First TSH blood test

[Stills]

finally got this test on NHS this morning. It was at 1050 so had not eaten and not taken any medicine or supplements (not on anything regular anyway except HRT).

I expect the results in a week but don’t know what to look for except to find the range. I read here that TSH tests prove little anyway?

I have AI rheumatoid disease and have collected other AI conditions over the years. I am 62, 5 foot 1, 8 stone 8 atm.

My anxiety and doom levels are making my insomnia worse, sometimes it’s easier to stay awake rather than wake up to the fear. My joint pain (all over but wrists and knees worst) is increasing and my last Rheumatoid bloods were negative however my RD is sero negative so no surprise there. Latest thing is hoarse voice that won’t clear as if 100 frogs are mating in there!

Anyway , too long sorry. Just need to know what to look for in the result please.

[GlowCoach Administrator]

Please post the results when you have them along with reference range for each test - numbers in brackets after the result.

The NHS often only tests TSH which is completely inadequate. For a full assessment of your thyroid function we need to see TSH, FT4 & FT3.

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& 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.

[Stills in reply to GlowCoach]

Thank you

[helvella]

Most of the basic lab tests for thyroid can be processed within hours - with the results often getting back to the person who requested them within a day or a few hours longer. (Add a bit for weekends.)

It then depends on how soon you get to access them. Many doctors insist on seeing them before they are released to patients.

Other things can take longer.

[Stills in reply to helvella]

Good to know thanks

[Tanitha]

Can I suggest you also check your vitamin D levels for anxiety? It sounds so utterly miserable and can also be attributed to many of the symptoms you describe. I do sympathise and because I gained such relief from improving my levels, particularly in the winter, felt it worth mentioning.

[Stills in reply to Tanitha]

Thank you for your suggestion, anxiety is like a prowling lion in your chest

[Tanitha]

Love the description! Are you still taking Omeprazole? It did that to me. It also stops you absorbing b12, a deficiency of which could also cause anxiety. A combination of the two deficiencies could certainly be described as 'a prowling lion'.

[Stills in reply to Tanitha]

Omeprazole gave me dreadful headaches so I weaned off last year and only take it if the heartburn is very bad which is not often, most of the time it’s low grade. I’m certain that I’m deficient in vits and mins as my hair and nails are very poor. When I see yesterday’s TSH result in hoping things will start moving and if not there’s great info here on best stuff and quantities. Very sore eyes and itching eye sockets is my current misery.

[Parrotia]

Hi, regardless of your thyroid results D and B vitamins are worth checking. I've had these symptoms too, and found them debilitating. Supplementing D3 with K2 (you can get them together or separately) and 400mg elemental magnesium helped a lot with anxiety, aches and pains but I also now supplement many vits and minerals which help with thyroid function. If you don't already take B vitamins I'd get B12 and folate (B9) tested. The B12 society website or the B12 forum on Health Unlocked have plenty of info worth checking out. You can have symptoms even without particularly low levels, as I found after supplementing for years. My blood levels looked good but I had many symptoms similar to yours. I came off supplements for 6 months to test properly and I was low in range.

I now self inject because I don't absorb well - it stayed in my blood, not in my cells - and I am hugely improved now.

The D3 with K2 and magnesium helped a lot initially. Many people find that methylated B vitamins work best if you don't have the absorption issue.

[Stills in reply to Parrotia]

Thanks for the useful advice, I’m not taking anything atm. Very encouraging to hear you are much improved . I feel at a bit of across roads having finally got TSH tested yesterday on NHS. I realise from what I’ve read here the result is more or less pointless and it’s now on me to follow advice here and get private full panel and then self supplement and find endo that will support meditation required…… then after lunch…… very daunting. I just feel like lying down.

[Parrotia in reply to Stills]

I'm not surprised. It's been a battle for everyone. Surprised we're not still all lying down 😅I've gone from thinking 'I must do what the doctors say' for decades to 'I know so much more than they do about this condition and about my own body and what it needs!'

It's shocking really how they don't listen to us and learn from us 😡

Good luck, you'll get most of the answers here but it's about yourself and we're all different 🤗