A lot of doctors tend to base whether or not you have thyroid disease SOLELY on TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) tests. This was probably the reason mine was not discovered for a long time, because it was always in the normal range. If it had not been for the doctor that discovered my kidney stone, after years of being told I had only UTIs (urinary tract infection), I probably would not have had my thyroid checked out completely by and endocrinologist.
With that said, I wanted to share with you the most basic profile you should get or ask for when testing for thyroid disease.
* Thyroid (TSH)
* Free T4 (FT4)-measures that total amount of circulating thyroxine in the blood.
* Free T3 (FT3)-measures free unbound triiodothyronine in your bloodstream.
* Thyroid Peroxidase Antibody (TPO)-this is the test that is used to check for Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, post partum thyroid disease, and other types of thyroiditis.
* Thyroid Antibody (Anti-thyroid AB)-this is to test for hyperthyroidism
