GP not doing regular thyroid bloods.

[Persevere99]

How often should gp do thyroid bloods please?

My main thyroid problem is fatigue, it’s not there all the time, comes and goes.

So, I would like them done every 8 weeks, as I try different combos of Levo, T3 and Thyroid S, till I feel better.

However, mine doesn’t do anything at all until I chase her up.

She’s only done 2 tests this year, Feb and September, with me constantly asking her to do them 8 weekly.

Thanks

Persevere

[Lalatoot]

Once your levels are stable on an established dose then annual blood tests are the norm

[Persevere99 in reply to Lalatoot]

Thanks lalatoot

The reason I ask for 8 weekly bloods is because I try different combos of Levo, T3 and Thyroid S, till I feel better

Persevere

[Lalatoot in reply to Persevere99]

Feeling better and resolving symptoms can be long term on a dose. I spent 2 years altering doses methodically changing only 1 thing at a time and then having bloods done. Then I began to feel that my body had had enough adapting and changing to a new dose every few months. The body likes stability. So I settled for doses that I thought might be ok . 3 years on those steady doses and I am still improving and symptoms are still resolving. For me it took many years for my thyroid problems to quietly develop and so it is taking years for things to resolve.How did I decide to stop on a dose to see what happened longer term? My ft4 at its daily lowest was 50% through range and my average ft3 was 72%. I thought that those levels the body had enough at least to run on and I'd see how it adapted.

[Brightness14 in reply to Persevere99]

Try Private ones this is the answer. It only took me 3 months to get well on Thyroid s.

I had no thyroid problems prior then I had my thyroid removed. I was put on 100 Levo for about six months and went downhill and put on weight for the first time. I joined this site and ordered Thyroid s. I never mixed the two and my levels were perfect and I felt well on 2.5 and then 2.25 grains for years. I split the dose. 1.25 grain am and 1 grain pm.

With Levo in the mix it may take you longer. It's well worth the money paying for the additional blood tests it's should only be a few and then once or twice a year.

Although everyone states waiting weeks to raise up I increased every 10 days and it worked fine.

[Persevere99 in reply to Brightness14]

Thanks brightness14

Good you feel ok just on Thyroid S

I’ve tried Thyroid S on its own and my TSH and Ft4 were very low and I didn’t feel well

[Brightness14 in reply to Persevere99]

I have no thyroid and had been on just NDT thyroid s for over seven years. Then during covid I started a new bottle TA21something and they had changed colour but more importantly they didn't work.

Anyway I am now on a new batch and back up to 2.25 grains so I will have a blood test in a few weeks and see. I don't feel well at present anyway, I have a tumour in my ear so it's hard with different things going on.

For years my TSH was suppressed and FT4 near the top of the range. Also the FT3 was always above 6. to feel well.

I hope that you can sort yours out. What batch are you on now.

[Persevere99 in reply to Brightness14]

All the best in your health journey brightness14.

Sorry to hear about your ear tumour, what is the treatment for that?

I’m back on 125 Levo and will request GP to do bloods next month.

[Brightness14 in reply to Persevere99]

Please let us know how it goes.

My treatment for the ear is wait and see, I did send my Scans back to the UK to a top surgeon who advised me to just wait as what I have is very very slow growing.

[Jaydee1507 Administrator]

Are you changing your dose? If you are then its resonable to ask them to test every 6-8 weeks.

If you are on a steady dose and everything is OK then I would just expect an annual blood test to check levels.

[Persevere99 in reply to Jaydee1507]

Yes Jaydee, I try, 8 weekly, different combos of Levo, T3 and Thyroid S, till I find an answer to the fatigue.

That’s why I ask her to test at the end of each 8 week block, but she doesn’t.

Persevere

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Persevere99]

Changing dose that quickly is too soon

You need at least 12 weeks to assess any change

And as Lalatoot says …..the longer the better….your body needs to settle

[Jaydee1507 Administrator in reply to Persevere99]

If your GP or endo has asked you to change dose then yes I would expect the NHS to do the blood test although it would be touch and go as to whether the FT3 gets done.

If you are changing dose at that frequency whilst self medicating then its really your responsibility to pay for your own private blood tests.

As others have said you would be better off picking a suitable dose and waiting 4months+ to see how it feels rather than chopping and changing and your body not knowing if its coming or going.

You are very active according to your profile and posts and also vegan. You posted a while back with a low ferritin and folate result and these will be affecting how you feel and how your thyroid hormone works. healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

I'd recommend getting full vitamin testing and the full iron panel - you may need to do this privately. People see eating vegan as a healthy diet but it does miss out on iron and B12 in particular which have to be taken as supplements.

[Persevere99 in reply to Jaydee1507]

Thanks jaydee1507

Yes vegan diet is short of B12, D and calcium which I take daily

Plus I take 1/2 an Asda Multivit 4 times a week

Thanks

[Jaydee1507 Administrator in reply to Persevere99]

I suggest you get your vitamin levels checked. Its highly unlikely that the dose of multivit you are taking is going to keep your levels at the optimal level where they need to be for your thyroid hormone to work well.

This may be why you are struggling to find the right dose.

Iron is also low on a vegan diet.

Multivitamins are never recommended in this group for a number of reasons. Generally speaking they contain low amounts of vitamins in their least available form that won't be enough to bring levels to optimal. They often contain iodine which isn't recommended in hypothyroidism and they mix vitamins that need to be taken apart for best absorption.

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/testing/priva...

There is also a new company offering walk in (includes free blood draw) & mail order blood tests in London, Kent, Sussex & Surrey areas. Check to see if there is a blood test company near you. onedaytests.com/products/ul...

Only do private tests on a Monday or Tuesday to avoid postal delays.

Start a new post with your results when you have them for members to comment.

[Lalatoot in reply to Jaydee1507]

I would add to what Jaydee1507 has by saying that you are also making it difficult to find a satisfactory dose because you are juggling so many hormone variables. You have to balance t4 and t3 taken separately and their effects on each other as well as the t4 and t3 elements in thyroid s. I wonder why you are taking those 3.

[HealthStarDust]

Unfortunately, there is a lot of chasing to do on these things.

[pennyannie]

Hello Persevere :

You can always organise your own private blood tests as the NHS rarely tests T3 anyway.

You can find a list of private companies who can run the necessary blood tests for you on the Thyroid UK website - which is the charity that supports this forum - thyroiduk.org :

Personally - if taking a mix of all these different treatment options I doubt a blood test within that time frame will tell you much anyway -

Are you also monitoring yourself on blood pressure, pulse and body temperature AM and PM - as tracking on these physical symptoms may be more reassuring -

Blood test are just a monitoring tool and a snapshot in time that tend to run a couple of weeks behind symptoms :

[Persevere99 in reply to pennyannie]

Thanks penny Annie for your tips

Private tests are expensive

BP, pulse and temp are ok

[pennyannie in reply to Persevere99]

Yes but you can use these 3 physical symptoms to track daily any changes when you change doses f thyroid medications to see if the dose is working and - for instance any changs happening to your vital statistics.

I did this when I switched to NDT - I took base readings and as I increased my dose I tracked twice daily - AM and PM - and though my blood pressure and pulse remained pretty much the same my temperature slowly rose over a month from 35.40 to 36.60 so I knew something was happening and that I was going in the right direction.

[McPammy]

my GP surgery checks my thyroid bloods along with cortisol, lipids, ferritin, folate and vit D, and FBC every 3 months without fail. I get a B12 injection every 3 months and the bloods are done at the same time. I think if I wasn’t having the b12 injection then they wouldn’t do the bloods but I’m not 100% sure on that. My nooods are normally all optimal and in range for me. The only time they may go wrong is when I can’t get my regular brand of liquid levo. My T3 supply has never changed supplier in years so that’s ok at the moment.

I email my surgery and tag on the blood request to my B12 injection by putting the title ‘ regular bloods’ and say my endocrinologist needs them. There’s never any questions.

[Persevere99 in reply to McPammy]

Good to hear they do regular 3 monthly bloods mcpammy