GP couldn't find T3 on her computer drop down list list when requesting blood tests!!

[Irishbutterfly1]

At GP for yet another UTI and more antibiotics the other day. Asked her to repeat my thyroid after 3 months - she could not see T3 I her list of options so she had to type in "please test for T3" which of course is a waste of time as the labs will ignore that !!!  Anybody else had that problem?

[lola1956]

Hi my doctor puts on it that I'm on lyothiorine  only so need t3 test and I've had no problems  

[shaws Administrator]

Liothyronine is what your GP should have been looking for. She wouldn't put T4 on a prescription but levothyroxine. 

[Irishbutterfly1 in reply to shaws]

Thank you shaws. Wish I remembered the name so I could prompt her.  Maybe she was looking for something else!  Nothing would suppose me!!!!

[NatChap]

Yes my GP did the same, just wrote on notes to give a break down of TSH into T3 and T4 which resulted in no T3 results. I then saw a different GP (can never get the same one) who said she didn't know why they hadn't done it when it had been requested but 'we don't usually test T3 anyway as the TSH is the important one. There's no point testing T3 because the results won't change the treatment you are currently receiving anyway'. Beggars belief!!

[shaws Administrator in reply to NatChap]

It does beggar belief particularly as the TSH isn't static and varies throughout the 24 hours. So if you have a TSH at 5 a.m. it wont be identical (so I am led to believe) at 5 p.m. or 10 p.m.

[Irishbutterfly1]

Thank you all. It's so frustrating !!!! Ahhh

[annie-7]

Hi Irishbutterfly1, it is really frustating! My surgery won't test for loads of things. Even though I am on T3/T4 and my TSH is suppressed, the bloomin' lab refuses the Doctor's request! So I have given up asking - I do still question the wisdom of the lab techs though!

Last time they tested T4, which is pretty useless when I'm taking T3! So I resign myself to having to do my own blood tests via Blue Horizon. You see, where I live everyone is assumed to be taking T4 only, and if you even dare to admit that you are taking T3/NDT, you get told you no longer need to see an endo! (Not that they are much use anyway!)

[Irishbutterfly1 in reply to annie-7]

It's so frustrating. Maybe we need more Gps who have this condition so the CNET understand the problem 

[SmallBlueThing]

My GP was apologetic about requests for a test of FT3 being ignored, but the lab provides them when TSH is under range.

[Irishbutterfly1]

I suppose they think it makes sense

[Auntyp62]

My GP asked for t3 but lab refused so I paid for a blue horizon test. Glad I did because it turned out t3 was ok but I had a load of deficiencies including vit d and b12 none of which my GP thought necessary to test. Unfortunately the NHS can only do so much and we have to take responsibility for a lot of things ourselves........thank goodness for the Internet!

[Irishbutterfly1 in reply to Auntyp62]

I agree we have such a wonderful support network so we can help each other.  We have to take responsibility for our own health. 

[Irishbutterfly1]

Hi Cindy

Thanks for your reponse. It's a wonderful feeling when we can offload to people who REALLY understand our frustrations and conditions...

I have been prescribed (yet again) with Trimethoprim.  Been  on them 5 days and not really any better.  Second major UTI in last 6 months. Should get lab results from urine test taken last week to see if the drugs need changing.  I'm drinking my body weight in water to try and flush it out!  Do you think it is one of the drugs that effect the thyroid?  Am feeling washed out.  Currently taking Levo 125 for 5 days and 100 for 2.  Results been OK last check in Jan but due to hsve them repeated in 2 weeks.

Thank you Cindy