Finally got my hands on test results....could you advise please

[Redwinegirl]

I'm unique as my doctor loves giving me blood tests, these are my 2nd in 7 weeks and I'm going again next week. The reason for next weeks is there was insufficient blood taken for my antibodies and T3 tests as the path lab girl chatted to colleague whist taking my blood and did not take enough....you can't make this up!

Anyhow I've been on 50 levo for 7 weeks but still have severe pain in shoulders, back, ear ache, brain fog and don't set me off about weight....however big improvements in other areas. I want to go to 75 however my doc is saying my bloods are fine on 50.

Serum TSH 0.05 0.02-6.00

Serum T4 10.8 pmol/L. 8.00 - 18.00 pmol/ L

Vitamin B12 684 ng / L. 140.00 ng /L However, sadly no vitamin D test

I'm I officially normal?. Sorry no previous tests....a girl can't remember everything, ha ha xx

[Ansteynomad]

Sounds like your GP, like mine, is going off your TSH rather than your FT4. Your average person, if such a creature exists, would have a high FT4 with a TSH that low, but your TSH is right at the bottom of the range.

He should be going off your FT4 and giving you an increase, but probably lacks the courage to do so because your TSH is low.

I've been through this process over the last few months. My TSH is suppressed as soon as I take any form of thyroid meds (tried 'em all in my time) and my GP would rather have me on 75mcg. Unfortunately, at that level I have loads of symptoms and signs. He thinks I'm taking 100mcg, which he is edgy about, but I'm actually on 150mcg now and doing extremely well.

[Redwinegirl in reply to Ansteynomad]

I so want to be that allusive normal creature.....maybe one day! I am presuming you buy the extra levo and self medicate? I thought about doing I've seen doc next week. X

[Ansteynomad in reply to Redwinegirl]

I’m not buying it at the moment, although I may have to look into that. I have a stash that got going after I cashed in a prescription for 25s and 50s and then two weeks later the GP gave me a scrip for 100s and someone on another forum who collects her prescriptions but actually takes NDT has just sent me some 100s and 50s. Where there’s a will…

[shaws Administrator]

Your doctor is wrong and this is an excerpt from

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

NB: Dr. Toft, Consultant Physician, states in the British Thyroid Foundation newsletter Issue No. 23 that normal ranges are: T4 (10 – 25) and TSH (0.15 – 3.5). He also states that "the correct dose is that which restores good health; in most patients this will be associated with a level of T4 in the blood towards the upper part of the normal range or even slightly high and a TSH level in the blood which is in the lower part of the normal range.

****

Dr Toft also states in this excerpt in an article in Pulse online that:-

But some need a higher dose of levothyroxine to suppress serum TSH and then the serum-free T4 concentration will be elevated at around 24-28pmol/l.

This ‘exogenous subclinical hyperthyroidism’ is not dangerous as long as serum T3 is unequivocally normal – that is, serum total around T3 1.7nmol/l (reference range 1.0-2.2nmol/l).

Even while taking the slightly higher dose of levothyroxine a handful of patients continue to complain that a sense of wellbeing has not been restored. A trial of levothyroxine and tri-iodothyronine is not unreasonable. The dose of levothyroxine should be reduced by 50µg daily and tri iodothyronine in a dose of 10µg (half a tablet) daily added.

[eeng]

I managed to get my doctor to let me try an extra 25ug a day (up from 50ug) by pointing out that my T4 levels were quite near the bottom of the range and by promising to watch out for any hyper symptoms and stop taking the extra straightaway. I did point out that it's not the low TSH that makes people hyper, it's high T4. If she hadn't agreed I would have been buying online by now.