Absolutely. Before the emergence of the TSH test many docs treated by symptoms. Funny Chronic Fatigue was relatively unknown then! Since the TSH tests became the "Standard of Care" a lot of people are suffering needlessly.
Amen brother.
GRRRRRRR, I suffered with a nutcase thyroid for 20 years. Had all the symptoms: no eyebrows, hair falling out, pulse during the day was normally 50, but has been as low as 33 bpm, tired all the time, etc. Docs would only test my blasted TSH. I went to www.healthcheckusa.com and ordered a FREE T3, FREE T4, and a THYROID ANTIBODIES test through the mail. Sure enough, my antibodies came back showing Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Doc put my on Cytomel. Sometimes, ya gotta do the testing yourself.
I just went to have that test you referred to because I am on thyroid medicine...our insurance pays very well for tests like these, and yet MY SHARE of just that test was over $50 dollars,
therefore, I would guess that part of what stops doctors from ordering that test routinely is because insurance companies don't want to have to pay for it....
Depends on who you go to. A doc I work with gets a TSH, T3, T4, and another one (I think it's a thryoglubin IG) whenever she works someone up for hypothyroidism.
If you have a bad doctor.
I had several tests, and I am only borderline hypothyroid.