Useless NHS Blood test!

[Mlinde]

I had what I thought was a complete thyroid blood test last week and got the 'result' yesterday. What a joke!!!

I got only three results back in a virtually unreadable RTF file!

27-Jan-2022

! Thyroid antibodies - (YZJH) - Abnormal- But Stable

! Anti-TPO Antibodies

119

U/ml

0.00 - 33.00U/ml

High titre thyroid antibodies are associated with autoimmune thyroid disease. Test performed in the Blood Sciences Laboratory, Viapath, Kings College Hospital

Anti-Thyroglobulin Abs.

>4000

27-Jan-2022

Serum TSH level

3.02

mIU/L

0.27 - 4.20mIU/L

That's it! No T3, no T4, nada!!! What a ripoff! So once more, forced to go private!

[SlowDragon Administrator]

That’s about typical

gponline.com/endocrinology-...

Replacement therapy with levothyroxine should be initiated in all patients to achieve a TSH level of 0.5-2.0pmol/L.

NHS England Liothyronine guidelines July 2019 clearly state on page 13 that TSH should be between 0.4-1.5 when OPTIMALLY treated with just Levothyroxine

Note that it says test should be in morning BEFORE taking levothyroxine

Also to test vitamin D, folate, B12 and ferritin

sps.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploa...

Graph showing TSH in healthy population

web.archive.org/web/2004060...

Aim is to bring a TSH under 2.5

UK guidance suggests aiming for a TSH of 0.5–2.5

gp-update.co.uk/SM4/Mutable...

all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and before eating or drinking anything other than water and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test

On T3 or NDT - day before test split daily dose into 3 smaller doses, spread through the day at approx 8 hour intervals, taking last dose 8-12 hours before test

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 all relevant vitamins

List of private testing options

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

Medichecks Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins

medichecks.com/products/adv...

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/

[DelicateInput in reply to SlowDragon]

Hi I have got an appt at the GP surgery for a blood test but it is 8.45 am which is the first one. I could not use the Medichecks self testing as I could not get the blood out. I tried everthing. I have requested another test kit which I will take to the GP surgery and ask them if the can fill it up. That is the best I can do other than order from a different provider where I can go to the lab earliy in the morning. Do you think 8.45 am is early enough? I will fast. Surely the time depends on the person - night owls/late risers surely could get an accurate test later in the morning.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to DelicateInput]

Some GP surgeries will be helpful re Private blood test kit

Some want a nominal fee

Others won’t do it

Have you ordered a blood draw vaccutainer kit

Private clinics option

medichecks.com/pages/clinic...