Advice on test results

[Tiggywoos]

Hi .. I was wondering if anyone could help please as this forum seems so knowledgeable and up to date !

If I wanted to have a thyroid screen to check for autoimmune thyroiditis is there a test I can buy on line so I can do it at home ?

Watched SRUK video and mentioned half of scleroderma patients have thyroid issues and it’s worth getting screened .

Thanks ever so ! X

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Tiggywoos

The cheapest way to do this is with a full thyroid panel which includes TSH, FT4, FT3, TPO and Tg antibodies.

We have recommended private labs which you can find on ThyroidUK's main website together with any discount codes offered.

The most popular testing companies (both use the same labs) are Medichecks and Blue Horizon. If you check on a Thursday then Medichecks has a thyroid related test on offer every week which is usually a bit cheaper than using the discount code (you can't use the code on a special offer price).

The test with Medichecks is Thyroid Function with Antibodies test and the test with Blue Horizon is Thyroid Premium Silver test.

It's also worth checking vitamins because if Hashi's (autoimmune thyroiditis) is present this can deplete our key nutrients, it costs only a little bit more to include these. The full thyroid panel with vitamins with Medichecks is Advanced Thyroid Function test and with Blue Horizon it's Thyroid Premium Gold.

If you decide to do a fingerprick test (venous blood draw costs extra) then I have some tips, please ask if you would like them.

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.

[Tiggywoos in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you soooo much for this this is awesome !

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Tiggywoos]

Sorry Tiggywoos I forgot to put the link to the page on ThyroidUK's website for the testing companies:

thyroiduk.org/help-and-supp...