How can the drs say my results are normal nfa but my private blood test tell me I’m deficient in so many things and very hypothyroid???

[Rpoy82]

So I called my Dr after having results from my medichecks full thyroid blood test because it showed that my tsh level was 18 instead of below 5 and I am vitamin b12, folate serum and vitamin D deficient.

My dr wanted to do full bloods and check for pernicious anemia that was suggested by medichecks and I have a big family history with, along with doing lots of other checks. I’ve had a text from the drs to say I have very low vitamin D but everything else is fine?????

How can that be and how is it so different from medichecks. Why do I feel like I’m constantly fighting for the Drs to listen to me? Can anyone shine a light on the difference in results, what I should do or have you had a similar experience?

Thank you so much if you’ve read through this x

Here are my medichecks results but I don’t have the drs figures yet I am waiting for a telephone appointment that won’t be until Thursday.

TSH 18.6 mU/L. (Normal 0.27- 4.2)

Free T3 3.35pmol/L (Normal 3.1-6.8)

Free Thyroxine 12pmol/L (Normal 12-22)

Vitamins-

Folate serum 3.35ug/L (Normal >3.89)

Vitamin B12 - Active 29.8pmol/L (Normal 37.5-188)

Vitamin D 26.5nmol/L (Normal 50-200)

Iron -

Ferritin 28.3ug/L. (Normal 13-150)

[greygoose]

Might be a good idea if you posted both sets of results, and ranges. Otherwise people will only be guessing.

[Rpoy82 in reply to greygoose]

I haven’t got the results from the Drs and I’m waiting for a telephone appointment which will be Thursday so I can find out the exact numbers but I’m just confused. I’ll put my medichecks results on.

[Rpoy82 in reply to greygoose]

I’ve just updated the post with the results from my private blood test. X

[greygoose in reply to Rpoy82]

Well, those medichecks results are dire. But, if on the NHS tests, things happen to come back in-range - even right at the bottom of the range - your GP will say it's fine because he doesn't know how to interpret blood test results, none of them do. Your ferritin, for example, will be perfectly fine in the eyes of an NHS GP.

The odd thing is the TSH, that is so high, it's difficult to believe that it will be in-range after that Medichecks result. But, were both blood draws done under the same conditions - early morning, fasting, etc.? Of course, it could be a lab error - do you take biotin at all?

Be interesting to see the NHS results when you get them.

[Rpoy82 in reply to greygoose]

Yes both were done under the same conditions and within 10 days of each other. I haven’t been taking any other medication or supplements to ensure the drs got an accurate result and hopefully the same as medichecks which is why I was so confused they said they were ok apart from vitamin D.

[tattybogle in reply to Rpoy82]

if i was you i'd go in to GP's reception, and ask to be told the actual TSH result today . ( and fT4 if they did it ... including the lab range )They are allowed to give them to you once a GP has seen the results

And a GP must presumably have seen them already, in order for the reception to be tasked with sending you a text about them , so there's no reason you have to wait till thursday to know what they actually were . although you will still have to wait till thursday to speak to a GP about them

[DippyDame]

Those labs are dreadful Rpoy82 you must be feeling very under the weather!

How do you feel ? I bet your GP didn't ask that question!

For some crazy reason which makes no sense many medics seem unable to evaluate thyroid test results...it really isn't rocket science yet it seems beyond many of them.

If the results are in range they interpret them as " normal" which is rubbish....in general terms your results need to sit not just within the range, but at the point where you feel well.

Don't wait until Thursday, contact/phone surgery reception and ask to be told both results and reference ranges. You are legally entitled to request copies, so say that you will collect a printed copy on Thursday after your appointment, that will mean just one trip to the surgery!

That will give you time to compare the 2 sets of results (Medichecks & NHS) and to prepare a case for medication.

In the early stages of primary hypothyroidism it's not unusual to find elevated TSH with acceptable levels of FT4 and FT3....similar to yours! The elevated TSH is caused by the pituitary gland boosting TSH to try to stimulate more hormone activity, because it sees serum hormone is low. You are taking 125mcg levo, it looks as if you need an increase

Your nutrients are very low and this in turn may affect your T4 to T3 conversion HOWEVER your FT4 is so low right now that there's little T4 there, to convert to T3. T3 is the active hormone and the most important one, if this is low we suffer! Both Frees should be close to 75% through their respective ref ranges. You were given excellent advice re nutrients in your last post

Have you had thyroid antibodies tested to check for autoimmune thyroid disease aka Hashimoto's.

I'm afraid fighting to be listened to, and understood, is something most of us here have experienced....that's why over 100,000 patients have arrived on this forum seeking help.

Post your NHS results as soon as you get them along with those above and members will hopefully be able to advise before your appointment on Thurs.

Good luck...we're all in this mess together!

[SlowDragon Administrator]

You’re legally entitled to printed copies of your test results and ranges

Ring and arrange to collect them now or Monday

Your GP results can’t be “normal “

[bantam12]

My last Medichecks results were very different to my GP results.

Medichecks came back much lower for VitD, Folate, Ferritin and B12 so I'm going to ignore them as I don't think they are accurate !!

[Anthea55]

You should be able to access your medical record online, including your blood test results. Most GP surgeries should be able to do this. You just have to ring the surgery and tell them that you want to have online access. They then send you emails with details of how to get online - user name etc etc.

Doing it that way you get the actual results, rather than someone else's interpretation of them. Definitely worth a try.

[serenfach]

Get a printout of your results. This will show that your results are not "normal" and the GP cannot try and tell you they are. Normally the lab puts any abnormal results in red, or an exclamation mark or some sign to tell the GP, but quite often the GP does not spot them, which of course could be dangerous. Then ask him why he thought they were normal and watch him try and come up with an explaination.