Dr. Izabella Wentz, PharmD

Thyroid Pharmacist

Questions: Lab Tests, Doctors & Your Thyroid

Common Questions about Lab Tests, Your Doctor, and Your Thyroid

Medically reviewed and written by Izabella Wentz, PharmD, FASCP

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Do you have a doctor you recommend in my area?

I believe that everyone needs to find a practitioner that will let him/her be a part of the healthcare team. I recommend working with a functional medicine doctor- functional medicine doctors approach the body as a whole, and not just the thyroid hormones. (Here is a blog post I wrote about the functional medicine approach to the thyroid)

We have put together a list of doctors; you can download the list by entering your email below!

You can also go to the Institute of Functional Medicine, Primal Docs and ZRT Lab for a list of knowledgeable clinicians.

Do you provide consultations?

I do provide a limited number of consultations, however, most of the information required to get your health back is covered in my books, Hashimoto’s: The Root Cause and Hashimoto’s Protocol. At the present time I am not accepting new clients.

Help! My doctor won’t test my thyroid! What can I do?

I recommend that you find a doctor that will let you be a part of your healthcare team. You can check out my patient recommended practitioners list here. You can also order your labs tests via direct to patient lab testing through Ulta Labs here.

Help, I have a high deductible and lab testing costs a lot of money! Are there cheaper tests I can get?

Yes! You can check out the patient self-order lab options I’ve set up through Ulta Labs and Direct Labs.

Help! I don’t have insurance and can’t afford to get thyroid tests done! What do you suggest?

Please go to http://www.needymeds.org/free_clinics.taf for a list of free and sliding scale clinics in your area.

I’ve also set up a direct to patient lab testing portal through Ulta Labs, which offers many discounted lab panels.

Another great way to start taking charge of your own health without costly lab tests is by looking at your diet. I believe humans do not thrive on processed and packaged foods. The best foods for us are meat and vegetables. If it wasn’t food 200 years ago, I don’t eat it, and this has made a world of difference in my life.

What is your opinion on vaccines for people with Hashimoto’s?

Unfortunately, I cannot give any straightforward guidance about vaccinations. As with any drug, we each have to make our own informed decision about this and ultimately, it’s up to you, your family, and a doctor you trust to assess personal risk and benefits, and decide if a vaccine is the right thing for you and/or your family member.

I was tested for Hashimoto’s, and the antibody test came back negative, but my symptoms are consistent with Hashimoto’s. Does a negative antibody test mean that I don’t have Hashimoto’s or do I need an ultrasound?

About 5-10 percent of those with Hashimoto’s may not have antibodies. An ultrasound of the thyroid will help you see if your thyroid has changes consistent with Hashimoto’s. There is also a test called reverse T3, that can indicate if you are having thyroid symptoms because of other reasons, such as stress or adrenals. You can learn more about thyroid antibodies here.

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Disclaimer: The information contained herein is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Please consult your physician for any health problems and before making any medical or lifestyle changes.

Lifestyle changes can result in improved thyroid function and/or an increased absorption of thyroid hormone medications, leading to a lower required dose and possible symptoms of hyperthyroidism at a dose that was previously stable. Please discuss lifestyle changes with your physician and ensure that your thyroid function is monitored every 6-8 weeks while making lifestyle changes. Symptoms of overmedication include, but are not limited to: rapid or irregular heartbeat, nervousness, irritability or mood swings, muscle weakness or tremors, diarrhea, menstrual irregularities, hair loss, weight loss, insomnia, chest pain, and excessive sweating. Do not start, change, increase, decrease or discontinue your medications without consulting with your physician.

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  2. Hello, my husband has had his thyroid removed due to cancer. He has been prescribed iodine however a naturopath we consulted recently said that iodine would not be beneficial for him.. Can you comment please. thanks.

    Reply

    • Kathy – thank you so much for reaching out. My heart goes out to you and your husband. <3 I am very hesitant in recommending iodine in Hashimoto's. Although iodine serves as fuel for our thyroid and is very important in iodine deficiency hypothyroidism, Hashimoto's is a different mechanism. It's like pouring gas into an engine that's on fire... that's essentially what's happening in Hashi's, thyroid inflammation. Adding iodine to the mix before putting out the fire and fixing the engine may result in further damage to the thyroid. In those with a predisposition to autoimmunity, this has been documented time and time again, in animal and human studies.

      I have spent 4 years researching about this issue, and have seen too many people suffering the consequences of adding iodine too soon. My approach is, let's fix the engine first (usually a gut issue), and then add the fuel once we know that the engine is no longer on fire. Hope that you will check out my books. I do have a chapter on the iodine controversy that references numerous studies as well as the work of Abraham and Brownstein. Here are the links to my books :

      Hashimoto’s Protocol
      http://amzn.to/2B5J1mq

      Hashimoto’s Root Cause
      http://amzn.to/2DoeC80

      Here is an article you may find helpful as well.
      IODINE AND HASHIMOTO’S
      https://thyroidpharmacist.com/articles/iodine-hashimotos/

      Reply

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