Can We Trust Thyroid Panels? Should We Decide if We Need Replacement?

There is a sophisticated test to reveal even mild low thyroid and it is the TRH (Thyrotropin Releasing Hormone) test. This test requires an injection, followed by one or more blood draws at 15, 30 and 45 minute intervals. This test is accurate, but is expensive and inconvenient for both patient and the lab.
http://allonhealth.com/hypothyroidism-test.htm

Go for the expensive test if you want, but do not take thyroid if it has not been prescribed. Hyperthroidism is just as bad as hypothyroidism.

I am well over “a certain age” and have never had the doc. suggest a thyroid test.

Most of the doctors I’ve worked with check thyroid levels with annual exams (TSH, Free T4, and maybe even T3 depending on the doctor). As @marinelife said, taking thyroid medication without prescription can have very negative consequences.

I had my thyroid tested and results showed normal levels. I do have a predisposition for hypothyroidism, since it runs in my family, so I decided to take kelp supplements (which supplies iodine to help thyroid function) and it does make me feel much better. (less hungry, more energy mentally and physically) I opted out of taking actual prescription medication for it, since the levels showed normal, but over the counter supplements have certainly made me feel much better.

G/Q.

@gailcalled It is routinely done with your yearly blood testing. Your numbers are obviously in the normal range.

I would not question a thyroid panel that came back within normal parameters. If it was high or low, then I would try a retest, and if they weren’t similar, I would ask about the TRH.

If your panel comes back within the ‘normal’ range and you’re still feeling yuck, a change in diet and exercise is your best defence. Iodine supplements are great, but remember to eat food high in B vitamin also. The way I remember it is, B is for Blood and if I feel tired, my blood isn’t carrying the food and oxygen it should around my body. Vit B’s help. (as well as enough Iron, but you can take iron and still get forms of anaemia thru lack of vit B.)

I have the opposite problem. I have Graves and am currently in a hyper phase. It’s icky. I’ve spoken to many fellow ‘warriors’ who are now hypo because of the RAI treatment and many of them swear they are hypo even though their panels show that they within the ‘normal’ range. The truth is, our endocrine system is a very complex thing to balance and just taking a pill that is a synthetic of one hormone may not be the miracle cure for everyone. They do know what happens when people need the pill and don’t take it so it’s important, but still may not cure all the symptoms the person is feeling.

Read everything you can about what is going on in your body and start to use food and exercise to improve your condition.

Best of luck and I hope you feel better soon.