feeling so tired and so much pain

[ZiziRivas]

Hello, first of all, thank you for this amazing forum.

I have been feeling tired, have no energy, with awful pain in my bones, joints, and muscles. Very disabilitating.

When chatting with my eldest sister, who lives abroad, she advised me to check my thyroid as she suffers from Hashimoto. She said I should get tested for my Free T4; Free T3 & reversed T3 and a series of vitamins, all she had done on her private health insurance in the USA.

I have no clue what I should say / ask my GP and dread to put his back up. Should /could I request the above? or should he refer me to an Endo? Should I do it privately? If so what labs and tests should I pursue?

Lost and very grateful for any input

Thank you

[Buddy195 Administrator]

welcome to the forum ZiziRivas

I’m sorry you’ve been experiencing pain and tiredness. You are correct in thinking that these adverse symptoms may be related to issues with your thyroid.

In the first instance, I would ask GP for a thyroid test. As thyroid conditions often run in families, I would mention this too.

GP may only test TSH, so at this point you may want to look privately for more comprehensive thyroid tests (FT3 and FT4 in addition to TSH). It’s also useful to have antibodies checked (to see if your condition is auto immune, AKA Hashimotos) and key thyroid vitamins- folate, ferritin, B12 and vit D. You could look to do this privately, as many forum members do, for a better picture of your thyroid health:

thyroiduk.org/help-and-supp...

[ZiziRivas in reply to Buddy195]

Thank you - I am so impressed with this forum and very grateful for have found it 💗

[Buddy195 Administrator in reply to ZiziRivas]

So many of us, myself included, have turned our health around by following advice on this forum. Keep posting and asking questions, we are here to help and support 🦋

one patient to patient tip for your blood tests…. Get an early morning test (before 9am) as TSH highest at this time. Drink only water prior to blood draw.

[ZiziRivas in reply to Buddy195]

Thank you

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Ask your GP to test your thyroid levels including testing for autoimmune thyroid disease

Explain that your sister has autoimmune thyroid disease

And request they also test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

See what GP is prepared to test ……

Book thyroid blood test early morning, ideally just before 9am, only drink water between waking and test

This gives highest TSH and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip)

Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or all relevant vitamins

Post all about what time of day to test

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Testing options and includes money off codes for private testing

thyroiduk.org/testing/

Medichecks Thyroid plus BOTH TPO and TG antibodies and vitamins

medichecks.com/products/adv...

Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes BOTH TPO and TG antibodies, cortisol and vitamins

bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...

Medichecks and BH also offer private blood draw at clinic near you, or private nurse to your own home…..for an extra fee

Only do private testing early Monday or Tuesday morning.

Tips on how to do DIY finger prick test

support.medichecks.com/hc/e...

[ZiziRivas in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you sooooo much - I am truly 🥹 humbled and so grateful for your prompt reply and kindness in all the info. Thank you immensially🫶