Testing

[Milkyway88]

Hi

I’d like to get a blood panel done to include reverse T3, antibodies, inflammation markers and cortisol. I don’t need vitamins and minerals. The only one I can see is Blue Horizon at £239, and this includes vitamins. Does anyone know of any tests where you can choose your package to keep the cost down?

thanks all. ☺️

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Milkyway

The first thing to say is don't bother with reverse T3 testing, it's a red herring, costs a lot of money and takes quite a long time to get the results. Testing rT3 can tell you if your level is high but it can't tell you why it's high. There are many, many reasons for high rT3 but only one of them is to do with the thyroid and that's when there is an excess of unconverted T4 and you can tell that by looking at the FT4 and FT3 levels.

If not caused by an excess of unconverted T4, the other conditions that contribute to increased Reverse T3 levels include:

· Chronic fatigue

· Acute illness and injury

· Chronic disease

· Increased cortisol (stress)

· Low cortisol (adrenal fatigue)

· Low iron

· Lyme disease

· Chronic inflammation

Also selenium deficiency, excess physical, mental and environmental stresses. Also Beta-blocker long-term use such as propranolol, metoprolol, etc. Physical injury is a common cause of increased RT3, also illnesses like the flu. Starvation/severe calorie restriction is known to raise RT3. Diabetes when poorly treated is known to increase RT3. Cirrhosis of the liver. Fatty liver disease. Any other liver stress Renal Failure. A fever of unknown cause. Detoxing of high heavy metals.

Articles

thyroidpatients.ca/2019/01/...

zrtlab.com/blog/archive/rev...

verywellhealth.com/reverse-...

The only testing company to include blood cortisol in a test bundle is, as far as I know, Blue Horizon. You may be able to get it as a separate test from other companies.

A 24 hour saliva cortisol plus DHEA test is said to be better than a blood cortisol test as it gives levels for 4 times during the day/evening. This test can be bought from Regenerus or Genova Diagnostics.

Inflammation marker is not tested in the bundles which don't contain vitamins from what I can see. This is because it's tested with ferritin as ferritin rises with inflammation so you would be able to see if your ferritin is affected if CRP is elevated.

Blue Horizon Thyroid Silver tests TSH, T4, free T3, free T4, Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies, Thyroglobulin Antibodies, Cortisol + Magnesium

Blue Horizon Thyroid Gold tests Inclusions: TSH, FT4, FT3, TT4, Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies, Thyroglobulin Antibodies, Ferritin, Folate, Vitamin B12 (NOT ACTIVE B12), C Reactive Protein & Vitamin D (25-OH), Cortisol + Magnesium

Testing bundles tend to work out cheaper than having a basic test like the Silver then adding on CRP.

It's really a case of working out which offers the tests you want at the price you want to pay.

Details of testing companies and any discounts they offer on ThyroidUK's main website here, click on the company name for details:

thyroiduk.org/help-and-supp...

[Milkyway88 in reply to SeasideSusie]

SeasideSusie, thank you so much. ☺️ That’s really helpful as now I won’t bother with the reverse t3, and I think I’ll look for the saliva cortisol tests as I’m so much worse in the evening and would like to know why.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Milkyway88]

The Regenerus test is cortisol plus DHEA saliva test I have used, they email you direct when results are ready. Genova do the same test but they send results to ThyroidUK who send them on to you when they've received your consent.

[Milkyway88 in reply to SeasideSusie]

thank you. ☺️