Fatigue, cold intolerance, weight gain, dry skin, even hair loss can be warning signs that it’s time to get your thyroid checked.
If you’re worried about your thyroid it’s very important to discuss your concerns with a thyroid-literate doctor who will do comprehensive testing. Unfortunately, it’s all too common for doctors to blame thyroid troubles on pregnancy, hormone changes associated with menopause, or simply the consequence of getting older.
Get A Complete Thyroid Panel
A range of lab tests are necessary to assess overall thyroid function. But here’s the frustrating part. Most doctors don’t authorize comprehensive testing. Here’s a list of the tests you need to check overall thyroid function:
- Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH).
- Free Thyroxine (FT4).
- Free Triiodothyronine (FT3).
- Reverse T3 (RT3).
- T3/RT3 Ratio.
- Thyroid Antibodies; Anti-thyroglobulin Antibodies (TgAb) and Anti-thyroperoxidase (TPO) Antibodies.
Comprehensive testing is vital for a number of reasons. For example, it’s used to assess central thyroid function, how active the thyroid hormones are in the body, how much reverse T3 is being produced, and screens for a potential autoimmune thyroid disorder such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.
In other words, proper testing makes it far easier to diagnose a problem, evaluate how severe the problem is, and helps establish the best way forward with an effective treatment strategy.
In Australia, all bar one test is covered by Medicare if you have a diagnosed thyroid disorder, or a history of thyroid problems in your family. The exception is the reverse T3 test. When your doctor orders this test you are sent an invoice to pay the pathology fee which is normally about $100.
If your Dr is unwilling to do a complete thyroid panel companies such as i-screen, Australia and True Health Labs, USA offer a range of thyroid tests. You can order and pay for the tests you want online. No referral necessary!
Understanding Your Thyroid Test Results
Thyroid dysfunction puts your well-being at serious risk. So if you suspect you have a thyroid problem it’s vital to consult a thyroid-literate doctor who will take your concerns seriously.
Ideally you will work together to undercover the root cause/s of a thyroid problem.
WHY?
Thyroid problems are difficult to overcome if your personal thyroid care plan does not address the root causes. For example; food allergies, chronic infections, environmental toxins, nutritional deficiencies, poor gut health, and stress have a serious impact on your thyroid health.
You can read more here on this topic here: What Happens When Things Go Wrong With Your Thyroid
Please note: This post contains affiliate links. If you click through to order the lab tests you want the price does not change. To find out more about my affiliate policy please refer to my Terms of Service.
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