HiCan anyone advise if a more through test thatcan be done for hypothyroid with the antibodies.
My GP does a blood test once a year.
I'm on levothyroxine 100mg one day 75mg the next.
But I've s got all the usual symptoms..very tierd all the time,I'm going to bed straight in from work, low mood and finding it impossible to loose weight..my GP won't test for Free T3...any advice would be much appreciated
Many thanks
Medichecks
Advanced thyroid test with antibodies
Advanced thyroid function test (thyroid plus vitamins)
medichecks.com/collections/...
Blue Horizon
Thyroid premium silver
Thyroid premium gold (thyroid plus vitamins)
bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...
All the above can be done by fingerprick or you can arrange phlebotomy for extra cost.
Monitor My Health is an NHS lab which offers some tests to the general public (fingeprick only) and may be more acceptable to a GP than any of the other labs but they don't include Thyroglobulin antibodies, only Thyroid Peroxidase antibodies, and it's better to have both which the other labs do include.
Discount codes are available, click on the individual labs in this link:
thyroiduk.org/help-and-supp...
Remember to do thyroid tests as we advise:
* Book the first appointment of the morning, or with private tests at home no later than 9am. This is because TSH is highest early morning and lowers throughout the day.
In fact, 9am is the perfect time, see first graph here, it shows TSH is highest around midnight - 4am (when we can't get a blood draw), then lowers, next high is at 9am then lowers before it starts it's climb again about 9pm:
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
If we are looking for a diagnosis of hypothyroidism, or looking for an increase in dose or to avoid a reduction then we need TSH to be as high as possible.
* Nothing to eat or drink except water before the test - have your evening meal/supper as normal the night before but delay breakfast on the day of the test and drink water only until after the blood draw. Certain foods may lower TSH, caffeine containing drinks affect TSH.
* If taking thyroid hormone replacement, last dose of Levo should be 24 hours before blood draw. If taking NDT or T3 then last dose should be 8-12 hours before blood draw, split dose and adjust timing the day before if necessary. This avoids measuring hormone levels at their peak after ingestion of hormone replacement. Take your thyroid meds after the blood draw. Taking your dose too close to the blood draw will give false high results, leaving any longer gap will give false low results.
* If you take Biotin or a B Complex containing Biotin (B7), leave this off for 3-7 days before any blood test. This is because if Biotin is used in the testing procedure it can give false results (most labs use biotin).
These are patient to patient tips which we don't discuss with phlebotomists or doctors.
Wow..Thank you so much
Do you have a copy of your latest blood results that you can share with us? You are legally entitled to a printed copy of your results, ask at GP reception. In England you can get the NHS app and ask for permission to see your blood results on that by asking at GP’s reception.
There are a number of private testing companies that offer a full thyroid profile of TSH, FT4 & FT3 plus antibodies. You should also get full vitamin testing done - ferritin, folate, B12 & d3. Post results here when you have them. Most popular are Medichecks and Blue Horizon. Monitor my Health is an NHS lab and only tests one type of antibody.
When hypo we get low stomach acid which means we cannot absorb vitamins well from our food, regardless of a great diet. For thyroid hormone to work well we need OPTIMAL levels of vitamins. Have you recently or could you ask your GP to test levels of ferritin, folate, B12 & D3? Private tests are available, see link for companies offering private blood tests & discount codes, some offer a blood draw service at an extra cost. thyroiduk.org/help-and-supp...
There is also a new company offering walk in & mail order blood tests in Crawley, Hove and Reigate areas. No charge for blood draw in clinic. Check to see if there is a blood test company near you. onedaytests.com/products/ul...
Only do private postal testing early Monday or Tuesday morning.
Raising your vitamin levels to OPTIMAL will help with symptoms and make your thyroid hormone work well.
Thank you so much..I'll get my results and post them here..It gets so confusing.
Much appreciated, really.
Oh dear your GP sounds clueless!!
Sorry you are struggling.
This test...
medichecks.com/products/adv...
Code THYROIDUK 10gives 10% discount
Other options are available!
thyroiduk.org/help-and-supp...
It does sound as if you are wrongly/ incorrectly medicated....
It is important to optimise vit D, vit B12, folate and ferritin to support thyroid function...
and thyroid antibodies TPO and Tg
You're correct ....FT3 is the most important lab followed by FT4
The NHS focus on TSH ( a pituitary hormone) which is not a reliable marker....sadly we have to deal with this misconception to the detriment of patient's health
bmcendocrdisord.biomedcentr...
thyroidpatients.ca/2021/07/...
Test before 9am to achieve highest TSH and 24hrs after last dose of levo....and before having any morning food or drinks... except water.
Post the results and members will advise
Good luck
Have you read my Mother's decade old letter on this subject? It is at torty.org.uk/m-e-joy-anthon... . The short answer is - a Urine test.
As far as I know, it showed low T3 and she got up and walked - albeit shakily after eight years - with thyroxin. Nothing clever except for the diagnosis.
One problem with urine tests for thyroid is that there is little or no info available that I've ever found discussing how to interpret the results.
The link you've given above has these results :
T3 184 : - mean ref. value in urine 1400-2500
T4 309 : - mean ref. value in urine 1800--3000
Obviously these results were very clear - thyroid hormone levels were practically non-existent.
But for the hypothyroid person seeking their optimal dose of Levo/NDT/T3, there will probably be a big difference in how they feel with a urine T3 level of 1400 and a level of 2500. So, what is optimal?
Does a level of 2500 mean that someone might be over-treated? Or that they are adequately treated but that for some reason their body is excreting too much T3 and not making use of it? And how would someone deal with such a scenario?
Does a result of 1400 suggest under-treatment? Or that the patient has a perfect amount of T3 and they are just excreting a small excess?
Because of the lack of information on interpretation of Thyroid hormone levels in urine I've never bothered having such a test, but if money was no object I would have a urine and a blood test done as close together as I could then compare the results. But money is always an object!
I did just find this link on the subject (which I haven't read) but most of the references are old :
tpauk.com/main/article/the-...
I've just signed up. Thanks.
Welcome. I wasn't necessarily expecting you to know all about urine testing for thyroid. I was just pointing out for the general reader why I find the subject incredibly confusing. 
All good questions! I wish I knew. Dr.Barry Peatfield has been - sidelined - for supporting the urine test.
Barry Durrant-Peatfield is a former medical practitioner specialising in metabolic disorders namely, hypothyroidism. He submitted to voluntary erasure from the medical register as an alternative to having his license suspended for the use of unapproved diagnostic tests and treatments such as whole thyroid extracts. Wikipedia...
So, it doesn't look promising. The Europees Laboratorium voor Nutritienten phone number my Mother mentions no longer works either.
For what it is worth I have found that telling my GP exactly what I want (EG a test for Hashimoto's, a regular test every 6 months etc) is often worth the effort - he may ask why are you asking and I am always sure to have a good response (usually the truth) .
Graves blood test / getting proper root cause diagnosis and right treatments 
Blood tests in UK sent to the US
Cheaper Private Thyroid Tests in the UK.
Iodine and selenium testing in Uk- worth the fight? 
Trying 3 Arrows Iron - UK Test Guide?
