TSH 3.94 taken late afternoon?

[malone1]

Ive read that it can vary alot by time of day and that morning first thing give best result. Does anyone know what the variance is likely to be? Just wondered if I had tested morning would I have been over the range 4.2 top? Not that it matters really as just started self medicating on Nature Throid yesterday - yikes! Just curious though>

[ivy77]

In the morning would be lower then......but i think this is irrelevant really, they recommend measurements at the same part of the day, mornings or afternoons, to be comparable and in the same lab!! Becasue various lab results may vary hugely with some patients( my brothers for example)!

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to ivy77]

TSH is usually highest early in the day. Have a look at the graph here:

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

The difference between lowest and highest TSH shown on the graph there is around 1. So 3.94 in mid to late afternoon could well be nearer 4.9 at, say, 08:00 in the morning. But this difference will vary both between individuals and, most likely, to some extent within an individual. It could be close to zero difference in some people. Do have a look at the paper linked from that post.

Rod

[malone1 in reply to helvella]

Thanks so much. Will do

[ivy77 in reply to helvella]

Wooh i mixed it up i was always thinking if you rest its lower lol...but i think its just important to compare similar results when titrating it.....from the same lab....i did not notice difference in my case, mine w never varying so much

[Hidden in reply to ivy77]

Yes it is important to have a consistent time to have a comparison... but I always make sure it's early morning! As helvella's chart shows it is possible to be hypo in the morning and 'normal' by afternoon.

[ivy77 in reply to helvella]

Thanks !! Very nice article......i was always measuring it in that lower period, so if mine was 3.5 its actually 4.5 in the evening, but the ref range was also not established testing patients in the midnight .....

This is so miserable when you have to perform stunts for a docs to take you seriously, my tsh was 3.98 for .years!!! I even have 2 tests done 2 years apart and the result was 3.98 in both!!

[Clutter in reply to ivy77]

It's very relevant to someone desperate for TSH to be over range in order to get a diagnosis, Ivy, or someone who's GP refuses to increase their Levothyroxine because their results are in range.

[ivy77 in reply to Clutter]

Can i ask something pls very curious? How much you pay in UK for 1 visit to lets say thyroid doctor?

[Clutter in reply to ivy77]

Ivy, Our NHS is funded out of general taxation and national insurance contributions (another tax basically) so most primary care and hospital care is free at the point of use.

[ivy77 in reply to Clutter]

The same is here, but if i would have so bad doc and i am aware of his issues i would pay for a doc myself....this is what i am doing for 3 years.........i pay 45% taxes here and am not rich .....i think people in developed countries can afford a little bit better, so how much would that 1 visit cost for privately docs?

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to ivy77]

Most of us use the National Health Service which is free at point of delivery. That is, nothing paid for an appointment - funding is through the UK tax system.

Rod

[Spareribs in reply to ivy77]

12% of wages is national insurance - i.e. doctors and hospitals for most of us,

if I was 9 miles away I may get 'free' prescriptions (Wales) some are 'lucky' to get cancer treatment if they're in postcode. It's a very fair system.

(depending on your interpretation of the word 'fair') J

[Spareribs]

or fix my teeth lol!

strange how everyone thinks we're rich in the UK 'tho....

[Hidden]

A private consultation ia average £200 in northern England for about half an hour

[ivy77 in reply to Hidden]

that comes cheaper to you because i pay 90 eur for 30 mins too, so you pay 200 to get proper diagnosis, thats like monthly train ticket i suppose (my monthly train ticket is 45 eur) , and then later go to NHS for other appointments......

i can not even do that, becasue here the waiting list is 6 months for an appointment with NHS docs!! i am frustrated.....

[Ellie-Louise in reply to ivy77]

What country are you talking about?

[ivy77 in reply to Ellie-Louise]

Croatia :)...i hope my doc wont read into here lol

[Ellie-Louise in reply to ivy77]

He's probably too busy raking it in. lol

[ivy77 in reply to Ellie-Louise]

lol...as many of them are......i am so pissed at the whole system :)cant hide it lol

[malone1]

Ahem MY question lol

[ivy77 in reply to malone1]

your TSH is too high ......to be sure you need medications ultrasound can be done ,where he can see the quality of thyroid tissue, if you have those cold/hot spots(cant remember proper name for them now :).......and even conventional medicine targets TSH 0.5-2 lvls....so you should get checked properly

[Happy-go-lucky]

Your best to take it early and an hour before food. But I take levothyroxine so think that's a bit different. Have you been diagnosed? If so the doctor will know what level to put you on after your blood test. Hope that helped Erica x

[Hidden]

wow! you know everyone in the uk?!!! sweeping statement...

[Hidden]

Good luck with the nature throid! I'm interested to see how it goes.

[Muffy]

It can make all the difference between diagnosis and non-diagnosis.