Hi all, please could anyone recommend a thyroid specialist they have worked with in the London area - private message me please 
My blood tests are coming back with very low T3 and T4 but the NHS keep passing me around and refuse to offer any advice ‘until I get worse’. Even though my markers are under the ‘normal’ range. Please help I feel like crap!
Gehh
Wecome to the forum.
Members may be able to help if you post your test results, with their reference ranges (these vary from lab to lab so ranges are important), so that we can see why you're getting no help from your doctors.
You can send for the list of thyroid friendly endos (NHS and private) by emailing ThyroidUK at
tukadmin@thyroiduk.org
but please also do your own research before committing to paying for a consultation if you are thinking of going private.
Thank you so much for getting back to me - the last tests i have done were a few months ago but getting updated ones next week. Would appreciate any insight you have on these
Symptoms wise - I'm suffering with chronic fatigue, weight gain (even though I've very active), hair loss, dry skin, anxiety and depresssion and it seems to be getting worse.
Thank you so much.
Gehh
I can't help with the sex hormone results and if anyone comes along who can they'd need to know which phase out of the four to be able to interpret them.
Prolactin is below range, this might possibly mean that your pituitary isn't working as it should.
DHEA falls as we get older so that is in range but depends on your age whether it's a good result.
Cortisol - was the sample taken before 10am? If so then your result sits just over half way through range. Cortisol should be highest on waking and lowers throughout the day.
Thyroid antibodies are low so don't suggest autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's which is a common cause of hypothyroidism).
My blood tests are coming back with very low T3 and T4 but the NHS keep passing me around and refuse to offer any advice ‘until I get worse’. Even though my markers are under the ‘normal’ range.
Medichecks Ultimate Performance Test includes a myriad of tests. We need to see your thyroid results to comment further, and some of the others that are included.
Can you post results/ranges for
TSH
FT4 - if this is below range with a "normal" TSH this may tie in with the low prolactin and possible pituitary problem
FT3
Cholesterol (high cholesterol is a symptom of hypothyroidism)
Haemoglobin (low may suggest anaemia)
Iron panel - Serum iron, TIBC, Transferrin Saturation %, Ferritin
CRP - if CRP is raised this indicates inflammation, raised ferritin can also indicate inflammation so we look at the two together
Vit D
B12
Folate
Gehh
OK so I can now see that since my reply you've added some other results.
Ferritin: 38 (13-150)
Although your serum iron is good (no iron deficiency) your ferritin is low. Ferritin is recommended to be half way through range and some experts say the optimal level for thyroid function is 90-110ug/L, so you need to address this.
You can help raise your level by eating liver regularly, maximum 200g per week due to it's high Vit A content, also liver pate, black pudding, and including lots of iron rich foods in your diet
bda.uk.com/resource/iron-ri...
everydayhealth.com/pictures...
You should not supplement with iron, you already have a good serum iron level and taking iron tablets will take this too high and lead to toxicity.
Folate is good.
B12: 248 (25.1-165)
Are you supplementing? If so you need to stop as you're wasting your money. If not then speak to your GP as naturally high B12 needs to be investigated to see if it's connected to any medical condition.
TSH: 0.64 (0.27-4.20)
FT3: 3.1 (3.1-6.8)
FT4: 7.3 (12-22)
If your GP test results have come back with similar results, especially if FT4 is below range, then your GP is being negligent.
I am not medically trained, and I am not diagnosing, but what could be indicated here is Central Hypothyroidism. This is where the problem lies with the hypothalamus or the pituitary rather than a problem with the thyroid gland. This ties in with your low prolactin level which I mentioned before.
With Central Hypothyroidism the TSH can be low, normal or slightly raised, and the FT4 will be low.
TSH is a pituitary hormone, the pituitary checks to see if there is enough thyroid hormone, if not it sends a message to the thyroid to produce some. That message is TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone). If there is enough hormone then there's no need for the pituitary to send the message to the thyroid so TSH remains low.
In Primary Hypothyroidism, which is where the thyroid fails, the TSH will be high.
However, with Central Hypothyroidism the signal isn't getting through for whatever reason so the message isn't getting through to the thyroid to produce hormone, hence low FT4. It could be due to a problem with the pituitary (Secondary Hypothyroidism) or the hypothalamus (Tertiary Hypothyroidism).
As Central Hypothyroidism isn't as common as Primary Hypothyroidism it's likely that your GP hasn't come across it before.
Your GP can look at BMJ Best Practice for information - here is something you can read without needing to be subscribed:
bestpractice.bmj.com/topics...
and another article which explains it:
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...
and another here:
endocrinologyadvisor.com/ho...
and another one:
academic.oup.com/jcem/artic...
You could do some more research, print out anything that may help and show your GP.
You may need to be referred to an endocrinologist. If so then please make absolutely sure that it is a thyroid specialist that you see. Most endos are diabetes specialists and know little about the thyroid gland (they like to think they do and very often end up making us much more unwell that we were before seeing them). You can email ThyroidUK at
tukadmin@thyroiduk.org
for the list of thyroid friendly endos. Then ask on the forum for feedback on any that you can get to. Then if your GP refers you, make sure it is to one recommended here. It's no guarantee that they will understand Central Hypothyroidism but it's better than seeing a diabetes specialist. You could also ask on the forum if anyone has been successful in getting a diagnosis of Central Hypothyroidism, possibly in your area which you'll have to mention of course.
No thyroid results on here other than thyroid antibodies (both a good/negative)
For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested.
Very important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 at least once year minimum
About 90% of primary hypothyroidism is autoimmune thyroid disease, usually diagnosed by high thyroid antibodies
Autoimmune thyroid disease with goitre is Hashimoto’s
Autoimmune thyroid disease without goitre is Ord’s thyroiditis.
Both are autoimmune and generally called Hashimoto’s.
Low vitamin levels are extremely common when hypothyroid, especially with autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto’s or Ord’s thyroiditis)
20% of autoimmune thyroid patients never have high thyroid antibodies and ultrasound scan of thyroid can get diagnosis
As your antibodies are both negative you might want ultrasound……depending on thyroid and vitamin results
In U.K. medics hardly ever refer to autoimmune thyroid disease as Hashimoto’s (or Ord’s thyroiditis)
Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests early morning, ideally before 9am
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 and money off codes
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
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...
NHS easy postal kit vitamin D test £29 via
Link about thyroid blood tests
thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...
Link about Hashimoto’s
thyroiduk.org/hypothyroid-b...
Symptoms of hypothyroidism
thyroiduk.org/wp-content/up...
What’s your diet like?
Vegetarian or vegan?
ah sorry uploaded the wrong one, thyroid ones attached, with vitamins too. Thank you
Request referral to pituitary, adrenal and thyroid specialist
Have you had any head trauma or whiplash or traumatic blood loss after giving birth (Sheehan syndrome)
TSH very low despite below range Ft4 and very low Ft3
What vitamin supplements are you currently taking?
Are you vegetarian or vegan
Ferritin is low
thank you so much for this.
no head trauma or blood loss, never given birth.
I'm 28, not taking any supplements and i;m not veggie or vegan.
GP said everything is fine 
GP needs to go to SpecSavers
Thyroid Specialist in Northern Ireland?
Thyroid Specialist/Private
Thyroid specialist - replacement for Dr Skinner 
Good endocrinologists in London
Paediatric Thyroid Specialist
