Hi rosserk, can you edit above to add the reference ranges for your blood test results, as these can vary between laboratories (in brackets after results)
Also, when did you last check key thyroid vitamins- ferritin, folate, B12 and vitamin D? Having these optimal supports thyroid health.
Hi thanks for answering they are U.K. ranges. I could ring my doctors again but it takes forever to get through on the phone. My vitamin levels are all optimal according to the surgery.
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. Easiest option is NHS app, you may need "enhanced access" to see blood results.
If you can’t currently see test results online, simply ask receptionist at GP surgery to give you access. You will need to have photo ID with you.
This currently only applies in England, not across the whole of the UK. Nether Scotland nor N.Ireland have released an NHS app for patients. (Scotland supposedly due in December '24.) Wales has an app, but only for booking appointments, repeat prescriptions and amending personal details
I take Vit D and K2 only. I was taking B complex and ferritin but was told to stop both because they were way to high. Do you think a 1/4 of a grain lower will help? Doctor won’t retest for 6 months
I wasn’t expecting the test so took NDT about 11am and had test at 14.00 pm
Sorry I didn’t answer your question. I’m not taking any vitamins because I felt absolutely fine and my last test showed I was optimol. I thought when you took NDT the only relevant number was T4? But I really don’t have a clue. I was going by how good I felt after years of feeling like I was dying 😭
Sorry I forgot I do take D K2 the others I was told to stop
I would also ask for the actual results & ranges for the vitamin tests. When medics say normal/ within range, this may not be the same as OPTIMAL where you feel most well.
Before the thyroid blood test, did you split the NDT, as noted by SlowDragon in her reply?
My doctors surgery won’t do the vitamin tests. I had them done ages ago privately and they were all optimol. At that time and now I am feeling better than I’ve ever felt since being diagnosed so saw no reason to have them redone. I don’t feel unwell I feel great I can’t afford to go and pay for more tests. My doctor won’t retest my thyroid for six months. It’s just so annoying having to cut my dose when I know it will make me really poorly ☹️
When on NDT - the most important thyroid hormone to track is the T3 -
and the T4 can read much lower than when on T4 synthetics -
but if you feel well - this does not matter.
Ideally you should have had a fasting blood test by around 9.00am in the morning and having left around a 10-12 hour window from your last dose of NDT.
How long have you been taking NDT x 4 grains and do you have any other blood test results to compare these results to ?
Do you split the 4 grains AM & PM or take them all - just once a day ?
I don’t have any other blood tests to compare them to because my doctor literally never tests me. The last test he did was shortly after he started me on Levo. I didn’t feel well but because my results looked ok, he refused to increase the dose or look at anything else. That’s why I went on NDT. I had no idea they were doing the test, if I had I wouldn’t have taken them. I had a couple of private tests and if I remember correctly they were fine.
I take them all at once. Never considered taking them in 2 lots, definitely worth considering.
I’ve been taking NDT for about 3 years and rarely have a problem. I gradually built up to 4 grains and honestly feel so much better. I’ve tried lots of times to cut them down but only because I was worried 4 grains were too much.
I’m wondering if the t3 was high because of the timing of the test. I have also lost a bit of weight so wondering if that could be it.
So yes, the T3 was high because of the timing from the taking of the dose .
I have been taking Thyroid S for 6 + years now - and manage my own blood tests which I now do yearly and include the ferritin, folate, B12 and vitamin D as these all need to be maintained at optimal for optimal thyroid hormone conversion of the T4 into T3.
4 grains is 36 mcg T3 + 152 mcg - it is a high dose - though read of people taken more -
do you take it on an empty stomach and wait around an hour before you eat or drink anything other than water to try and maximise it's effect. ?
I read most people need to convert, find, around 50 mcg T3 daily just to function so you may find if, when, costs dictate, T3 only maybe something to consider ? :
I seem to do ok on just 1 + 1/2 grains daily but then I don't have a thyroid - as had RAI thyroid ablation back in 2005 - which I deeply regret - but that's not the question here -
So you are basically on your own with all this - as am I - and not having any regular follow up from your doctor -
so it makes sense that once a year you do run a full thyroid panel and the ferritin, folate., B12 and vitamin D so you know for yourself where your thyroid hormones need to sit - to look as good as you feel -
and keep these yearly records as you are responsible for your own thyroid health.
None of us knows what is round the next corner. and the more we know and understand where our thyroid hormones need to sit, enables us better to be our own best advocates.
The blood tests and ranges were introduced to be used for Big Pharma's synthetic T3/T4 thyroid hormones -
with NDT it is a more a case of dosing to relieve symptoms - but we shouldn't stray too far from these ranges - my T3 is generally 90/110 % with my T4 at around 25/30 % through its ranges- 10-12 hours after fasting blood test - and the total opposite of my results when taking T4 monotherapy.
I think what I’ll do is cut down .25 a week until I get to 3 and then do a full panel as suggested and see where I am.
I’ve never been successful at cutting down. I’ve even considered stopping for a couple of days and starting again with 2/3 but not sure if that’ll work?
It's best to go down by 1/4 grains weekly - but you write that when you have done this in the past you feel worse - so what is the point ?
I'd suggest running a blood test to get some idea where your T3 and T4 are sitting now and feeling well - rather than start messing around trying to fit into a range that is just a guide as to where you might feel better ?
If you can also test the vitamins and minerals as it makes sense we have a solid base of bench mark readings to work from, and post the results on here and you will receive considered opinion.
Your choice obviously - there are various Private blood test companies listed on the Thyroid UK website which is the charity who supports this patient to patient open forum - thyroiduk.org
and I just read somewhere else on here that Medichecks have a 20% off running for the next few days - I'll jut try and find where I was !!
P.S. Just pinged you into the post about Medichecks 20% discount.
Your should get an Alert which when pressed takes you to the said post.
I’ve just had a blood test for thyroid. I’ll give it a month before I do another one otherwise I might just be wasting my money if it comes back the same. I will wait and do the thyroid and vitamins together.
I’ve always used medichecks for testing, thanks for the code.
I think I will try and cut back on the NDT .25 at a time regardless because the T3 is so high. My doctor only ever checks T4 so any previous tests have always been fine when looking at just T4. The only reason they did the full thyroid was because the nurse requested it when I went for a cholesterol test.
I’ve never been called for a test before for my thyroid it’s always been tested at my request, or tested randomly when I’ve been sick with something else. My Doctor was only ever interested in the numbers being in range when I first started Levothyroxine.
Thank you so much for taking the time to respond I really appreciate your help.
OK - but as I and others have explained - this result was taken too soon after taking the Thyroid S and means nothing and not an accurate result of your thyroid status and doesn't mean anything.
If you are still prescribed T4 your doctor is obliged to run the yearly thyroid function test which now is just a TSH -
and if the TSH is low/suppressed, as it likely will be if optimally medicated on Thyroid S a T4 will then be run just to check it is in range and on NDT the T4 is generally in range.
I wrote to my surgery telling them I was self medicating and that I was happy to have the yearly thyroid function test if a T3 and T4 were run, or, I could send in a yearly copy of my Private blood tests - for my medical records -
I never had a reply and I've never had a NHS thyroid function test since 2018 and T4 - Levothyroxine - was removed from my prescription around a year later.
Sorry you’re absolutely right I forgot about that, my heads a bit all over the place due to another medical issue, I’m not thinking straight. I should have remembered the test needed to be done before I’d taken NDT it’s basic stuff but it totally went out of my head.
I will ask my doctors to redo the test see what they say. I made the mistake of telling the doctor I was taking NDT and now they’ve removed Levothyroxine from my repeated prescription. Hopefully they will agree to do the test if not I will get another test done privately.
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Help With New Blood Results Pls 🤔
Test results
Latest blood test results
Help with results please
First blood results on NDT
