Blood test results

[KiminSpain]

Just had my results back from latest blood test. As you can see my TSH is high. Can anyone tell me why please.

TSH 14.635 (0.350-5.500)

FT4 1.21 (0.8-1.9)

I take 200mcg of T4 daily.

Any help would be most appreciated.

[marram]

First of all, your TSH is definitely high, but I am struggling to work out what is happening with your T4 because that range and the figure both look completely different from most of the levels and ranges we see on here. Having looked online, it seems it is in nanograms per litre, in which case at 1.21 it is low to medium, and I wonder if it is not being properly absorbed, that could also be the reason why your TSH is still high.

First of all, you need to address the fact that it appears you might not be absorbing the thyroxine properly. Do you take it with anything other than water? If you take it with anything that has milk or anything made from milk, it will inhibit absorption.

Also, make sure that it is 2 hours apart from food. I don't know when you take yours, but I take mine at night at least two hours after my last meal, (which is usually no later than 7pm, so I take at 9.30pm) but in Spain it's probably more like 9 or 10 isn't it! In which case early morning well away from your first coffee or breakfast is a good second best.

If you can get your T3 tested it would be good, but I know you say that the treatment and management of thyroid conditions in Spain is not great, I don't know if it would be possible to get private testing done. That would give a clearer picture of your current situation.

Marie XX

[KiminSpain in reply to marram]

Hi Marie

Many thanks for your reply. Yes I do usually take my thyroxine at night but I didnt know about leaving it for 2 hours after eating (and yes you are correct about what time we eat over here lol). I will start taking it in the mornings and see if that helps. I only take it with water.

My GP has arranged for me to go back to the surgery on Tuesday to meet with a "specialist". He said that I am on the maximum dosage of thyroxine (200mcg). If the "specialist" is anything like the one I met at the hospital.....God heaven help me. She was as much use as a chocolate teapot lol.

I will look into the possibility of getting private testing done.

Would the reading suggest, in your opinion, that I am not converting enought T4 to T3 and that I need T3?

Many thanks again Marie.

Kim xx

[KiminSpain in reply to KiminSpain]

forgot to say the GP can only test your TSH and FT4. It is up to the "specialist" to give the OK for any other tests.

[marram in reply to KiminSpain]

Difficult to say without seeing the T3 result, I would not think you would be short of Vit D (lol) but maybe iron or B12 could be low which could affect conversion. Have you looked at that in the past? I meant to look at your other posts to see but forgot D'oh!

I am totally bemused by that T4 figure even expressed in different units if you compare it with the range, it is nowhere near the top of the range.

It is true that compared to the average dosage which we see people taking, it could be considered high, but it is by no means the maximum dose. that is just an arbitrary figure.

If you can manage to persuade the 'specialist' to test the free T3, that would be brilliant.

I know what time they eat in Spain because I am married to a Spaniard - who loves living here and would never countenance going back to Spain >pity<

[KiminSpain in reply to marram]

Hi Marie

No never looked at iron or B12 before but to be honest I dont hold out much hope of getting that tested here

Getting a little edgy now about tomorrows meeting, just hope it not the same specialist who I saw at the hospital.

What part of Spain does your husband come from and do you manage to get over here very often?

Thanks again for all your help.

xx

[marram in reply to KiminSpain]

He's Gallego -from Galicia, La Coruna to be precise. On the northwestern tip. It is green and beautiful. Forget the Costa del Sol, Costa Dorada, Costa Blanca. This is the Costa de la Muerte. lol. Due to so may shipwrecks.

Fishing, farming. And providing accomodation for pilgrims to Santiago de Compostela. Those are the main industries. Although La Coruna is getting a reputation for the fashion industry being the home of several Spanish brands including Zara. We used to go but we don't go any more - all his family who were left in Spain are dead now, the rest of his family are here, mainly cousins and nephews.

[KiminSpain in reply to marram]

Never been to that part but it is on our list of places to go. It is supposedly beautiful. We are in Murcia, Costa Calida just outside of a little village. No neighbours and no other ex pats in the vicinity just the farmers and even after 10 years I still cant speak the lingo so as you can imagine have some great games of charades with the farmers lol.