help with nhs blood test please for hypothyroid - Thyroid UK

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help with nhs blood test please for hypothyroid

butterflyfairy profile image
13 Replies

Hi got the print outs of my test and even though GP said normal to me...

test taken in april and was on 100mcg levo for hypo which had diagnosed in1995.

Free T4 above range on comments 20.4 pmol/L (10.0-19.8) GP did say it was slightly over but not to change dosage.

TSH states below low range on comments. 0.25 mU/L (0.35-5.5) GP said low because of higher t4?

Free T3 5.2pmol/L (3.5-6.5)

also should I have had more tests done? I am so exhausted/ill I just don't understand blood tests.

I am now taking 1/2grain of throiyd from tailand and 1/2 t4 levo as kindly advised on here.

should I get more tests now or wait for the NDT to kick in?

also does anyone understand how to read full blood when you have thalassmia trait as it does read differently.

thank you so much

xx

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butterflyfairy
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Clutter profile image
Clutter

Butterflyfairy, TSH is low because FT4 is high. Pituitary issues TSH to stimulate the thyroid gland to produce hormone when it detects low circulating hormone and shuts of TSH when it detects sufficient.

Your FT4 is mildly elevated and your GP is right to have told you to continue on the 100mcg dose. Reducing dose would decrease FT4 and FT3 which would probably increase your fatigue. Read Treatment Options in thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

FT3 5.2 is good. FT3 should rise as there is 4.5mcg of T3 in 1/2 grain NDT. If you are considering raising NDT wait 6-8 weeks before having a blood test.

thyrophoenix.com/adjusting_...

I can't help with the FBC and thalassemia trait.

butterflyfairy profile image
butterflyfairy in reply to Clutter

thank you-should I ask for antibodies test or would that have been evident in these tests?

I am sure had antibodies test before...

Clutter profile image
Clutter in reply to butterflyfairy

Butterflyfairy, If antibodies have been tested previously your GP may not agree to repeat the test. Some won't test antibodies when they are treating hypothyroidism with Levothyroxine because there is no treatment for Hashimoto's. If antibodies were positive when you were previously tested you have autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's). Gluten-free diet may help reduce Hashi flares and antibodies.

chriskresser.com/the-gluten...

butterflyfairy profile image
butterflyfairy in reply to Clutter

hi she told me that I didn't have hashimots because my T3 wasn't raised? i do avoid gluten and dairy. I eat as clean as I can. dont drink or smoke.

Clutter profile image
Clutter in reply to butterflyfairy

Butterflyfairy, elevated thyroid peroxidase antibodies determine Hashimoto's, not FT3 level. Ask your GP receptionist for your thyroid peroxidase antibody result and range.

Treepie profile image
Treepie

I see in an earlier post you said B12 was ok ,but what is ok? It needs to be at the top of the range.

butterflyfairy profile image
butterflyfairy in reply to Treepie

thank you-

b12 is 481.0ng/L (211.0-911.0)

but I do wear b12 patches didnt do so for the test though..

what do you think?

Treepie profile image
Treepie in reply to butterflyfairy

May be ok with the patches, apparently 20% is not utilised ,and 500 is the minimum level in Japan.Folk on this site reckon 900-1000 is right for us with our thyroid problems. So you were not optimal before.I do not know anything about patches.I take Jarrows methylcobalamin tablets.

gabkad profile image
gabkad

butterfly, it is unlikely you will feel any better on NDT because your thyroid blood levels on 100 mcg T4 were excellent.

Thalassemia trait, as you know, results in low range hemoglobin, small red blood cells etc. This is where you and your doctor need to focus. Usually there is a limit to how high hemoglobin (oxygen carrying capacity of the blood) can get with thalassemia trait. Also, you can't just take iron unless all the iron panel tests are done and they show you are deficient. Otherwise iron will build up in the tissues and this can result in toxicity.

Get help and good monitoring with the thalassemia.

butterflyfairy profile image
butterflyfairy in reply to gabkad

thank you maybeyou are right I cannot take iron as it would be toxic. I do need to search more into this aspect-as a child I was back and forth to hospital-outpatients due to so many infections after the scalet tina they just concluded that I hat thalaseemia trait. and that my father and sibling were carriers of infections!

so I just had to carry on...into adult hood just so prone for getting flu and always so exhausted!

then all other factors of emotional stress/birth pill/smoking(so stupid!)/being out on road as sales executive (all the fumes from the traffic)/thyroid diagnosed in 1995 then 1997 heptatis B injection-food poisoning in turkey from eating chicken! noticed adrenal fatigue sx's (only in hindsight not at present time) and then boom 1998 year got flu and never recovered! stuck with the label M.E. an american adrenal doctor said I had an adrenal burn out. Dr P put me on Florinef in 1999 and started to feel better. the adrenal rebuilder really helps me. and doing the adrenal test again next week via thyroid UK because I am so stressed in my body that I feel my cortisol is too high.

although I still feel it is cells-wether mitochondra damage or the thalasemma? but i do feel full of toxins that is why I feel so ill...the toxins

such a maze and I dont know if my GP can help further :(

gabkad profile image
gabkad in reply to butterflyfairy

Sounds like you've been through a lot.

A former employee had problems with red blood cells as well. We got her tested twice for hemoglobinopathy and both times the test was not conclusive. She had a high red cell count, hypochromic, microcytic, with ovalocytes, very small percentage of fetal hemoglobin, hemoglobin 117 which rose to 124 whie taking iron (which the M.D. okayed based on her negative hemoglobin tests) . But the iron ended up increasing ferritin without making much improvement on the hemoglobin and was stopped. I have no idea what to think. The new M.D. who had a lot more on the ball than her previous one was concerned that there may be some immunological issues. He wanted to check her out for these reasons. I don't think she followed up yet but now she's not working for a while and I'm hoping she gets checked out. She was tired a lot of the time and moving slowly. She could not, for example, run or walk quickly for a prolonged period of time without getting air hunger.

I also encouraged her to eat more quality protein, because blood production depends on protein as well. She got early menopause (age 38) which is not a benefit either. B12 was always excellent due to B complex supplementation. Thyroid function tests were all totally excellent. She's got a rather high HbA1c so borderlining on type 2 diabetes. Some doctors would treat at this level or at least do an OGTT but <shrug>..... I'm not the doctor.

Possibly these conditions get gradually worse as someone is getting older just from the fact that it's chronic and we run out of adaptive reserve.

butterflyfairy profile image
butterflyfairy in reply to gabkad

p.s Love the kitty :) I have two and they are my joy!

butterflyfairy profile image
butterflyfairy

i avoid dairy and gluten.

I don't drink water from tap.

in past did avoid aluminum and no stick cookware as heard of that before.

now starting NDT but again did that before...was on NDT armour for years and no change with illness...

also my lymphocytes have always been slightly raised..

I've never had a toxicity test and not sure how you get that done....

not had lymes test either...so maybe should as doctor for that?

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