for once. BUT He said that tsh that low was bad for my heart. Same old same old it’s like.

Dr. How are you June?

Me, Im OK, pretty good thanks.

Dr. Mm better do something about that then😞

I seem to have NorthStar MercuryPharma and Aristo thyroxine It’s just whatever the pharmacy decide to give you I think 🤔

[Timsywhimsy]

Try activated b6 (p5p) for trigger finger. I’ve heard it’s an almost miraculous cure. Look at reviews on Amazon to see how people use it.