My story: living with hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) is where the thyroid doesn’t create and release enough thyroid hormone into your bloodstream. As many as one in 20 people have a thyroid condition, and most of these are women. 

From diagnosis, to investigation and treatment, to living his life, this Medichecks customer shares what it’s really like to live with a thyroid condition in his story: living with hypothyroidism. 

This customer would prefer not to use his real name, so we’re referring to him as Bertie. 

About Bertie 

Bertie lives with an ongoing thyroid condition known as Graves' disease. Back in 2016, he underwent life-changing treatment to help relieve his symptoms, which means he's now reliant on life-long medication.  

After three years of trying to achieve the correct dosage of thyroid medication, Bertie still felt unwell. So, in 2019, he began his journey to investigate his thyroid health further. 

Case study: Bertie’s thyroid story:  

When I started investigating my thyroid health, I discovered Thyroid UK, a non-profit support group. While reading one of its publications, I learned that blood tests are a crucial part of getting a picture of your health – and especially your thyroid-related health. 

I had read about Medichecks in the press, visited their website, and liked what I saw. Their approach is friendly, supportive, and appeared efficient. So, I went online and selected the Advanced Thyroid Function Blood Test. The test arrived quickly, and after following the clear and comprehensive instructions to complete and return the kit, I received my results within a few days. They were a revelation! 

What did the thyroid test show? 

Medichecks’ Advanced Thyroid Function Blood Test checked several thyroid-related vitamins, minerals, and hormones. What was most interesting was almost the only test result that was satisfactory and “within range” was the one that the NHS doctor had based their assessment on (where the outcome was that my condition was satisfactory). Almost every other metric was irregular. 

In March 2020, with the assistance of the advisors at Thyroid UK, I started taking the remedial action necessary to improve the results. Since then, I have repeated the tests approximately every six months and each time have followed the advice provided by Thyroid UK. I have felt progressively better as I’ve tackled each successive blood test result. 

What’s been the biggest change? 

Most importantly, after discussing one of my latest test results with the Thyroid UK advisors, one suggested I could try avoiding gluten. Within a few days of cutting out gluten, I began to feel better. That improvement has continued to help me to feel more like my old self again. 

It would never have occurred to me on my own that I could be gluten sensitive if I had not had the Medichecks test result and discussed it with Thyroid UK. 

My test at the time showed optimal results for all measures except for the one hormone (T3 or liothyronine). Interestingly, the NHS does not routinely test for this. Some people with an underactive thyroid say that when they have low levels of T3 they can feel unwell. Though, opinions within the medical profession are divided on the subject. 

Since removing gluten from my diet, I lost 13kg in weight which has contributed to a reduction in my blood pressure from 133/79 to 106/68. A win-win situation for me! 

Almost as important to my wellbeing is the feeling that I am now in control of my health. I speak to medical practitioners empowered with the knowledge of what’s happening inside my body, which makes me feel like an equal. 

What’s next? 

I intend to repeat the Medichecks blood test every six months for as long as I can. I’m confident that with Medichecks’ help, I can both effectively monitor my health and participate more meaningfully in partnership with the medical profession to address any arising issues. 

Medichecks suits me well. I look forward to partnering with its efficient, friendly, supportive service for the long term and I’ll always recommend them to others. 

Without the Medichecks test result, I would not have been aware of this crucial deficiency. Without Thyroid UK, I would not have known what to do about it.  

Helpful thyroid information 

Bertie found the support from  Thyroid UK invaluable. Have a look over their information pages for more information. 

At Medichecks, we also have our Thyroid Hub, which includes helpful articles on thyroid-friendly diets and our Thyroid Blood Test Buying Guide. 

If you have a story that you’d like to share, please email marketing@medichecks.com.