Evening all,
after my previous posts regarding my thyroid results I did a Thriva test and got the results today.
Im totally gutted as it didn't include T3 , it only did TSH and FT4. My fault I guess as I should have checked first before spending out.
If it's of any use for anyone to look at the results are:
TSH 1.47
FT4 23.8
no good without the FT3.
Im on the verge of giving up soon as funds are depleted.
I guess by the FT4 I could be overmedicated but now I can't tell!
We understood from your last post you were getting vitamin levels tested too?
For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 tested.
Very important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 at least once year minimum
For good conversion of Ft4 to Ft3 we need OPTIMAL vitamin levels
After Graves’ disease (autoimmune hyperthyroid)and RAI you have zero thyroid function of your own.
Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests early morning, ideally just before 9am and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test
This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip)
List of private testing options and money off codes
thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...
usually the cheapest, especially with money off with code
Medichecks Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins
medichecks.com/products/adv...
Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes antibodies, cortisol and vitamins
bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...
Only do private testing early Monday or Tuesday morning. Watch out for postal strikes, probably want to pay for guaranteed 24 hours delivery
Hi I'm still waiting for the test kit for vitamins. I know my kidney s aren't 100% as the EGFR is 87 which is low and cortisol test was low too. Think my body is telling me something My cholesterol is high too but I'm not overweight and hardly eaten except fruit and soup for weeks.
Will post vitamin results on arrival and looks like I may have to find the money for yet another Thyroid test!
Thankyou for great advice again.
High cholesterol is typically the RESULT of being hypothyroid/inadequately treated ….especially low Ft3 …which you know you have from previous testing
Cholesterol will drop as Ft3 improves
nhs.uk/conditions/statins/c...
If you have an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism), treatment may be delayed until this problem is treated. This is because having an underactive thyroid can lead to an increased cholesterol level, and treating hypothyroidism may cause your cholesterol level to decrease, without the need for statins. Statins are also more likely to cause muscle damage in people with an underactive thyroid.
similarly low GFR should improve as Ft3 improves
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...
The GFR is reversibly reduced (by about 40%) in more than 55% of adults with hypothyroidism[40] due to several reasons.
I know my kidney s aren't 100% as the EGFR is 87 which is low
You might find this link of interest :
labs.selfdecode.com/blog/egfr/
Personally, I would be quite happy with an eGFR of 87. The very best result that most people over 50 could expect is > 90. And yours is so very, very close that I wouldn't worry about it. A doctor seeing that result wouldn't comment on it.
Sending you a massive hug xx
Just reading through previous posts to get the story and found the bit where you said:
I had a massively over active thyroid that didnt respond to the first RAI treatment so I had it re-done. It took 2yrs for my GP to believe I was unwell until I had a big lump on my throat. Then they believed me. I was 29yrs old when I first felt unwell with all the hyper symptoms but the doctor thought I was just over anxious and that was why I was skinny with racing heartbeat.
I hate that you’re being pigeon-holed as over-anxious and that your doctor is treating you as though your current issues are all in your head (and not thyroid-related). You were gaslighted through that entire 2 year period! You weren’t over-anxious at all—you had classic symptoms of hyperthyroidism which your doctor should have spotted and didn’t. I’m furious on your behalf. 
Do you see the same GP each time? I’m wondering if it’s written front and centre in your notes that you have “mental health issues” because if so, that’s all they’re seeing and it’s not fair. 
Your FT4 is currently over range but given what happened when you reduced your dosage from 100mcg to 75mcg (your FT3 dropped to the bottom of the range), you are someone who needs FT4 to be high in order to be able to make at least some T3.
I suspect that ideally you’d really benefit from having a prescription for T3 but your doctor doesn’t sound informed enough to understand that prescribing T3 wouldn’t make you more anxious (that’s what he’ll be thinking (if he’s thinking at all…). When in fact it would probably balance you out nicely. In effect, following two lots of RAI, you have no thyroid any more and your body is really missing the T3 it used to have in abundance. That in turn will be causing you to feel really low in mood.
Is it pot luck which GP you see—or is it a case of not having much choice on the island? Are there others in the practice? You could do with having a fresh pair of eyes on your situation, someone that you could say to, “please don’t just see the mental health angle—please see me as a thyroid patient who’d like to try getting their thyroid hormone levels optimsed after years of being messed about.”
Thankyou for your kind reply. We only have 3 doctors in our village and none of them are knowledgeable regarding thyroid issues. My previous doctors from years ago were the same too!! I hate being labelled but Im too soft to make a fuss, I end up crying. Someone suggested I try liquid thyroxine but I couldn't ever imagine our doctors would let me have that either. I think I need to do one final Full thyroid test as this last one didn't have T3 so I'm at a loss as to whether I'm over or under medicated. I can pinpoint the exact day my health took a turn for the worse and I'm still convinced it was high doses of Omeprazole in hospital. I'm battling gastritis too so no wonder my body is in a mess at the moment. I'm so glad I joined this group as I've learnt more in a week than in 20yrs of seeing doctors. Being educated in thyroid health is a real eye opener!
I get it. There are two versions of me—my work persona, where I get stuff done, stand up for my staff, fight to get things sorted. And then there’s…me. The “me” me. When it comes to standing up for myself, well, over the years I’ve often gone to pieces. I’ve had one too many doctors tell me that there’s nothing wrong that losing weight couldn’t fix (it doesn’t; I just feel ill at a lower weight instead). I’ve cried many a time back in my car in the surgery’s car park after an appointment.
Is there anyone you could take with you? It’s all shades of wrong that I need to suggest this but sometimes taking a man with you (a partner, a relative, a friend) to help you fight your corner can make all the difference when it comes to getting listened to.
I think you’re right that the omeprazole had really messed you up.
Hope the next set of blood tests gets you some more answers. x
About Thriva not doing the FT3. I saw a post the other day with someone saying the same. Pretty sure they didn't have enough blood to do the test or something happened like that. They were going to refund the person. Might be worth contacting them in the morning to see what happened?
on the report they sent it states they look at the TSH and T4 only. Nothing about not enough blood. Very odd though as they aren't cheap.
I just had a look at Thriva, have used medichecks myself. Maybe you ticked the wrong box as they do do a more basic TSH, T4 test.
Monitor my Health is cheapest for just TSH, FT4 & FT3. As I've been sorting out vitamins I've bought the much more expensive, but still cheapest package of Medichecks advance profile. It includes a lot for the price.
Ok I might go with Monitor my health and get their one done. Many thanks
Hi, I looked at the Thriva website and the only thyroid tests I noticed included T3 as well as the others. I may be looking at the wrong thing, but I would definitely get back to them to ask why T3 was missing. They might send you another kit. Worth a try.
I will take a look again and check I ordered the right one. Thankyou.
I'd ring them. They need to know that T3 is expected as part of a full blood test and you were sure that you had ordered it.
sister's blood test results
Thyroid Blood Test Results Interpretation
thyroid test results
Test Results
Blood test results - hypothyroid
