Do you have symptoms, but your GP says your thyroid is normal!?

Are you struggling with multiple symptoms that seem to relate to thyroid dysfunction?
Did your GP tell you your results are normal? 
Are you ready to dig a bit deeper and find out what is really going on?
 
Many cases of hypothyroid go undiagnosed because standard tests do not identify problems in all cases. If you are still concerned about your thyroid symptoms here’s what you can do:
 

​Symptoms of low thyroid function

Fatigue • Weakness • Weight gain/ difficulty losing weight • Dry hair • Poor skin • Headaches • Anxiety/ panic attacks • Depression • Decreased memory and concentration • Hair loss • Sensitivity to cold • Muscle and joint pain • Constipation • Low libido • Palpitations • Dizziness • Water retention • PMS

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GP test results say normal ?

There are two main reason why your results can show as normal with a GP Thyroid test: 
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1.) The references ranges used are quite broad which means that a more subclinical issue may easily be missed. It’s important to remember that everyone is different and what is ‘normal’ for one person may not be ‘normal’ for the next. In other words the GP is looking for “markers” of disease pathology and so if you are significantly sub-optimal, but not hitting the end point markers of “disease” you will be told your ok.

2) Your GP 2will often only test Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) and Thyroxine (free T4). However TSH and free T4 will give the clinician an idea of what is happening with central thyroid regulation, however these markers don’t give much indication of peripheral regulation (conversion of free T4 into active (T3) and inactive forms (reverse T3) which happens at a cellular level in target tissues) which is where many problems can occur.

At Greenwich Naturopathy we use health mot screening with food intolerance to gain a birds eye view of the different systems and organs to see where ‘blocks’ in optimal function may be occurring. Key areas we look at include, adrenal function, thyroid function, digestive function, gluten sensitivity, gliadin sensitivity, vitamin, and mineral absorption. For instance, weak adrenals, kingpins in your endocrine system, can “rob” from the thyroid and cause them to become depleted over time. A sensitivity to synthetic forms of minerals including fluorine or bromine can block thyroid function. A sensitivity to gluten and its halogen compound gliadin has also been shown to affect thyroid function.So the health mot screening with food intolerance provides an excellent snapshot of the key areas of strength and weakness in our initial assessment process. Other factors explored on the health mot screening with food intolerance include: heavy metal toxicity, immune imbalance, low levels of nutrient absorption such as selenium and zinc, and leaky gut can also contribute.
 
If the client also presents with signs of autoimmunity such as psoriasis or alopecia (and depending on the clients budget) , we may also consider a deeper dive with a comprehensive blood test. Markers analysed include TSH, total T4, free T4, free T3, anti TG antibodies and anti TPO antibodies to assess both central and peripheral thyroid function as well as thyroid auto-immunity.