What thyroid hormones does the test measure?
TSH - thyroid stimulating hormone is the most important markers of a healthy thyroid glad. It is used to confirm the symptoms of hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism, related to an underactive or overactive thyroid gland.
T3 - triiodothyronine, is one of the two hormones released by the thyroid gland; the test measures the free form (free-T3).
T4 - thyroxine, is the second hormone; it has 4 iodine atoms (T3 has 3 iodine atoms); the test measures free form (free-T4).
Why should I measure thyroid hormones?
Problems with thyroid gland are very common, especially among women, for example:
An underactive thyroid gland: causes hypothyroidism with low T3, T4 and high TSH levels. Then the pituitary gland in brain increases TSH levels. Symptoms of hypothyroidism include unexpected gain in weight and higher sensitivity to cold.
An overactive thyroid gland: causes hyperthyroidism with high T3, T4 levels and low TSH levels. In rare cases, the thyroid hormone deficiency results in enlargement of the gland in throat (called goiter), often due to iodine deficiency. Symptoms of hyperthyroidism include anxiety, difficulty in sleeping, and high sensitivity to heat.
Sometimes tumors in the pituitary gland can also cause unexpectedly high or low TSH levels.
A thyroid stimulating hormone test is a simple, easy first step to confirm the symptoms.
Do I need a blood draw or doctor's appointment for this test?
For our thyroid stimulating hormone blood test, there is no need to get an appointment or visit a lab or a doctor's office. A doctor's prescription is included with your order and no blood draw is needed. The test requires 4-5 drops of blood that you can collect at home with a finger prick lancet.
Once you receive a kit, follow step-by-step instructions to collect few drops on a dry blood spot card which is valid up to 30 days at room temperature. Your sample is tested at one of our CLIA-certified labs, which have been used by thousands of doctors across the country for several decades. These labs are monitored and regulated by federal and state health authorities to ensure they meet stringent quality requirements.
Once your sample is mailed to the lab, our team will send a confirmation and will start processing it. It takes a few days to complete testing and then you can download a PDF report from the web portal. The report will explain your results in simple language and will display your TSH, T3, T4 levels against healthy ranges.
The thyroid stimulating hormone test is a great way to confirm your thyroid symptoms and to get tested before an appointment with your primary care physician.
Q: Can I purchase the test across US?
A: Except New York and New Jersey, our tests are available in all 48 states and Canada. State regulations in NY, NJ do not allow us to ship the tests to their residents.
Q: What does the thyroid stimulating hormone test kit contain and how do I use it?
A: Our TSH test kit contains a blood card to collect few drops of blood, a pair of lancets for finger-pricking, instructions on how to collect the sample, and a form requesting basic information such as date collection. The step-by-step instructions should be easy to follow.
Q: How long does it take to receive the results?
A: You will receive the kit within 3-5 business days with a prepaid return envelope (within US). After you ship the sample and it is received by our lab, you will receive the results within 5 business days. We pay for shipping to Canada and Europe but let you ship it back to our labs (for any orders from outside US).
Q: What do I expect from the report?
A: The results of thyroid stimulating hormone test are generally easy to understand. The report shows your levels on a healthy range for your age and life style. The report will also specify what are the expected low and high ranges for each marker. It will briefly discuss what your numbers mean and what next steps should be taken to maintain healthy thyroid hormone levels.
Q: Can I use my insurance to pay for a thyroid disease test?
A: You can use HSA (or FSA/MSA/HRA) accounts to pay for the tests since these are prescription tests (for further confirmation, please check the IRS publication#969). However, please ensure you are not going outside your specified max and min deductible limits. We do not have the capability to process the insurance claims. Insurance plans vary for individuals, therefore we can not guarantee your HSA payment will always be processed by your plan. Please talk to your insurance provider if you have any further concerns.
Q: How reliable are my results?
A: For decades, our CLIA-certified labs have been used by doctors across US and all over the world. These labs are regulated by individual states, as well as federal authorities such as Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Many tests from these labs are FDA approved to ensure they meet the proper regulatory requirements. Additionally, the College of American Pathologists (CAP) requires inter-laboratory tests to ensure the ranges established by each lab do not drift or are not out of acceptable ranges. This is done by regularly testing reference samples between different labs. Finally, the labs regularly carry out thousands of thyroid hormone tests for different age groups and health conditions, and have well established reference data to compare your results against this large pool.
Q: Can you recommend what therapy should I take if my thyroid hormone levels are low?
A: Unfortunately, we can't. As a lab test provider we can only test and report out data from your samples. We are not authorized to provide any medical recommendations. After the results of the blood test for thyroid are available, we strongly encourage you to take the report and discuss the results with your doctor for next steps.
