Welcome to the thread Rachel! I'm sure you'll have better success in getting whichever tests you need when you arrive in Australia...as long as you're pro-active that is (which it sounds to me like you will be! )

I cant personally recommend a doctor for you as I'm in NSW but check this site out - this is where I initially found the doctor I see now, and she was later recommended to me by TP

http://www.thyroid-info.com/topdrs/australia.htm

Now this may sound weird but a couple of weeks ago I did my back in and went to see a Chiropractor (but I also think he does Reiki). He told me sometimes back pain and tenderness can be a result of something else going on.

What surprised me was he said he though that I might have a problem with my thyroid.

I have found it difficult to loose weight around my tummy, suffered from palpitations, tiredness. I know that I have high colesterol and when I went to the doctor for my palpitations test came back that my liver was slightly enlarged. A previous doctor put my pain around that area to my gall bladder. I also have IBS and am always suffering with my digestion one way or another (god, I think that I should be put down).

Well all this has left me slightly confused. I do not take any medication but the Chiro recommended me taking a high dose of Kelp.

I may take a trip back to the doc and see what he thinks (not that I have a regular doc here).

Hey S.
Kelp is high in iodine, which can help a thyroid condition, but also is generally detrimental to hashimoto's thyroid condition, so it's important to figure out what you have before you take anything.

It sounds like you should have a full thyroid panel done, to really see what's going on, though your symptoms could be also linked to adrenal issues, or perhaps Candida... Sounds like you need to do an elimination diet for a while to see what's happening with your tum ... I had IBS for years too... horrible and debilitating and it just turns out I can't eat wheat.
Go see your doc... your chiro may be on to something.

Got any questions, ask away.

x

Not necessarily overactive. Depends if your doc is a numbers person or a symptoms person. 0.03 is low but it could be right for you .... Some are hyper on that level, others are not. But the TSH is not a reliable test and only a vague indicator. It doesn't tell you what you are converting (T4 to T3). Did you have any fT3 test done at all? You can't work out the ratio without it!

I am having another test on 2.2.09 so will ask for that but how would i word it? My nurse is lovely and write whatever i want on the sample - that's if you get fT3 from blood
J x

Yes, you get it from blood.

You want your Free T3 tested.

Just write TSHF, T4, Free T3, or....full thyroid panel

Although... even on a full thyroid panel, T3 will be excluded because 'the lab doesn't do them' or 'they're too expensive so we don't do them'.

Especially for the UK.

Free T4 not just T4

my Dr always write just T3 and T4 and just write the f in front of each.
good luck
Donna

Thanks TP I have made a promise to myself that this year is going to be about me - health, frame of mind and also putting myself first for once. So, I will make an appointment with the doc but what should I say and ask for?

Sorry you have said previously but it would be quicker than actually reading all this thread again ... and what a mammoth one it is!

Ta

Yes sorry it's huge isn't it! Maybe we should start a new one.

Well depends on how much your doc is inclined to listen... but I would go along and say that I'd been having some long term 'non specific' sort of symptoms and that you really want to get to the bottom of it because it's affecting the quality of your life.
Write down your symtoms and include everything you can think of, even if you think they're 'normal' for you... so minor aches and pains, headaches, anything that you have specifically on any sort of recurring pattern.
If your appearance has changed (you've put on weight) then take a picture of you from a few years ago with you.
If you're energy is lower, then say so. Have a really good think so that you can be clear and concise with your doctor.

Ask him to test your thyroid for you and also include liver function, cholesterol (it goes higher with a dodgy thyroid) and perhaps your testosterone levels too.
Tell the doc you want to test your cortisol (if it's high it would indicate you have adrenal issues) and also ask for the blood test for coeliac illness so it can pick up whether you have a gluten intolerance.
He or she will probably only do a TSH test on your thyroid at first, which will give you an indication of whether it's that.

You want to get a copy of your blood results for yourself too, so warn the receptionist that's what you want. They may say you have to pay for a copy or whatever, but they're yours and you are entitled to have that info.

And when you have that info, get back to us and we'll see what they say!

I would recommend you don't change your diet or introduce any vitamins or minerals before your tests so that your results aren't changed.
I've included some links to look through so you can see whether anything rings a bell for you. As you'll see, many of the symptoms 'cross over' so this is why it's so important to get a clear diagnosis.

It's so easy to overlook your health, especially when you have kids and a busy life, but if you're ill, then you need to sort it out otherwise everything goes to hell!

Good luck and get back to the thread and let us know how we can help you further.

http://www.road-to-health.com/am/pub...icle_150.shtml

http://thyroid.about.com/od/thyroidb...sdiagnosis.htm

http://www.drlam.com/articles/adrenal_fatigue.asp

Just a little edit

It can either be high or low to indicate an adrenal problem - more often than not in hypothyroid patients its low (adrenal fatigue), which could possibly require treatment using hydrocortisone.

Thanks ladies you have definitely given me some helpful information. I have already started taking the kelp this week and I have also started making some changes to my diet, maybe I should stop until I see the doc to get true and accurate results.

Hi TiddlyPom, dont mean to but in on your conversation.
But i was reading your post and thought you might have some ideas as in what to do as i have just had my hospital appointment for my results and one minute they are telling me im Gluten free and then they have just thrown at me IBS as the results of biopsy's came back fine.
I am still loosing weight as i dont really seem to know what i can eat. The doctor mentioned fruit for IBS, but didnt say if i could eat it or not before going on to the next thing.
All I got was avoid green veg, no bran/shreddies e,t,c, plenty of rice (which to have three time a week), avoid brown bread, white ok and not too much salad.
I dont think my self that i have IBS. The doctor sent me in the first place for the gastric re-flux and i was to have barium meal and+ camera for the throat end and ended up the other end, which i have been discharged from the hospital as could not find any thing.
So i now feel quite low as i do not know what is causing me to feel so poorly. They dont seem to do checks on my thyroid except the usual blood test for levels and then when i ask, say they cant give me them.
P,S They did say at the hospital that one of the results that came back for the Gluten free did show some thing.