Living without a thyroid

[Davenham21]

Hello, I'm tired and trying to find an NHS endocrinologist who isn't focused on Tsh does anyone know if they exist?

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Not many….most are TSH obsessed

Email Thyroid U.K. for list of recommended thyroid specialist endocrinologist and doctors who do prescribe T3 or NDT and are (hopefully) less TSH obsessed

[e-mail]

Before considering booking any consultation…..

Bloods should be retested 6-8 weeks after each dose change or brand change in levothyroxine or T3

 

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

What vitamin supplements are you currently taking

Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests early morning, ideally just before 9am and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test 

Day before test split T3 into 3 smaller doses spread through the day and last dose approx 8-12 hours before test

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 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...

monitormyhealth.org.uk/

NHS easy postal kit vitamin D test £29 via

vitamindtest.org.uk

Only do private testing early Monday or Tuesday morning. 

Watch out for postal strikes, probably want to pay for guaranteed 24 hours delivery 

Link about thyroid blood tests

thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...

Symptoms of hypothyroidism 

thyroiduk.org/wp-content/up...

[pennyannie]

Hello Davenham :

I too am with Graves but had RAI thyroid ablation in 2005 and became very unwell around 8 years later and yes, dosed and monitored on a TSH to be on range and on T4 monotherapy.

This forum was a life saver as was Elaine Moore Grave's Disease Foundation website and her first book - Grave's Disease A Practical Guide :

The following book is written by a doctor, Barry Durrant-Peatfield, who resigned and started writing to better educate patients and equip them better to self advocate.

Your Thyroid and How To Keep It Healthy is relevant for all of us and on basic body physiology and how everything has cause and effect and everything works in harmony.

I was refused both T3 and NDT through my surgery and hospital in 2018 and now self medicating with Natural Desiccated and much improved.

I see you did try NDT - how did that work for you ?

I do know that I need to keep my ferritin, folate, B12 and vitamin D at optimum levels and I also supplement adrenal glandular and am much improved.

I ignore my TSH as that has all but disappeared and if concerned I track on my T3 readings,

I now arrange just a yearly full thyroid blood test more to track my vitamins and minerals than thyroid as I feel ok.