I would take your results to your GP and ask for secondary or central hypothyroidism to be considered. Your FT4 is bottom of the range and one would expect to see TSH elevated with FT4 being so low. FT3 is currently good but will drop without sufficient T4 for conversion.
Secondary hypothyroidism is caused by pituitary dysfunction (hypopitutitarism) or by hypothalmic dysfunction (tertiary hypothyroidism). Your thyroid is probably healthy but without sufficient TSH stimulus won't be able to produce hormone.
Secondary/tertiary hypothyroidsm is treated with Levothyroxine to replace low thyroid hormone but management is usually by endocrinology who will want to check whether other hormones are affected.
Tettiger, Liver and kidney function can be sub optimal when hypothyroid and if they aren't due to other illness or disease should improve when thyroid is treated.
RBC can be low due to iron, B12 or folate anaemia.
Ask your BP to test ferritin, B12 and folate. Ask for vitD at the same time as it is often low/deficient in hypothyroid patients. Symptoms can include musculoskeltal pain, fatigue and low mood similar to hypothyroidism.
Hi again, I visited my GP today and he procrastinated about how he was happy to refer me to an endo and do all the tests suggested he said it was a "wild goose chase" and that "at your age you should expect these things". I'm 51 not 81!. When I asked about my liver and rbc he said that it would probably be ok now I wasn't takin Statins anymore. He said he was happy to do the tests, but hasn't organised anything! I took the NICE report, but he kind of dismissed it without reading it. I honestly felt as though I was annoying him
I just hope the endo I see is going to be sympathetic (Might this depend on what my GP writes in the referal).
Tetttigger, you can choose your endo in England and tell your GP who you'd like to see. Email louise.warvill@thyroiduk.org.uk for a list of member recommended endos.
I believe you can also ask to be copied on the referral letter your GP writes to the endo.
Hi Tetttigger. I was very interested to read your post as you seem to e in pretty much the same situation as me. Your results are similar to mine (my TSH is 2.51 and my T4 is 11.4. My doctor is refusing to do an antibody test as my results are in range, even though I am already diagnosed with Coeliac Disease. I have felt lousy for the last year, with hair loss, dry flaky skin, extreme fatigue, aches and pains etc but it has come to a head in the last week as the 'brain fog' is so ad that I feel I can't function properly at home or at work. I went back to the doctor today and, again he has assured me it's not my thyroid as all my results are in range and there is no point doing an antibody test for the same reason. He is going to do more blood tests (although I don't know what for yet as he is to going to give it some thought!!!). My blood test appointment isn't until 6th July and the doctor said it will take 3 weeks for the results as he will e testing for autoimmune diseases (although he hasn't decided which ones yet!!) and they take a while to come back. He said they might sneak a thyroid antibody test in too. I too was planning to have the tests done privately but now I don't know what to do. If I am going to e tested anyway I don't want to pay out but if I wait another month and they don't do the test that's another month (at least) of feeling rubbish. Any advice welcome. Thank you. And sorry to hijak your post Tetttigger x
Hi, no worries! I hope you get the tests you need. I had other blood tests, the Dr said my red blood cell count was low and liver function abnormal, but didn't go in to detail and I didn't feel as though I can ask. I have private medical insurance and so am going to see if he will refer me that way.
I know how you feel. I feel as if I shouldn't say anything and then I come away so angry because I know my body and how I feel and know something is not right but feel as if no one is listening to me. Surely if your liver function is not normal they should do something? So frustrating! I hope everything sorts itself out for you x
Thank you, strangely my cholesterol was so high (after being normal previously) that they put me on Stations. They have stopped them now because of the abnormal liver function result.
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