I’ll make this short and sweet – the answer is no. No, you don’t have to rely on your doctor to get thyroid blood tests or many other blood tests for that matter.
When I started my journey into healing Hashimoto’s disease, I thought only a doctor could order my blood tests. After so many expensive trips to the doctor, first, where I paid for the office visit to get the tests ordered, then when I paid for the blood tests to be drawn, then when I paid again to see my doctor to get my results, I decided I’d had enough. So I cut out the middle man.
Now, this isn’t something I’d recommend that everyone do. I had made it my personal mission to reverse my Hashimoto’s disease so I had been studying it, researching it, learning how to read my own blood test results and asking my doctors to help me understand what each result meant. I also learned to review my blood tests through a functional medical perspective so I could see the patterns of the imbalances in my body.
Over the past few years, I’ve acquired some great “street smarts” when it comes to thyroid disease and blood tests.
Armed with my knowledge and experiences, I decided to order blood tests when I felt I needed them for the things I wanted to check. I’ve heard plenty of horror stories from clients and thyroid forum participants who have asked their doctor to check for Hashimoto’s or Grave’s or other thyroid markers, only to receive a condescending pat on the head and to hear, “you don’t need that. Your TSH levels are fine.” ARGH – HOW FRUSTRATING! That’s why I think it’s important to be an informed and empowered patient.
It’s time to take your health back into your own hands.
Now, I’m not recommending you forgo medical treatment or getting your doctor’s opinion. Let’s face it, most people don’t have the time or desire to become fluent in thyroid blood panels and related markers. I’m not advocating that you start diagnosing yourself or that you try to read the blood test without a doctor’s supervision. However, if your voice is not being heard, your doctor is refusing you and you believe there are some tests that could give you more info about your health or explain some of your symptoms, it’s time go out there and get your own blood test taken. How do you do that, you ask? It’s simple.
- Go to Direct Labs and order the blood tests you’d like. You’ll pay for the order up front (you can often submit these charges to insurance). From there, you’ll receive a doctor’s order for your blood tests that you can take to a local lab. (If you get confused, Direct Labs customer service department is very friendly and helpful if you need assistance.)
- Schedule an appointment with your local lab. I like Lab Corp the best but there are others. Find a nice, clean local lab and bring your order from Direct Labs. Lab Corp definitely takes insurance so often I don’t have to pay anything up front. *Also note, it’s best to schedule an appointment with them to cut down on wait time.
- Direct Labs will send you an email letting you know your results are ready. Get your results. If you understand the results, that’s great. If not, take them to your doctor or another trusted heath care expert for review.
For a quick idea of whether thyroid levels are in the “normal” or “functional” ranges, check the guide on my site here.
That’s it. It’s easy. It’s painless. It isn’t the cheapest option but if you’re tired of relying on someone else to get you the tests you need and want, this is a great second option.
In addition to the article you just read, I provide a ton of resources on healing your thyroid naturally, including:
- Our totally free Thyroid Healing Type Assessment, Report and Coaching Sessions
- Right here on my blog, where I talk about what’s worked best for me and my clients, as well as the latest research and resources I come across. You can subscribe to get new blog posts delivered right to your email by signing up on the righthand side of the page.
- My book, Healing Hashimoto’s Naturally — part memoir, part instruction manual for how I personally healed my Hashimoto’s disease.
- My exclusive free 6 Thyroid Myths That Can Keep You From Healing workshop — with info on the comprehensive Thyroid Fix in 6 program, which walks you through, step-by-step, the exact actions you need to take to heal your thyroid and get your life back! We’ve seen hundreds of participants in the Thyroid Fix in 6 avoid, decrease, or even eliminate the need need for thyroid medications.
- The incredible Your Best Thyroid Life Video Bundle, in which I personally invited 27 of the world’s top health experts to share their best tips for living with and healing thyroid disease.
No matter what diagnosis you’re facing, you don’t have to rely on your doctor to get thyroid blood tests. Develop your own “street smarts” and your healing is in your hands!
Jen Wittman is a Certified Holistic Health Expert, Chef, Author & Vitality Coach, who teaches women how to reverse thyroid and autoimmune conditions naturally. She’s helped hundreds of women decrease (or even eliminate) their thyroid medications and has helped others stay off thyroid medication entirely.
Through her free Thyroid Healing Type Assessment, Jen teaches easy and simple steps to thyroid healing that can fit into your busy day. She also provides print outs to bring to your next doctor’s appointment so you can get the support and respect you deserve.