TSH levels - what are your thoughts pls? 4.18miu/L (0.3-5.5)

[mrspinkrat]

Well I finally managed to get my TSH levels from the GP today, although it has been a battle!

Levels are 4.18 mIU/L (0.3 to 5.5).

Now I am new to all this, so not really sure what that means. If anyone has any thoughts please could you let me know?

I was originally borderline hypothyroid last August, retested and put onto 50 mg of levothyroxine.

I have had two or three retests .and this is the latest result from February. I'm feeling okay in myself, not too tired, but I do suffer with bitter taste and a dry mouth and very recently have also developed tinnitus in one ear.

Also, I'm 44 years of age. My periods have been intermittent since last August - I have only had three periods in that time.I am now being tested for early menopause. Recent blood tests also showed vitamin D deficiency but the GP did not feel that I needed supplementing at this point as it could merely be due to the winter season......??

Any comments would be great thank you very much!

[HarryE]

That's way too high! Mine didn't even reach that when I felt at my worst. On medication you should be aiming for about 1.

And Vit D needs to be sorted out too, the NHS deficient is much more than deficient, it's probably almost on the floor.

[Hidden]

I agree with Harry and am surprised that you are not feeling too bad.MyTSH was the same as yours when I did an annual blood test last year and I felt awful. I asked my GP to look at my results over the past few years and said that if he left me on the same 50 mcgs Levo for yet another year I'd likely be out of the top end of the range by 2014.

Thankfully he started to raise my meds to gradually bring the reading down.

Also I did not realise the importance of Vitamin D to be optimal not just in range.....was told to get out in the sun as much as possible during summer and only supplement a little in winter.However,now I take D3 tablets every day to help with joint pain.it wasn't until joining this support group that I began to learn how important Vitamins are to our thyroid health and never dreamt that I was deficient.I hope you get help soon .

[Clutter]

I 4th what they've said, you're undermedicated and you need to supplement vitD3 to get your levels up. I'd suggest 5,000iu capsules daily for a month and then drop to 5,000iu every other day if you're able to soak up rays and do it the old fashioned way.

[mrspinkrat in reply to Clutter]

Hi Clutter, thank you for your comment. Is this safe to do? Would I be better to wait for another blood test and try to get the GP to prescribe supplements or would you recommend just going ahead and trying to sort myself out??

[Clutter in reply to mrspinkrat]

If you're deficient <20 you need prescription for a loading dose approaching 300,000iu followed by a maintenance dose of 2,000 daily for 8/12 weeks and then retest. Once you test as 'optimal' scrip will cease but you will build on it if you can get outside a few hours a week.

If you're low you will probably have to self supplement but my sister's vitD was 45 (insufficient) and her GP has prescribed 20,000iu twice a week. New NICE guidelines are off the press this week and your GP may not have seen them yet vitamindcouncil.org/vitamin...

Make sure to take supplements 2 hours away from Levothyroxine.

[mrspinkrat]

Thank you everyone. I'm not sure what to do now. Do I go back to my GP and tell her she's not doing her job properly??!!

I'm not particularly assertive or confrontational so am not sure how to handle this.....

[Clutter]

Explain that you still have symptoms and have been researching BTF, BTA and ThyroidUK and that medication needs to be increased until clinical symptoms resolve and TSH is just above or below 1.

You've bought a print out of the VitD guidelines in case she hasn't come across them yet and you're sorry you didn't think to print off the BTF and BTA guidelines.