Hi All,
I'm at the end of my nerves and looking for your advice.
I am 51 year old woman, who has had various health problems from 13 starting with abnormal hormone levels.
Everything I have seems to point to thyroid but the GP says I'm within the normal bracket.
I have 4 people in my family with underactive T including my mother.
Has anyone else found this?
The GP in UK normally just do the basic tests on T levels.
Love to hear from you!
Welcome to the forum
Just testing TSH is completely inadequate
Do you have any recent thyroid and vitamin results you can add
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.
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
For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested.
Very important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 at least once year minimum
About 90% of primary hypothyroidism is autoimmune thyroid disease, usually diagnosed by high thyroid antibodies
Autoimmune thyroid disease with goitre is Hashimoto’s
Autoimmune thyroid disease without goitre is Ord’s thyroiditis.
Both are autoimmune and generally called Hashimoto’s.
Low vitamin levels are extremely common when hypothyroid, especially with autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto’s or Ord’s thyroiditis)
Low vitamin levels tend to lower TSH…..so if GP only testing TSH this is useless
In U.K. medics hardly ever refer to autoimmune thyroid disease as Hashimoto’s (or Ord’s thyroiditis)
Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests early morning, ideally just before 9am
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...
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...
Link about Hashimoto’s
thyroiduk.org/hypothyroid-b...
Symptoms of hypothyroidism
See you have recently been diagnosed with poor functioning kidneys…….extremely common HYPOTHYROID symptom that should improve significantly as low thyroid levels are increased
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.
GP unlikely to be aware of the interconnection
Hi Slowdragon,
Wow thank you for the advice! Yes I do have have low B12, D and folate. GP just gave me a course of Folic Acid which lifted levels from 43 back to my normal kidney level of 51. So im atage 3 CKD.
Do you know how the NHS react to having a private test done? Do they take it at face value or argue the result?
What are your most recent vitamin D and B12 results
NHS only tests and treats vitamin deficiencies
Down to us to self supplement to maintain OPTIMAL vitamin levels
Vitamin D at least least 80nmol minimum and between 100-125nmol may be better
Serum B12 at least over 500
Any ferritin result?
What’s your diet like
Are you vegetarian or vegan
Gluten free or dairy free
What were thyroid results ?
was this recent test done early morning?
We recommend testing FULL thyroid and vitamin levels once a year
Then testing TSH, Ft4 and Ft3 after any dose change in levothyroxine
Getting all four vitamins tested and at optimal levels quite likely to increase TSH so you can get started on levothyroxine
ESSENTIAL to test thyroid antibodies. GP should test
NHS currently only tests Thyroglobulin (TG) antibodies if TPO antibodies are high/abnormal
Significant minority of Hashimoto’s patients only have high TG antibodies so struggle to get diagnosed
Similarly approx 20% of Hashimoto’s patients never have high thyroid antibodies at all. So a negative antibodies test doesn’t rule Hashimoto’s out. Ultrasound scan of thyroid can get diagnosis in these cases
Do you know how the NHS react to having a private test done? Do they take it at face value or argue the result?
If results are abnormal, GP obligated to retest to confirm
If vitamin results low …..but within range…..you need to self supplement
Thousands upon thousands of U.K. members test privately to make progress either in getting diagnosed or for ongoing management
Examples of Medichecks results
healthunlocked.com/search/p...
Blue horizon
healthunlocked.com/search/p...
Tips on how to do DIY finger prick test
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
or can pay extra for private blood draw at close to you clinic
Only do private testing early Monday or Tuesday morning
Post back immediately
Watch out for post strikes
Hi Slow Dragon,
Thank you again for your advice, I have a kit on its was to me as we speak from Medichecks. I will let you know the outcome.
meanwhile get hold of last test results done by GP
You’re legally entitled to copies
Will do, thank you!!
Sounds like another medic with little thyroid knowledge!
They are wrongly trained to view TSH as a reliable marker....which it absolutely is not, and research underlines this.
This article both explains and gives reference to the myth...
thyroidpatients.ca/2021/07/...
This medic is possibly seeing your labs sitting within the ref ranges and assuming all is well....No!
Instead, he should be looking to find the exact spot within the ranges, where you feel well again.
SlowDragon has given you excellent info re private testing...this is possibly the only way you can start to make in-roads into your health issues.
FT3 is the most important reading followed by FT4.
T3 is the active thyroid hormone and for good health it must flood almost all the cells in the body ....and must be available in a constant and adequate supply.
Low cellular T3 = poor health!
Kidney and bladder issues are often hypo symptoms....this has developed with me after decades of no, then wrong, thyroid medication
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi....
Post any labs you can obtain and members will help
Can you see another GP because this one needs to learn a few facts about thyroid disease!
Good luck!
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