thyroid

[Baileyleigh123]

can someone tell me what a tsh reading of o.15 means is this low thanks

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Have you got FULL thyroid and vitamin levels retested since this post 5 months ago when folate and B12 were low

No vitamin D test result either

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Just testing TSH tells you nothing

Yes TSH 0.15 is on lower side

But on levothyroxine TSH is frequently low

How much levothyroxine are you taking

Always same brand?

What time was test done

Recommended that all thyroid blood tests early morning, ideally just before 9am, only drink water between waking and test and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test

This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip)

Testing options and includes money off codes for private testing

thyroiduk.org/testing/

Medichecks Thyroid plus BOTH TPO and TG antibodies and vitamins

medichecks.com/products/adv...

Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes BOTH TPO and TG antibodies, cortisol and vitamins

bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...

Only do private testing early Monday or Tuesday morning.

Link about thyroid blood tests

thyroiduk.org/testing/thyro...

Link about Hashimoto’s

thyroiduk.org/hypothyroid-b...

Symptoms of hypothyroidism

thyroiduk.org/signs-and-sym...

Tips on how to do DIY finger prick test

support.medichecks.com/hc/e...

Medichecks and BH also offer private blood draw at clinic near you, or private nurse to your own home…..for an extra fee

[Baileyleigh123 in reply to SlowDragon]

hi slow dragon had my bloods done yesterday and was asked to ring for an appointment all my vitamins and iron and everything was ok apart from my cholesterol they didn’t say what level but she said my tsh was 0.15 and they would ring me on the 15 th to discuss it

Sorry I’m taking 225 mg of Levo thyroxine

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Baileyleigh123]

Well you need TSH, Ft4 and Ft3 tested

High cholesterol suggests LOW Ft3

What time of day was test done

How long before test was last dose Levo

Exactly what vitamin supplements are you taking

You are legally entitled to printed copies of your blood test results and ranges.

The best way to get access to current and historic blood test results is to register for online access to your medical record and blood test results

UK GP practices are supposed to offer everyone online access for blood test results. Ring and ask if this is available and apply to do so if possible, if it is you may need "enhanced access" to see blood results.

Link re access

patients-association.org.uk...

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

In reality some GP surgeries still do not have blood test results online yet

Alternatively ring receptionist and request printed copies of results. Allow couple of days and then go and pick up.

Bloods should be retested 6-8 weeks after each dose change or brand change in levothyroxine

[Baileyleigh123]

I had my bloods done at half 8 in morning I took the ingenious vitamin b complex and vitamin b 12 what you recommended and vitamin d what I really wanted to know is does that reading mean I need more levothyroxine or does it need lowering I’m always tired again and cold I don’t understand all this 😂

The last dose I had was 24 hours before

[Forestgarden in reply to Baileyleigh123]

Hi there, can you get a print out of all your recent test results? Thyroid, vitamins, iron etc. Sometimes, even if they're in range, they can be very low and not 'optimal'. This is important, not only because there's a lot of overlap in symptoms but because these things are needed to turn t4 into the active t3. In order to know if you need an increase in levo you need to get full thyroid bloods tsh, ft4 and ft3. Tsh alone is not enough to tell what you need - although GPs will tell you otherwise!

[Baileyleigh123 in reply to Forestgarden]

I can get a print out in a week or 2 they said everything else was ok just didn’t know what tsh was it was only the receptionist I spoke to and she just said doctor wanted a phone appointment with me to discuss this was just wondering if I’m on to much levotyroxine or not enough thanks

[Forestgarden in reply to Baileyleigh123]

I understand what you want to know. Your low tsh suggests you're on too much levo BUT your symptoms suggest its not enough, which is why more detailed results are needed. Tsh alone is not a good guide. Did you take your b complex before your bloods? Because biotin will interfere with the TSH blood test and make it inaccurate

[Baileyleigh123 in reply to Forestgarden]

No I stayed off all vitamins and b vitamins for 10 tens before my test

I will have to get the full results

[Forestgarden in reply to Baileyleigh123]

Then, I would get all your test results together, them figure out what tests are missing and either ask the GP to get them done, or consider getting them done privately

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Baileyleigh123]

If GP can’t/wont test TSH, Ft4 and Ft3 together you will have to test privately (like thousands of U.K. patients)

[greygoose]

Doctors believe that low/below-range/suppressed TSH always means that you are taking too much thyroid hormone.

It doesn't. What it means is that your pituitary is satisfied with your thyroid hormone levels in the blood and considers that you don't need to stimulate your thyroid to make any more thyroid hormone. That's all it means.

But the TSH is totally unreliable at that level because if there's any thyroid hormone in the blood, the pituitary gets served first, as it were. So, the pituitary can be satisfied but other cells in the body can still be thyroid hormone deficient.

Plust a TSH alone will not tell you:

- how well you absorb thyroid hormone replacement in the gut

- nor how well you absorb it at a cellular level

- nor how well you convert T4 to T3

- nor does it distinguish between T4 and T3

- not does it usually correspond to your symptoms, because it doesn't cause symptoms.

To know all those things, you need to have your FT4 and FT3 tested.

So, whatever your doctor thinks he knows from looking at your TSH result, he probably doesn't. Therefore, one should always refuse to reduce your dose based uniquely on a low TSH. If you feel well on the dose you're on, just say no. If you feel you need an increase in dose, tell them you want your Frees tested first. They won't do that, so you won't reduce your dose.

[Baileyleigh123 in reply to greygoose]

At the moment I feel tired all the time and cold I’ve always got the heating on but I will ask for the other parts of the test because they did do a full blood count so it should all be on there thanks for your reply I wouldn’t know where to start with all that information 😂 x

[greygoose in reply to Baileyleigh123]

Well, to start with, you should know that the TSH is an ok diagnostic tool (sometimes!) but should not be used to dose by.

Using it to dose by assumes that everyone always has a perfectly functioning pituitary, which just isn't true. If the thyroid can go wonky why would they think the pituitary can't? It's just another gland.

Also you should know that the TSH has just two jobs:

- it stimulates the thyroid to make more hormone (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) when necessary

- and it stimulates the conversion of T4 to T3. That's all it does.

So, if your pituitary is working perfectly, when your thyroid hormone levels drop, the TSH rises. When the thyroid hormone levels rise, the TSH drops. But it cannot drop lower than zero, which is what makes it an imperfect indicator of thyroid status.

[Baileyleigh123 in reply to greygoose]

I will ask them what the ft3 and ft4 were and come back with the results on them thanks 🙏

[greygoose in reply to Baileyleigh123]

You're welcome.

[Coulby]

Mine is the same...I still don't understand much about my hyperthyroidism!! I'm almost 72yrs and in NZ..I've been put on Carbimazole and I feel dreadful..My bones ache, I'm exhausted.I apparently was diagnosed in 2013 but nothing was done by this previous doctor!

Now I have a Multinodular Goitre and am on a waiting list to see a clinician ..so I'm 1 who can't answer but I will be very interested on your replies.Hope all goes well for you.Coulby

[Baileyleigh123 in reply to Coulby]

Thankyou you 2 x

[eeng in reply to Coulby]

If you don't get any replies to your post try starting a new post yourself. I'm sure you will get lots of help and advice. People who answer posts for people with hyperthyroidism are less likely to read posts like this one.

[Coulby]

Thankyou x