Can You Pay For Private Blood Tests for Underactive Thyroid?

Mands

oopsadaisydoddle wrote: »

Well I phoned and my TSH levels were .82 back in October so i think(?) that answers that question! I believe that's very normal.

I imagine that means i don't need to pursue that line of enquiry anymore and I'm glad I know now.

It'd be useful to know the reference range; different labs use different ranges. But, that does sound normal, if anything slightly low.

Did you have a freeT4 test at the same time? If so, what is that result and range?

Looking at TSH levels or freeT4 in isolation may not tell the entire story. It's best to review them both together.

Mands

oopsadaisydoddle

Mands wrote: »

It'd be useful to know the reference range; different labs use different ranges. But, that does sound normal, if anything slightly low.

Did you have a freeT4 test at the same time? If so, what is that result and range?

Looking at TSH levels or freeT4 in isolation may not tell the entire story. It's best to review them both together.

Mands

I am not sure about the T4 thing - they just said 'your TSH was .82'. I just took this to mean it was ok!

I am a tad confused about the T3 and T4 thing. I understand now (after advice on here) that this is something that should be looked at as a whole and not just the TSH on it's own.

Maybe I need and MOT and my oil changing!!!

Thanks for replying.

Own_My_Own

oopsadaisydoddle wrote: »

Well I phoned and my TSH levels were .82 back in October so i think(?) that answers that question! I believe that's very normal.

I imagine that means i don't need to pursue that line of enquiry anymore and I'm glad I know now.

Thanks for your input everyone and good luck to all of you.x

Mands wrote: »

It'd be useful to know the reference range; different labs use different ranges. But, that does sound normal, if anything slightly low.

Did you have a freeT4 test at the same time? If so, what is that result and range?

Looking at TSH levels or freeT4 in isolation may not tell the entire story. It's best to review them both together.

Mands

I am just getting confused. My doctor told me mine was 4.04 and only slightly low. Is 4.04 high or low ?

oopsadaisydoddle

Own_My_Own wrote: »

I am just getting confused. My doctor told me mine was 4.04 and only slightly low. Is 4.04 high or low ?

I am a bit confused but I think the higher the number, the more 'underactive' and vice versa. But I think mine is within the normal range.

I think you may need to look a these T3 and T4 things too, if you can?

Mands

oopsadaisydoddle wrote: »

I am not sure about the T4 thing - they just said 'your TSH was .82'. I just took this to mean it was ok!

I am a tad confused about the T3 and T4 thing. I understand now (after advice on here) that this is something that should be looked at as a whole and not just the TSH on it's own.

Maybe I need and MOT and my oil changing!!!

Thanks for replying.

Your thyroid gland produces T4; your body converts that into T3 for you to use. Your body checks whether it thinks you have enough T4 in your system and if not it sends out a 'quick, make more!' message by releasing thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). If it senses that there's too much T4 it reduces the TSH to tell the thyroid to slow down a bit.

So: what you would want to look at is if the T4 is normal and what the TSH level is. The further from normal [usually 0.35 to 3.5] that is then the louder the body is shouting that something's not quite right.

I had a bit of a crash course on all of this last year and some folks were very kind in sharing what they know

Mands

Mands

Own_My_Own wrote: »

I am just getting confused. My doctor told me mine was 4.04 and only slightly low. Is 4.04 high or low ?

Again, depending on the reference range of the lab that would normally be considered high which means that your body thinks there should be more thyroxin (T4) in your system than there is.

High TSH indicates that the thyroid might be working at too low a level.

Mands

oopsadaisydoddle

Mands wrote: »

Your thyroid gland produces T4; your body converts that into T3 for you to use. Your body checks whether it thinks you have enough T4 in your system and if not it sends out a 'quick, make more!' message by releasing thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). If it senses that there's too much T4 it reduces the TSH to tell the thyroid to slow down a bit.

So: what you would want to look at is if the T4 is normal and what the TSH level is. The further from normal [usually 0.35 to 3.5] that is then the louder the body is shouting that something's not quite right.

I had a bit of a crash course on all of this last year and some folks were very kind in sharing what they know

Mands

That makes sense! So it is possible for these figures to fluctuate in someone whi has an issue with a problematic thyroid, whether that be under or overactive?

Thanks again!

Westvleteren

oopsadaisydoddle wrote: »

I am a bit confused but I think the higher the number, the more 'underactive' and vice versa. But I think mine is within the normal range.

I think you may need to look a these T3 and T4 things too, if you can?

I was told anything less than 1 means that the body isn't pushing for the thyroid to be stimulated in that it is working correctly and some might say slightly overactive.

I was told the ideal range to be in is 1 - 5 ie "normal" but who's to say what your normal was before. If it was say 1 before then you are going to notice a huge difference if it is now sitting at 5 but most Dr's will be unwilling to treat as it is in the normal range It is a constant battle last year my TSH was 85 and I was already on meds, it plummeted, it took several months of testing and dose increases to get it right.

Mands

oopsadaisydoddle wrote: »

That makes sense! So it is possible for these figures to fluctuate in someone whi has an issue with a problematic thyroid, whether that be under or overactive?

Thanks again!

They can do, but normally you'd see the hormone levels going in one direction, either up or down depending whether they had an over or underactive thyroid.

But there's also some people who have an auto-immune condition called Hashimotos and they toggle between being under-active and being over-active

Mands

Own_My_Own

It is all the different ranges used that confuses people. Well it confuses me.:o

0.3 - 3
0.4 - 4
1 - 5

If you go buy the first one I am way out with 4.04, the middle i am just out, but if you go by the last one I am in the range.

My doctor uses the middle one.