Thyroid function test

HI Ruth

is it easy enough to deal with ?? shes only 9...waiting on a specialist appointment will probably be waiting ages for it though. did you have to start medication for it?

thanks for getting back

Hi Leanne,

Everyone's "journey" is different, but I was prescribed Thyroxine by my GP whilst awaiting an appointment with an endocrinologist. (Thyroxine is called something different depending what country you are in.)

Because your daughter is so young, they might adopt a "wait and see" attitude and monitor her TSH level. Really she needs a full panel of thyroid function tests (if she hasn't had this already) including free thyroxine, free thyroxine T4 , total thyroxine and a free T3 test as well as the TSH because the TSH is a pituitary measurement, whereas the T4 and T3 show what is happening at cellular level. Thyroxine (a synthetic drug) provides T4 only so it is possible to still be deficient although meds are being taken. Some people find they do better by adding T3 to their prescribed T4, though if you are in the UK, this natural dessicated thyroid medication is not generally available on the NHS and most doctors don't agree with it .

It is very early days for your daughter but you do need to know both her thyroglobulin antibodies and her thyroid peroxidase antibodies. It is possible to have one normal whilst the other isn't, so you do need to test both.

I think that until she has been seen by the endocrinologist, the diagnosis is still a bit uncertain, so I don't think you can do much at this stage.

I hope the appointment comes through quickly so that you can ask the questions you need to and set your mind at rest.

Good luck.

thank you for explaining all that...yeah we are in the uk and have a holiday to the usa in 6 1/2 weeks ..hoping i was seen before that..i doubt it though.. other than if she gets medication its not life threatening ? i have read about it a lot but sometimes its more helpful asking someone thats going through it .

Yeah, being realistic, I doubt that the endo appointment will come through prior to your holiday. Hashimoto's can be life threatening but only if it leads to hypothyroidism which goes untreated for a long time, which then turns into myxedema coma.

I don't think your daughter falls into this category.

At least in the USA they have good medical care so I wouldn't worry about anything untoward cropping up whilst you are away, that couldn't be dealt with.

Have a super holiday.

And try not to worry too much in the meantime. Until you get a proper diagnosis and know exactly what your daughter's problem is, there is nothing you can do , though reading is always good.

x

Hi Ruth

yes the medical care in the us is far better ...yes you pay for it but the nhs not that its not great its just been abused and people get knocked back for life saving medication which just isn't right.

I will try not worry but i know i will i always do ..it was my daughters pediatrician i spoke with she was foreign and was very hard to understand ... i think i will call the doctor and explain we have a holiday just incase she should be on medication as we are away for 3 weeks .

again Ruth thank you

Leanne

Hi Leanne,

Glad to have been able to help in some small way.

Wishing you all the best for the future,

x