Hi wondered if someone help me.

[caroljackson]

I am currently taking levo 150mcg daily recent thyroid blood test results Serum TSH level 1.76 miu/L(0.27 - 4.2), Serum free T4 level above normal range 21.2 pmol/L outside reference range, what do results mean, thanks

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Sorry you had no replies - hopefully someone will pick this up from the latest activity...

[rosetrees]

How do you feel? My initial thought is that you need to have your FT3 level measured as, with T4 that high and still a significant TSH reading it's possible that you are not converting effectively from T4 to T3.

Have you had your usual vitamins and minerals tested - Vit B12, Vit D, iron, folate, ferritin - in case any of them are low?

[caroljackson in reply to rosetrees]

hi thanks for the response sorry for taking so long to reply, the only tests i have ever had done have been the TSH and t4 blood tests, tests have been done at doctors

[helvella Administrator]

Assuming you take your levothyroxine in the morning, did you do so on the day of your blood being drawn?

That could explain why, though your TSH is possibly OK or a bit high, your FT4 is too high. Taking a levothyroxine tablet in the hours before a blood draw can and does show up as a higher FT4 reading. A doctor (or anyone else) simply taking the numbers and ranges at face value sees a bit of a conflict. But one possibly having a simple explanation.

I always defer my dose until after my blood has been drawn. And take it immediately afterwards as I am walking out of the hospital phlebotomy unit! It is the only time I ignore "the rules" and take it regardless of breakfast, tea, etc.

Rod

[caroljackson in reply to helvella]

Hia thanks for that, yes I always take my thyroxine in the early hours of the morning and would have done so the day I had my blood test. Would the results l got suggest I am hypo or hyper? Thanks

[helvella Administrator in reply to caroljackson]

Impossible to say - you can't trust TSH alone, though my last test was (I think) 1.6 so not that different to yours. And you can't be sure how much of an impact taking the levothyroxine before the blood draw would have had.

You could be slightly under-dosed, slightly over-dosed or more-or-less right!

So, how do you feel?

Rod

[caroljackson]

thanks for that, i am due another blood test in january so i will remember