Can anyone please advise me on these results and what else I can do

[Cassandra]

Currently on 100 thyroxine and 8 candesartan for hbp - feeling dreadful and lots of fluid retention

Results

T4 is 21.3 (12 - 22)

TSH 0.05 (0.3 - 4.2) marked low on result form

T3 is 4.3 (3.1 - 6.8)

GP has advised I have to go and see her re statins as my cholesterol results are high:

6.9 total cholesterol

2.25 HDL

4.26 LDL

0.86 TRI

Apparently in Northern Ireland we are treated with thyroxine alone - can anyone please advise me before my appointment - I am dreading going on statins and think I read somewhere if thyroid was stabilised blood pressure and cholesterol should settle

[nostoneunturned]

Your GP should know that both HBP and higher cholesterol rates are markers for hypothyroidism. Your T3, the active hormone converted from T4, is rather low, at 4.3 (3.1-6.8) it is only 1.2 up and 2.5 down in the range. Looks as though you do not have enough active T3 despite well up in range T4, TSH level probably frightens GP

Buy Dr Anthony Toft's "Understanding thyroid disorders" BMA publication, plus Dr Toft past president BTA, £5 from Amazon/chemists. On P88:

Judging the correct dose of thyroxine.

....will usually prescribe a dose of thyroxine that raises the FT4 and TT4 to the upper part of the normal range and reduces the TSH level in the blood to the lower part of the normal range.

Typical results would be a FT4 of 24 pmol/l or TT4 of 140nmol/l and a TSH of 0.2mU/l. In some patients a sense of well being is achieved only when FT4 or TT4 is raised, for example 30pmol/l or 170 nmol/l and TSH low or undetectable . In this circumstance it is essential that the T3 level in the blood is unequivocally normal in order to avoid hyperthyroidism"

The ranges relevant to his words are on P 87, remember labs differ in the ranges used. Again, your T3 is low so there is not enough active hormone at work at cellular level.

Dr Toft P 46 for valuable info re T4/T3 treatment. Also e-mail [e-mail] for his article in Pulse magazine.

Have you read the valuable info on the main site - masses of information you cannot be without:

thyroiduk.org

Hope this helps.

[Cassandra in reply to nostoneunturned]

Thank you so much for your advice and you have explained things to me in terms I can understand - at present I can often read things but I am not really taking in what they are telling me. I have an annual check up next Friday so hopefully I will be able to get my points across in a calm manner - the only thing that concerns me is the nurse at the surgery told me she has never known of anyone to be prescribed T3 and as far as I know there is nobody here in Northern Ireland who I can approach unless someone else knows otherwise. I don't have the finances to allow me to travel to England for consultation. Once again thank you for your reply.

[Hidden in reply to Cassandra]

It seems doctors will use any excuse to get you on statins. My cholesterol was up to 7.4 at one point and with increased thyroid medication it has come down to 6.2 on its own. My doctor did everything to try and get me to take statins but I said that when I am properly medicated and feel well again, and its still high, I would reconsider. The very first doctor who diagnosed my hypothyroidism used raised cholesterol along with TSH as a marker for the condition, so for me they definitely seem to be related.

[Cassandra in reply to Hidden]

Thank you Jan for your reply - my gp told me it is my 'bad fats' that are the problem - she said she had a report from the hospital dietician and my diet is perfect and I walk every day so as there is no way in which to alter these statins will have to be considered - think I will go down the route that you went and say I will reconsider once I am properly medicated - are you on thyroxine only?