GP said I have to wait for my blood tests

[Dshadzz07]

So I called the gp today to book my tests in as it’s been 8 weeks but they said to wait another 4 to get them tested and I just can’t afford private testing. This is frustrating.

[tattybogle]

They're being far too slow with the process of increasing your dose. Given the circumstances, (that your previous TSH was 22), and that you are still only on a smallish dose (75mcg) , then 8 weeks is long enough to retest. There is a bit in NHS guidelines saying '3 months' it's true , but 6-8 weeks is used by lots of GP's, and is generally considered long enough to get an accurate indication of TSH level on new dose , ( although 3 months is sometimes needed for symptoms to catch up when does is nearly right, but as last TSH on 50mcg was 22 then you dose was not 'nearly right' , 22 on 50mcg suggests you may well need more than 75mcg. You previous post in march told us:

"I can’t find my T4 levels from January but when I first got diagnosed back in October it was.

TSH 20

T4 6.5

So after 3 months of being on 50mg then it went to a TSH level of 5.5"

5.5 was still way too high ... Your dose should have been increased to 75mcg at this point , not left at 50mcg for anther 3 months!

"Now 3 months later again sticking to it, it’s now gone up to.

TSH 22

T4 9.6,"

That happened because they didn't increase it like they should have when they saw TSH was still 5.5

Since your last TSH was 22 ,and they increased to 75mcg and you've now been on that for 2 months , then i would insist they test again now rather than waiting another month. Make a big fuss about them leaving it so long last time that it went back up to 22. .. and say you are really concerned about your current symptoms mean the same thing may be happening again if 75mcg isn't enough ..

[tattybogle in reply to tattybogle]

p.s . sorry if i've got that time line a bit wrong ... realised i've got a headache so going for a walk now instead x

[Lalatoot]

My GP is always 12 weeks. It is frustrating but some folks don't feel the full benefit of a dose change for 12 weeks. Sometimes you just have to go with the flow.

[nellie237]

I agree with tattybogle. I think you should insist on testing now.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

pathlabs.rlbuht.nhs.uk/tft_...Guiding Treatment with Thyroxine:

In the majority of patients 50-100 μg thyroxine can be used as the starting dose. Alterations in dose are achieved by using 25-50 μg increments and adequacy of the new dose can be confirmed by repeat measurement of TSH after 2-3 months.

The majority of patients will be clinically euthyroid with a ‘normal’ TSH and having thyroxine replacement in the range 75-150 μg/day (1.6ug/Kg on average).

The recommended approach is to titrate thyroxine therapy against the TSH concentration whilst assessing clinical well-being. The target is a serum TSH within the reference range.

……The primary target of thyroxine replacement therapy is to make the patient feel well and to achieve a serum TSH that is within the reference range. The corresponding FT4 will be within or slightly above its reference range.

The minimum period to achieve stable concentrations after a change in dose of thyroxine is two months and thyroid function tests should not normally be requested before this period has elapsed.

Request blood test form

Book early morning test, before 9am and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test