first time here !!
Have had underactive thyroid for 30 years thyroxin prescribes ranged from 200 mg now taking 125 mg
Am due for review on Tuesday but for last couple years symptoms have worsened- skin almost scaly and chronic constipation- every time blood test comes back I am told you are just within the range!!!
Are there any tests other than big standard blood tests I can request
Thanks in anticipation
Hello BridgetMary and welcome to the forum :
In my experience if you are referring to the yearly thyroid function test it is a TSH reading and a T4 reading once in a while :
The TSH seen in isolation is a totally unreliable measure of anything and must be seen in conjunction with a Free T3 and Free T4 blood test result and range.
When I started off on here, reading other people's posts and questions, I realised I had only been dosed and monitored on just a TSH since discharge from hospital after RAI thyroid ablation, some 10 years earlier and I had become increasingly unwell.
My doctor agreed to test T3 and T4 if I paid the Laboratory myself for the blood analysis, but apart from an invoice for 34 pounds something I didn't even receive the results and had to go back to my doctor to tell me that I was vey lucky to have any T3 at all !!!! Sorry rant over :
T4 - Levothyroxine is a storage hormone and needs to be converted by your body into T3 the active hormone that runs the body and said to be around 4 times more powerful than T4.
Your ability to convert the T4 into T3 can be compromised by several factors, and the main ones on which we have some control include non optimal levels of ferritin, folate, B12 and vitamin D, any physiological stress ( emotional or physical ) depression, dieting and ageing.
So to be thorough, we do need to see a full thyroid panel to include TSH, Free T3, Free T4, antibodies, inflammation, and the vitamins and minerals as detailed above.
My doctor refused point blank to these other blood tests so I went into Thyroid UK the charity who supports this forum and arranged my blood tests privately and now I just run a yearly one as I'm now in a very different place and a lot better than around 6 years ago when I fell into this forum.
Thank you so much that’s really helpful
I meant to add once with the blood tests just start a new post with the results and ranges and you will be talked through all it means and what you can do for yourself and get back on track again.
Levothyroxine should always be taken on an empty stomach and you need to wait an hour before eating or drinking anything.
Thyroid UK website has a page dedicated to private companies who can run the blood test for you if your doctor will not, some offer a nurse home visit if this suits you better.
Arrange an early as possible appointment in the morning - ideally at the beginning of the week so the blood doesn't hang around over the weekend in a postbox or laboratory.
If you take your T4 in the morning - you need to fast overnight, taking in just water and wait until after the blood draw to take your daily dose of Levothyroxine.
Once you have the results, generally within a couple of days, just start a new question on the forum and you will be talked through what it all means and your next best steps back to better health and well being.
It's a bit like a jigsaw without a picture but it comes together with a little more knowledge which you will get through reading on here and Thyroid UK and once you get a couple of corners worked out, the pieces fall into place and your thyroid journey comes together with you feeling more able to advocate for yourself as your health improves.
Think that's all I forgot !!
Not on steroids now and thank you for info and taking time to reply x
Welcome to the forum
On your profile you have added steroids
Are you currently on steroids?
These will frequently lower TSH
Just testing TSH is always completely inadequate
Please add last test results and ranges
Request GP test TSH, Ft4 and Ft3 together
They will need to add a note to the lab to include testing Ft3 ….otherwise lab frequently won’t test it
Also request vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 levels are tested
What vitamin supplements are you currently taking
When were vitamin levels last tested
ALWAYS test thyroid levels early morning, ideally just before 9am and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test
Which brand of levothyroxine are you currently taking
Do you always get same brand levothyroxine at each prescription
What’s the cause of your hypothyroidism
Do you have autoimmune thyroid disease, also called Hashimoto’s, usually diagnosed by high thyroid antibodies
Or are you post thyroidectomy or RAI for Graves’ disease?
Welcome to forum
Ideally Thyroid function test should include
TSH - thyroid stimulating hormone (a pituitary hormone) which signal thyroid to increase / decrease the amount of thyroid it makes. When is high the thyroid is struggling, levo is increased. When it low its assumed the thyroid levels are high and levo needs to be reduced.
TSH isn’t reliable do you know if thyroid hormones were also tested? FT4 - free thyroxine & FT3 - free triiodothyronine
Often when GP checks for thyroid function the TSH is tested and the lab decides if abnormal the FT4 can be tested, sometimes FT3 is also.
See what has been tested and results.
Find out if practice offers online access, very useful if can be set up as access to notes, letters & results. If not available ask reception for printed results. They must include ranges which vary between labs.
Don’t accept verbal of hand written results as often inaccurate.
If not fully tested there are private blood testing companies. Some offer a basic function, others with antibodies & key nutrients.
This will allow you to get a full picture at once.
When you test, arrange draw early in morning, fasting overnight & delay levo until after draw. This shows highest TSH lowest FT4. Is this how you usually test?
Link for private tests & discount codes.
thyroiduk.org/help-and-supp...
Order online, kit includes means for finger prick sample, (or extra fee for venous draw) post sample back (avoid weekends, likely postal delays & when very hot) result available to view online usually quite quickly.
See what results your doctor has tested first & on what basis your dose has been reduced. You are legally entitled to your record.
Find out if practice offers online access, very useful if can be set up as access to notes, letters & results. If not available ask reception for printed results. They must include ranges which vary between labs.
Don’t accept verbal of hand written results as often inaccurate.
Thank you x
Re getting hold of previous test results
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.
Link re access
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
In reality many GP surgeries do not have blood test results online yet
Alternatively ring receptionist and request printed copies of results. Allow couple of days and then go and pick up.
Important to see exactly what has been tested and equally important what hasn’t been tested yet
Bloods should be retested 6-8 weeks after each dose change or brand change in levothyroxine
For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 tested
plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested at least once
Very important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 at least once year minimum
Blood Tests Results
Help with blood tests
Blood tests for hypothyroid
Blood tests
Help with blood tests 
