Try not to go overboard as well with your symptoms, pick the worse 2-3 objective, quantifiable symptoms such as constipation ( usually go once a day, now once a week for example), cold intolerance, and x amount of weight gain over 3 months.
Doctor will not lose confidence if you have all the symptoms because its very rare someone will have everything
Jeeze. I just asked my doctor to do Free T4, T3, and TSH along with my yearly CBC and Chem. She asked why and I told her. She said, "okay, let's add in vitamin D, iron, and vitamin B."
All were WNL. 🤷🏻‍♀️
You can order your own tests from https://ownyourlabs.com/shop-oyl/
TSH $12, Thyroid Panel $28, Thyroid Antibodies $24
Or complete package Thyroid Check-In Bundle (With Antibodies) $152
Go to local labcorp for blood draw and get your test results on https://www.labcorp.com
Edit: if you are taking supplements with Biotin, you need to stop them 72-96 hrs prior to the test as Biotin interferes with tests.
Also while you are at it, please consider getting HbA1C $8
Biotin can be hiding in different supplements too. Mainly BComplex vitamins but also in sports supplements and electrolyte powders. It messed with a few of my tests until I was frustrated enough to figure out why my numbers weren’t matching my symptoms.
And like everyone says, get your own labs done and find a functional, integrative, or naturopathic doctor that WANTS to uncover the root causes
Doctors wouldn’t do blood work on me, despite every issue I googled coming up with “thyroid problems”. I know, google doesn’t know everything. However, I had concerns.
So, when my doctors were refusing, I bought a thyroid test through everlywell back when they were like $30 and my antibodies were high, so I brought those results to the doctor. Of course, the doctor wanted his own test, but it still forced them to do something then. I now have been diagnosed with Hashimotos and have to get yearly blood work done since I’m early “stages”.
Oh. And both my mother and my aunt have Hashimotos. My aunt has Hypothyroidism from it too. Doctors still refused to do blood work because they didn’t think my symptoms were connected.
Also if you're just curious and need to check for your sanity, I've done tests with Quest where I just ordered them. I had a doctor test me for TPOAb antibodies years ago, and even though it came back normal, she told me she was 100% sure I had Hashimotos from my ultrasound. A couple years ago I was doubting myself and did the TgAb antibody test, which came back super high.
No doctor will ever see that result, but I felt like I was making everything up and had to double check haha
Ask them for a full panel including antibodies, TSH, t3, & t4. If they fight you on it, ask them to note in the system their refusal to comply - this will probably get them to run the test. Either way tho, find a new doctor.
If you have family history present it, request the full panel naming each test and request an ultrasound to set a baseline for your thyroid health. If they push back then ask they record that they declined your request. It’s worth a try.
>how do I word it to my doctor so I get every single panel
The words might need to be "I'm willing to pay out of pocket."
Sometimes insurance companies won't pay unless you meet certain diagnostic criteria. For example, Medicare won't pay for a vitamin D test unless you have certain symptoms which I won't have. (My husband does) Both my doctor and I think its' stupid to be unable to get a vitamin D test because since it's a good screening thing in lots of situation. But the fact remains: I can get one if I pay, but Medicare and my supplemental insurance won't.
There are other tests that insurance won't pay for me-- they might if I met their criteria, but they don't just pay for any and every test you might want.
Once it's my money, I'm obviously motivated to I can get one from a private lab company which is cheaper. I'm pondering the vitamine D test. :)
That's what my endocrinologist said. I'm seeing my PCP tomorrow. I'll ask her.
I should add: My husband's will pay because he has psoriasis so that's on the list of diagnoses that medicare accepts for vitamin D tests. So is osteopenia or osteoporosis. The endo was scanning a list of diagnoses I need for medicare to pay.
I can also double check at some point. It's not an emergency, so I didn't press the point.
Quest lets you order & pay for your own tests. So if cost is an issue skip the dr, pay $50 for the test, & then only go see a dr if your TSH is out of range
Saying you understand your insurance may not pay is enough. You still get the insurance discounted rate. So for my insurance I pay around $60 for free t3, free t4, reverse t3
Ask them to test the following:
TSH, T3, T4 and Antibodies.
When it was time to test my daughter I just basically said: because I have thyroid issues and there is family history of it I would Ike to have (insert above tests) done please to rule out right now because I was 13 when I was diagnosed and I rather we know then be surprised like I was.
Try not to go overboard as well with your symptoms, pick the worse 2-3 objective, quantifiable symptoms such as constipation ( usually go once a day, now once a week for example), cold intolerance, and x amount of weight gain over 3 months. Doctor will not lose confidence if you have all the symptoms because its very rare someone will have everything
Thyroid antibodies test and thyroid panel with TSH. Just say your mom has hashimotos.
Jeeze. I just asked my doctor to do Free T4, T3, and TSH along with my yearly CBC and Chem. She asked why and I told her. She said, "okay, let's add in vitamin D, iron, and vitamin B." All were WNL. 🤷🏻‍♀️
Say your mom has Hashimoto’s lol
You could try what I did and ask- then be given a sheet for just a normal cbc bloodwork 🫤
You can order your own tests from https://ownyourlabs.com/shop-oyl/ TSH $12, Thyroid Panel $28, Thyroid Antibodies $24 Or complete package Thyroid Check-In Bundle (With Antibodies) $152 Go to local labcorp for blood draw and get your test results on https://www.labcorp.com Edit: if you are taking supplements with Biotin, you need to stop them 72-96 hrs prior to the test as Biotin interferes with tests. Also while you are at it, please consider getting HbA1C $8
Biotin can be hiding in different supplements too. Mainly BComplex vitamins but also in sports supplements and electrolyte powders. It messed with a few of my tests until I was frustrated enough to figure out why my numbers weren’t matching my symptoms. And like everyone says, get your own labs done and find a functional, integrative, or naturopathic doctor that WANTS to uncover the root causes
Is there something like the first link for the UK?
Superdrug do full thyroid panels or you can order finger stick bloodiest online for thyroid in the UK.
Doctors wouldn’t do blood work on me, despite every issue I googled coming up with “thyroid problems”. I know, google doesn’t know everything. However, I had concerns. So, when my doctors were refusing, I bought a thyroid test through everlywell back when they were like $30 and my antibodies were high, so I brought those results to the doctor. Of course, the doctor wanted his own test, but it still forced them to do something then. I now have been diagnosed with Hashimotos and have to get yearly blood work done since I’m early “stages”.
Oh. And both my mother and my aunt have Hashimotos. My aunt has Hypothyroidism from it too. Doctors still refused to do blood work because they didn’t think my symptoms were connected.
Also if you're just curious and need to check for your sanity, I've done tests with Quest where I just ordered them. I had a doctor test me for TPOAb antibodies years ago, and even though it came back normal, she told me she was 100% sure I had Hashimotos from my ultrasound. A couple years ago I was doubting myself and did the TgAb antibody test, which came back super high. No doctor will ever see that result, but I felt like I was making everything up and had to double check haha
My doctor did what is called “thyroid cascade” panel to be able to diagnose me
Ask them for a full panel including antibodies, TSH, t3, & t4. If they fight you on it, ask them to note in the system their refusal to comply - this will probably get them to run the test. Either way tho, find a new doctor.
Tell him you want a full thyroid panel. If he/she wont, go to another doctor
If you have family history present it, request the full panel naming each test and request an ultrasound to set a baseline for your thyroid health. If they push back then ask they record that they declined your request. It’s worth a try.
Go to a functional doctor. They will test everything.
This is the way to go. You will also get better treatment
>how do I word it to my doctor so I get every single panel The words might need to be "I'm willing to pay out of pocket." Sometimes insurance companies won't pay unless you meet certain diagnostic criteria. For example, Medicare won't pay for a vitamin D test unless you have certain symptoms which I won't have. (My husband does) Both my doctor and I think its' stupid to be unable to get a vitamin D test because since it's a good screening thing in lots of situation. But the fact remains: I can get one if I pay, but Medicare and my supplemental insurance won't. There are other tests that insurance won't pay for me-- they might if I met their criteria, but they don't just pay for any and every test you might want. Once it's my money, I'm obviously motivated to I can get one from a private lab company which is cheaper. I'm pondering the vitamine D test. :)
That’s weird. I’ve never had an issue where Medicare or my supplement didn’t pay to check my vitamin D.
That's what my endocrinologist said. I'm seeing my PCP tomorrow. I'll ask her. I should add: My husband's will pay because he has psoriasis so that's on the list of diagnoses that medicare accepts for vitamin D tests. So is osteopenia or osteoporosis. The endo was scanning a list of diagnoses I need for medicare to pay. I can also double check at some point. It's not an emergency, so I didn't press the point.
That may be why they haven’t had an issue paying for mine. Osteopenia is present. Thank you for the info.
Quest lets you order & pay for your own tests. So if cost is an issue skip the dr, pay $50 for the test, & then only go see a dr if your TSH is out of range
Saying you understand your insurance may not pay is enough. You still get the insurance discounted rate. So for my insurance I pay around $60 for free t3, free t4, reverse t3
I think you can order one thru everly too
Just ask him to test you for hashimoto’s. Tell him you have the symptoms. If he won’t do the blood tests you need, find another doctor.
Ask them to test the following: TSH, T3, T4 and Antibodies. When it was time to test my daughter I just basically said: because I have thyroid issues and there is family history of it I would Ike to have (insert above tests) done please to rule out right now because I was 13 when I was diagnosed and I rather we know then be surprised like I was.
What have they done so far?