Does anyone know what your blood levels have to be before NHS GP's will treat you? i have symptoms but they won't start me on treatment.

[Sunnigirl63]

mum & sister already on thyroxine so it runs in my family. my levels were 11.9 (she said it should be 12) of one, and 4.4 ((she said it should be 4.2) of the other and my cholesterol was slightly high at 6.2 but i have a diet quite low in saturated fat. Test done in afternoon. i've not got a thermometer so not done the Basal temp yet but will get one today so can do that at home.

[shaws Administrator]

The GP hasn't diagnosed you as she is using the guidelines laid down by the Royal College of Physicians and the British Thyroid Association. In the USA you would be treated with a TSH of 3 but in the UK, they've made a decision that the TSH should reach 10 before medication is given. Some GP's do prescribe around 5 if you have symptoms too.

You have to get a print-out from the surgery of your blood test and post them on a new question, complete with the ranges as labs differ and it makes it easier to comment. You don't state above what is the TSH or T4, which I assume were the two the GP took.

A higher cholesterol is one of the clinical symptoms of hypothyroidism and I assume you are having other symptoms too?

[Sunnigirl63 in reply to shaws]

Thanks for a quick reply to this question. Very kind. I have no idea what the tests were for. I couldn't worked it out by looking at the various sites either. I should have asked but didn't. I will ask for a print out as you suggested. Thanks for that tip.

It is only reading through the Thyroid UK site today that I realised that higher cholestrol is a symptom. My main symptoms are exhaustion and muscle and joint pain. My skin is slightly drier than normal but not much. It is the constant muscle aches and extreme tiredness that I am finding so hard,

[shaws Administrator in reply to Sunnigirl63]

You do sound symptomatic so your blood test results are important. Always get a copy of them for your own records.

Next time, ask if you can have a Vitamin B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate checked as the first two are usually deficient and can cause problems in themselves.

[Sunnigirl63 in reply to shaws]

Thank you again for a quick response, I will do as you suggest. I think my iron was done last time and it was ok. You've been very helpful. Thank you.

[Hennerton in reply to Sunnigirl63]

Beware of doctors telling you blood tests are OK. You need to see everything for yourself, keep copies and post on here. Your doc may think your iron is OK and so did mine. It was only when, prompted by this site, I asked for a full iron panel that it showed my iron stores were low, making it hard for me to process my thyroid hormones. I now take an iron supplement.

[rosetrees]

Those figures could be T4 and Free T3. I think the lower limit of T4 is usually 12 and the lower limit of FT3 is often around 4. In which case you are definitely hypo. Go back to your doctor and ask for a print-out so you can see what was tested.

Regardless of whether the 11.9 was T4 or TSH you need to get treated.

[Sunnigirl63]

Thanks everyone for the support. I will go and get a full print out of what was tested. The GP did say I could be retested every three months to keep an eye on it so I will be doing that.

[Muffy]

If you could get your bloods drawn in the morning 8 - 8.30, that could make a huge difference between being euthyroid and hypothyroid.

[helvella Administrator]

I was diagnosed when my TSH went only slightly out of range. The main reason was a series of several TSH tests over quite a period of time, each one significantly higher than the one before.

I consider myself lucky. It is terrible to leave someone to both suffer with what they have already got AND to get worse before offering any treatment.

Rod

[Sunnigirl63]

It does seem strange that I go with a list of symptoms that match the condition, two of my immediate relatives already have the condition and still they say you won't be getting symptoms with the levels you have. Both the GP and the nurse i saw were adamant that my symptoms could not possibly be due to an under active thyroid - because the two levels they tested were not low/high enough.

[Hidden in reply to Sunnigirl63]

As has already been mentioned, get the tests done again, early in the morning, as soon as the blood draw centre opens.

See my post about a useful UK article 'Whom to Treat' healthunlocked.com/?ref=ema...

Clearly shows anyone over TSH level 5 with symptoms should be given treatment of T4, at least a trial.

Remember, every time a GP says 'normal' or 'OK' this often means 'NOT YET AT THE LEVEL WE ARE LEGALLY OBLIGED TO TREAT' which is not the same as 'ok' at all. I think you're being fobbed off until your levels go above TSH 10 and they HAVE to treat you.

If they insist your symptoms are NOT thyroid connected what diagnosis, help, support exactly are they going to give you instead? I experience symptoms when my TSH is that high. My TSH is optimal around 2.11 (early am blood draw). I soon know if it goes higher. Everyone is different.

Finally, I'd also be asking your GP/centre for their complaints policy (often shakes/wakes them up)and getting print-outs of results... don't give up and as you're still unwell, insist on help.

Good luck xxx

[jaxnbreeze]

Can you see another GP ?

[Sunnigirl63]

Thanks again for all the advice and support. I am going to my GP today to get a print out of my results, and I've started doing my temperature in the morning when I wake up - so far it was 36.1 C on both days when I woke up, which I think is on the low side but that is only for two days as I didn't have a thermometer until Saturday pm. I'll chart the results so the GP can see it clearly when I next go.

Looking back at my diary my bloods were drawn at 9.45 in the morning. I will stick to mornings for my bloods and will go to get them done as frequently as they allow.

Thanks again everyone.

[Sunnigirl63]

I went to ask for a print out of my results. My surgery apparently has a policy of needing a GP's permission before they can print them out. I assume permission will be given because as I understand it I have a right to a printout of my results for a reasonable fee if necessary. The data protection act means I have to be allowed to see them, doesn't it? I'll go back tomorrow and get them...hopefully!