Should I take it or not?

[Judyrabbit]

I am going to see an endocrinologist privately on Thursday evening. I’m sure he will want a blood test done. My question is should I take my thyroxine that morning or not as I’m not seeing him until 6.30. ? I know blood tests should be taken early morning with no thyroxine but I’m travelling a long way to see him and he might want a blood test done!

[arTistapple]

I realised after a similar situation that ‘it depends’ on what you think will be important from that blood test and the level of knowledge of your practitioner.

At that time of the day your TSH result will be all but useless, whether you have taken your levo or not that morning. It seems to be a pretty useless measure at all, after you have commenced medication. TSH does not respond quickly to your levo. Chances are it will show low at that time of day and that might put pressure on you to lower your dose. If you feel ok on your dose I don’t think you will want that!

But if you want to keep your dosage and are concerned your T4 levels might be high, you might consider not taking your levo till after the blood draw.

If it’s T3 that’s important to you (that hormone 99% of endos don’t consider important) unless it’s very high it seems to me they won’t care. If it’s low, too blooming bad. So not of concern to you/them.

I did not take my levo before the blood draw. My situation was that my unimportant TSH came back great (blood draw at lunchtime). My T4 was not low enough or high enough to be any concern but my T3 was on the floor. It was described as “normal in someone on levothyroxine monotherapy”. I think the phrase is ‘non sequitur’. An argument that was really absolutely meaningless. It seems endos have their own little pet non sequiturs (distraction which does not follow on from any sensible argument) to use with patients.

Apologies if this is not clear or wrong. Just trying to wake up my brain.

[Judithdalston]

I just had a endo appointment at 2.30 and like you wondered if they might insist on a thyroid hormone test, so worked back over the previous few days to alter dosing timings back from then to get the last dose of Levo.at 24 hrs, T3 8-12 hours. But also did a private test to get the whole range of TSH, FT3/4 too to take to appointment, which the endo did accept. Obviously it’s rather pointless having blood test done that the lab.won’t result to after the appointment is over, so it can’t inform that discussion. I’d produce a table of previous tests with date, time, dose , results….mine answered all the queries.

[Judyrabbit in reply to Judithdalston]

Thanks that’s what I have done with my past results. The app came quickly so didn’t have time to do private testing

[Insomania]

It’s advisable to take recent blood test results with you for a private appt, to save money on appts and tests.

You could say you’ll get them done yourself so you can do a morning sample?

[Judyrabbit in reply to Insomania]

Yes I have printed off all my results for the last few years up to Sept to show how they yo yo. I’ve got TSH, FreeT4, Free T3, Magnesium, Folate, Ferritin, B12 and Vit D results.