tsh range

[jazzanne]

hi everyone am in the uk what is the range for tsh, my tsh was 3.7, i did not get a full profile done, could my t4 and t3 we wonky without knowing ? many thanks x

[helvella Administrator]

There is NO single UK range for TSH. The reference ranges for many, many tests vary from lab to lab. The only range you can safely use is the one issued by the lab that performed the test.

Having said that, the TSH ranges do not vary as much as many others. Most people here would regard 3.7 as being too high and indicative of some degree of hypothyroidism.

[jazzanne in reply to helvella]

hi helvella, i think my nhs lab range is 0.2 - 4.0 if it is within that range they dont test t4 etc unless requested

[Fruitandnutcase]

My hospital uses 0.35-5.5 - depressing when you think about that RFU123 says about over 2.5 being hypo elsewhere.

[helvella Administrator in reply to Fruitandnutcase]

However we see numerous people in the USA not getting treated at 2.5. PR4NOW has posted that the reduction of the number at which action should be taken, although talked about for years, really still has not happened. He is in the USA.

[jazzanne]

i was thinking of paying for private tests, should i get t4 and t3 done am not sure what you call them x

[jazzanne]

it was only the full blood count they did , that takes in esr tsh glucose etc,

[helvella Administrator in reply to jazzanne]

Full Blood Count does not include TSH. Indeed, I am fairly sure it does not include glucose either.

labtestsonline.org.uk/under...

[Ali_r]

The UK is driven by conforming to NICE guidelines. If you look at their website they are basing these on research that is for the most part way over 10 years old. There are two semi recent papers (2008 and 2009). Given the exponential increase in endocrine problems and understanding of the issues over the last ten years, this does not seem to be good enough.

[helvella Administrator in reply to Ali_r]

It is even worse than that. There are NO NICE guidelines for hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism. What appears on the NICE website are the old Clinical Knowledge Summaries - these do not count as NICE guidelines and were simply inherited by NICE.

I agree that they are grossly inadequate in numerous ways and the whole state of affairs is extremely unsatisfactory.

[Ali_r in reply to helvella]

Aha! But they certainly don't make that clear. There is a site which purports to give advice to GPs (cks.nice.org.uk/hypothyroid... )

If those ain't guidelines, I don't know what are ...😂

p.s. Actually got it wrong. There is a 2010 reference too. Three semi recent references.

[helvella Administrator in reply to Ali_r]

That is exactly what I meant cks = clinical knowledge summary

Go here:

nice.org.uk/guidance

Look for hyper/hypo-thyroid guidance. Don't think you'll find them - and they are the formal NICE guidance. The CKS, as I said, simply inherited.

[Hidden in reply to helvella]

Aha! So when Norman Lamb told me thyroid treatment in this country was conforming to NICE guidelines he was lying in his teeth! I wonder if that is because he is a weasel and knew what he was saying, or a eejit and too stupid to be in post. Grrr.

[jazzanne]

This is really bad surely something must be done and more gps made aware of the guidelines