Not sure if I should post this under newbie questions or thyroid issues, might post under both. I believe I have an under active thryroid. I have never been tested and have an appt in 2wks to see a Dr to check it. I don't have insurance so I will be paying $110 cash for the office visit and then whatever the lab fees are. I wanted to be tested b/c I have had trouble losing weight for about 15 yrs. Diet after diet and no considerable amount of weight lost. The only time I was able to lose 65lbs was when I was taking phetermine, but my BP was so skyrocket high, I knew this might kill me. Of course, I gained all the weight back and then some.
I have been doing LC for 5wks now and lost 13 lbs. My interest for checking my thryoid is to rule out this is one of the issues that is standing in my way of losing weight. My other symptoms are: dry skin, low body temperature, fatigue and difficulty losing weight. Please help me decide if I should follow through with paying the money to check out this issue?

Dr Davis has written about thyroid. http://www.wheatbellyblog.com/2011/...e-up-checklist/
He is a proponent of iodine supplementation, and that has helped me. I also take Vit D and fish oil, plus the extra natural fats In the foods have helped my dry skin, nails, etc. Personally I'd give the diet, getting more sun and exercise, and adequate supplementation more time.
I use DirectLabs, and the fee you pay them on-line when ordering the test covers everything. I just head to a nearby LabCorp, they have all the orders and just draw my blood. In a day or so, the results are In my on-line account and I print them out for my doctor.

I'd get the lab test done first. Most doctors are clueless about the right thyroid tests to order.

And please... be sure you get a doctor that understands the significance of T3 in thyroid therapy. If you don't, you've potentially wasted your money.

http://stopthethyroidmadness.com

You do seem to have a lot of the symptoms of hypothyroid - so I think it's worth testing. But you can have tests done yourself without going to a Dr.

Look up "direct lab testing". Our local hospital does some tests and I've also ordered tests online (they mail you a kit and you send it back and they email the results).

I will cancel my appt with the provider and order a Thyroid panel first to see where my levels are. I will research the pricing on direct labs. Thanks for the input. Will come back when my results come in.

Also, check out healthcheckusa online. The test would be the Thyroid Panel II which is TSH, Free T4 and Free T3. LabCorp is through them and possibly other labs. Sign up online, pay online, and they email you the 'order'. It's $85 or less, if there's a sale running. They email back the results and also send a copy in the mail.

thanks Terry. I ordered actually that yesterday. Have an appt next week to draw labs.

I usually just walk in. I think I may have seen 1 other person there in the last 3 times I was there. Normally no one is there except the person/people who work there.

DirectLabs has a "Thyroid Panel, Special Plus" that has the baseline values needed all in one panel - TSH, FT3, FT4, TPO +TAA. As of this writing it is $159 and a 10% off coupon should be able to be found online with minimal effort. If there is not a LabCorp "patient center" for the blood draw/testing within a reasonable distance from where you live, contact DL directly as they may be able to make alternate arrangements for you if that is the case. See their websites FAQ section for more information concerning.

Other tests that are out there/available are not really necessary in the beginning when determining if you have overt thyroid disease/immune mediated thyroditis that is being missed due to your MD/DO/endo ordering only a TSH or TSH + FT4 if they think they're being really "progressive/aggressive" ( >_< ). Of course, the caveat is "normal" labs still do not rule out subclinical thyroid disease. Reports about "out there" on the interwebz of success working with Naturopaths and the like when that is the case.