I saw a Councillor this week as I've felt really "grey" for a long time. After chatting he urged me to look into whole thyroid, I've taken levothroxine on nhs following partial thyroidectomy due to thyroid cancer 7 yrs ago.
He explained T3 and T4 and showed me the thyroid uk site. He explained I would need a private specialist to analyse my blood results including t3 and t4 and if thought beneficial obtain a private prescription for a whole thyroid.
I've looked on the list, my closest recommended Dr on the list is miles away and I just can't afford it nor do I have the time as a single working mum to travel the country for help. So I was wondering if anyone else has got help through a different route? Thank you for reading
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evieve08
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Do you have any blood test results? eg copies from GP.
What are your results like? Most feel well with TSH around 1, FT4 top 3rd of range FT3 at least half way.
How much levo do you currently take? Making sure this is right level can make a difference.
Do you always have same levo brand?
Have you had a full thyroid blood test as GP often go by TSH. Don’t always test FT4 & less often FT3.
This may mean your FT4 isn’t high enough. If it isn’t it means not enough will convert to FT3.
Conversion can be poor if nutrients are low. Have you had folate, ferritin B12 and Vitamin D tested?
If FT4 in top 3rd of range and nutrient optimal then you may not need naturally desiccated thyroid or synthetic T3.
Private test can be arranged if GP won’t test FT3 or nutrients and they will be much less expense than a private endocrinologist which would need all the information during appointment.
NO FT3 so can’t tell you if you are converting well or not.
31.67% is not very high in range for FT4 so ask for increase now (alterations should always be by 25mcg per day, test 6 weeks later after unchanged dose) as there’s lots of room for increase.
B12 215 (197 - 771) This looks low. Are you vegetarian?
Your HBA1c 40 mmol/mol 20-41 is quite high did anyone discuss this with you?
The HbA1c test measures the sugar attached to the haemoglobin, so it gives an average level from past few months, as opposed to a single current reading.
A usual classification is HbA1c below 41 mmol/mol - Non-diabetic
HbA1c between 42 - 47 mmol/mol - Impaired glucose regulation( IGR) or Prediabetes
HbA1c of 48 mmol/mol or over: - Type 2 diabetes
Decreasing food high in carbohydrate and increasing activity helps with this.
Recommend you start new post with results & more members with better knowledge about B12 will be able to see & offer more advice. This reply was only flagged to me so it might get missed.
Thank you some excellent points i forget everyone is online now.
So you get a finger prick blood test then what do you do with those results please? This is the step im a bit confused by, do you send them to a dr or pharmacy on the list or your own normal dr? Thank you for your help sorry im knew to all of this x
I have a private doctor who gives me my prescriptions. I get blood tests done a couple of weeks before my next appointment with her, then send her the results for us to discuss. I keep a spreadsheet with my results so I can see how they are going.
No you can't send your results to a pharmacy - you need a prescription for that.
You can show them to your GP and see what he can prescribe or book a private doctor who can prescribe.
You can also post them here and get opinions.
If you want to talk to a private doctor you will need to make an appointment. Do your homework. Most of the doctors will have a web site, so you can see something about them. Some people post questions on here to ask for opinions, which will have to be by private message only. Check prices etc., some charge a lot more than others.
First thing is, do you have any actual blood test results?
if not will need to get hold of copies.
You are legally entitled to printed copies of your blood test results and ranges.
The best way to get access to current and historic blood test results is to register for online access to your medical record and blood test results
UK GP practices are supposed to offer everyone online access for blood test results. Ring and ask if this is available and apply to do so if possible, if it is you may need "enhanced access" to see blood results.
Yes, your Councillor is correct and can I just ask are you seeing this insightful, caring person on the NHS as maybe they can help direct you through the relevant channels to get you help you may well need ?
A fully functioning working thyroid would be supporting you on a daily basis with trace elements of T1. T2 and calcitonin plus a measure of T3 at around 10 mcg plus a measure of T4 at around 100 mcg.
T4 - Levothyroxine is a storage hormone which needs to be converted by your body into T3 the active hormone that the body runs and is said to be around 4 x more powerful than T4.
Some people can get by on T4 only medication :
Some people find that T4 seems to stop working for them as well as it once did and need to add in a little T3 -Liothyronine - probably to compensate for that little bit ' lost ' through surgery.
Some people can't tolerate T4 and need to take T3 only :
Whilst others find their health restored better by taking Natural Desiccated Thyroid which contains all the same known hormones as that of the thyroid gland and derived from pig thyroids dried and ground down into tablets referred to as grains.
20 odd years ago all these treatment options were available through your doctor though currently your doctor can only prescribe T4 and the obligatory antidepressants should you not feel well enough on T4.
If you wish to be considered for any further treatment option you need a referral to an endocrinologist and I'm afraid financial restraint rather than medical need seems to be evident in what seems to be a post code lottery throughout the country.
Your ability to convert the T4 into T3 can be compromised by several factors, the most obvious and most easily treated being those of non optimal levels of ferritin, folate, B12 and vitamin D and any inflammation, physiological stress ( emotional or physical ) depression, dieting and ageing can also have a bearing on your ability to convert the T4 into T3.
We generally feel at our best when our T4 is up in the top quadrant of it's range as this should in theory convert to a good level of T3 at around a 1/4 ratio of T3/T4.
he thyroid is a major gland and responsible for the fine tuning and running of all your body parts - pretty much like a car engine and currently you are running on just half an engine.
The thyroid is responsible for full body synchronisation including your physical, mental, emotional, psychological and spiritual well being, your inner central heating system and your metabolism.
Currently in primary care you may well just be getting a yearly TSH thyroid blood test which is inadequate and first and foremost we need to know where your T3 and T4 sit within the ranges which can give us an idea as to how well your body it utilising the T4 thyroid hormone.
First port of call is your primary care provider to ask if they will run a full thyroid panel to include a TSH, T3 and T4 - and of course if they could include the inflammation, ferritin, folate, B12 and vitamin D that would be amazing.
I couldn't get past first base and only get a TSH with my doctor so I paid to have my blood drawn for the full thyroid evaluation to include the vitamins and minerals.
I do not have a thyroid having had RAI thyroid ablation back in 2005 for Graves - and having been refused any thyroid hormone treatment options other the T4 and I now self medicate and am much improved.
So, going back to my first question - another route, once we have some blood tests and can explain what they all mean to you is to maybe consider seeking out a friendly psychiatrist through your councillor as they too can write prescriptions for options of thyroid hormone replacement if that is what is needed.
It seems you hit the jackpot with that counsellor. Then again it is often those outside medical practice (like counsellors, optometrists, pharmacists etc.) who seem to know the most about thyroid. Can you get a virtual appointment with a private endo? Your counsellor might be on to something. It's worth following up on.
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