Thyroid Blood Test Results

[stephanie2424]

Hi Guys, I recently post this post below... And the help and feedback I received was amazing. I have interesting blood results from my latest tests and would like some more advice / discussion on what you think may have happened.

Here is my original post:

"Hi guys,

I'm 22 and been on 50mg of Levo for 8 months. The first 3-4 months for me were horrific, feeling tired anxious and emotionally all over the place, within the last 8 weeks I have really improved and started to feel like 'me' again, however my blood results came back as 'within range' so my doctor suggested lowering me to 25mg. I firmly told him that I wasn't quite comfortable to do that yet as I've only just started to improve and I show no signs of overdosing, I'm still cold, dry skin, a long day at work and I'm passed out in bed by 8pm etc...

Fortunately he agreed with me and said he will send me for another blood test and leave me on 50mg and we would review it next time I saw him.

When I went to pick up my prescription last week I had seen another doctor at my practice (who I have never been dealt with) had signed my prescription off but only offered me 25mg!! I tried asking the receptionist but as she kept telling me she was just the receptionist and didn't know!

As I needed my meds I have been doubling up every morning so the pills come up to 50mg, however the day before my blood test I only took 25mg and on the day I didn't eat or take my meds prior to the test.

I then felt grotty the following day, could that be a result of this? Also how effective do you think it is not taking Levo before blood tests?

I am now awaiting my results and have an appointment with the doctor in 2 weeks. I want to go armed with as much knowledge as possible so any advice is welcome! Also are the doctors allowed to lower your dosage without consent? I felt totally violated and upset because they aren't the ones who suffer!"

SO, even though newly prescribed 25mg, I doubled up so am still on 50mg... but I almost feel the results reflect what I would have expect on 25mg? I still feel fine in myself, I finally started work again this month, I do get tired in the evenings but compared to what I have been through it is not bothering me. I just feel really happy and healthier again... yet my levels seem to be on a roller coaster!

Can someone confirm that my last set of results show under active? What does it mean when my TSH is so high?!

My blood results came in yesterdays and were as followed

T4 = 13 (Range 9 - 22)

TSH = 11.8 (Range 0.35-5.5)

2 months ago

T4 = 23

TSH = 0.5

4 months ago

T4 - 14.4

TSH - 1.15

8 months ago

T4 - 8.9

TSH - 8.63

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH IN ADVANCE

[foreversummer]

It means you doctor is a fool! You are hypo and you need your medication increasing and regular six weekly blood tests thereafter until your levels stabilise. Thank goodness you didn't take his advice and drop to 25mcgs.

Foreversummer

[fennel]

you are not supposed to take your levo on the same day as a blood test or it will give a false result. You have to go for your blood test first, and then take that day's dose afterwards. If you can get it done again it will be better and perhaps the doctor won't be so ready to reduce your dose. In fact the TSH test is total rubbish and you will get a better idea of what is happening by taking your temperature early in the morning before you get up. But the doctors all like the test, and don't go on symptoms, so I try and be a bit creative when it is time for the test lol !!

[stephanie2424 in reply to fennel]

Haha oh really? How?

When I asked my doctor if taking my Levo before a blood test effected the results he said no! But I still didn't take it this last time ...

[greygoose in reply to stephanie2424]

Stéphanie, some time soon you are going to realise that you cannot believe anything your doctor says about thyroid, because he knows nothing! Some of them don't even seem to know what it is, or what it does! There is no way he would know if it affected your results or not because there has been no official research on the subject - and even if there had been, he probably wouldn't be up-to-date on it - and he has no personal experience, and he doesn't listen to his patients when they tell him how things work in the real world.

The odd doctor here and there may know the odd thing about thyroid that they've picked up over the years, but their training is abismal in this area. They have something like one afternoon on the thyroid in their whole 7+ years of med school. So if they happened to be absent that day, or had a hang-over or whatever, their knowledge of thyroid is zero. In any case, because so little time is spent on it in med school - as opposed to how to prescribe poisonous drugs - they think it is of little consequence. But, because they have been to med school (and we haven't) they think they must know all there is to know and everything else is irrelevant. Some of them will admit that, others just say the first thing that comes into their head and make it all up as they go along.

So, my advice to you would be : whenever your doctor tells you anything about thyroid, just nod and avoid committing yourself. And as soon as you get home, Google it! Or post a question on here. And that way you will learn more about your thyroid than your doctor will ever know!

Hugs, Grey

Disclamer : I am generalising horribly here, and will admit (if forced to!) that there are a few exceptions to this rule. But not a lot!

[Clutter]

Stephanie, TSH 11.8 is overtly hypothyroid. TSH of people on medication is usually comfortable just above or below 1.0. Scroll down to Guidelines and Treatment Options to read Dr. A. Toft's comments in Pulse Magazine thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

If you want a copy of the article to show your GP email [e-mail]

When you see your GP make sure s/he knows that you were taking 50mcg when you were tested as it needs raising to 75mcg with a follow up thyroid test in 6/8 weeks as it may need increasing further. Ask your GP to test thyroid peroxidase and thyroglobulin antibodies as autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's) can cause considerable fluctuation in thyroid levels until Levothyroxine controls it.

[stephanie2424 in reply to Clutter]

Thank you so much! I will keep you updated my next appointment is a week today