Please can someone help with reading my blood results?

[BunnyTiffany]

Hi everyone,

This is my first post and I'm trying to understand my private thyroid blood test results. I now believe that I may have been suffering from hypothyroid symptoms for several years, but my GP has always told me that my thyroid results are 'normal'. The last couple of years the fatigue and lack of energy have been debilitating. I work from home and struggle to get out of bed, even after 9 - 10 hours sleep. Even when I do, I still feel so tired. A little bit of my background - I have anxiety (and have also suffered from depression) and have been on medication for over 20 years. I've tried to come off the medication several times over the years but was unsuccessful, so I have now resigned myself to accepting a low maintenance dose. I have recently gone through the menopause (I'm 53) so I attributed most of my symptoms to this. Also, my Vitamin B12 had been very low for years (the part of my small intestine that absorbs B12 was removed 12 years ago due to a twisted bowel). The GP only started treating me for low B12 when my level went under 170 pg/mL. It is now starting to rise and my recent blood test showed 560pg/mL.

I started taking my basal temperature two years ago and it has always been under 36C, usually between 35.4C and 35.8C, sometimes even lower. The GP wasn't interested in this at all. Some of my other symptoms are weight gain, thinning hair, cold feet, feeling really low, no motivation, the list goes on.

I am going to order a Vitamin D test next week and I have an appointment to see another GP in a three weeks time, so hopefully by then I will be more informed about my thyroid.

[Hidden]

You tsh although within range suggest your thyroid is struggling, I have had similar results and am now doing well on a natural dessicated thyroid extract and some adrenal support. You might find it impossible to get an NHS doctor to treat you. I believe you can get a list of private sympathetic doctors by emailing someone on this forum. Hopefully someone else will advise of email address. You also need to get your vit d, folate, ferritin tested. You Gp sounds very unhelpful not providing B12 soon enough. You B12 will need to be a bit higher around about 1000, it is still a bit low. I wonder if you could absorb the under the tongue B12 supplements to boost what your dr is giving you. They often dont give enough.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Bunnytiffiny,

You can email [e-mail] for a list of sympathetic endos/doctors that members have had positive experiences with.

Flower

[waveylines]

Hi Tiffany.

Sounds like you have been walking a really tough road. B12 deficiency or PA can often be linked with hypothyroidism. Although you Ft 4 is in range it is low, most people feel much better when it is higher in the range. However your GP will not take action am afraid as your TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone ) is well in range. Your blood results look like mine did in the preceeding period before my diagnosis. I felt very ill but was not treated until my TSH was high & out of range. Am so sorry. In other countries your TSH would be regarded as highly suspicious.

I don't know if you are aware that low thyroid & hypothyroidism can present as depression & people are often put on anti depressants. It maybe you have a separate condition but this might be worth considering.

Your options are on the NHS a waiting game or some people choose to self medicate. In your shoes I would get your folate, vit D and iron checked as they are often low & correcting these can help you feel better. Your GP should be able to do these blood tests. Always ask for a copy of your blood tests and keep a file. A steady trend of increasing TSH and lowering thyroid hormones will sometimes encourage GPs to allow you a trial of levothyroxine. However they have to be very careful as doctors have been pursued by the GMC for prescribing when TSH is still in range. Your GP will probably offer you a blood test in 3 months time.

Look on Thyroid Uk amid download their symptom sheet, ticking off what you are experiencing and give to your GP -they are supposed to take account of your signs & symptoms too.

Keep posting on here & let us know how you get on.

[Eddie83]

Your TSH is barely into the AACE range 0.3-3.0. But keep in mind that functional medicine practitioners want to see TSH in the 1-2 range. You need a mid-range FT4 assuming that does not make you jittery; your FT4 is barely into range. Your FT3 should be mid-range or better; yours is almost a point below mid-range (FT3 is key to feeling well). Together, these indicate a marginal thyroid system.

But what bothers me most is that your TPO and TG antibodies are not zero. Allopathic medicine has this fiction that some level of antibodies is "normal" or "safe". It is not. Over a very long period of time, low antibody levels will (gradually) destroy your thyroid; I know, because that is what happened to me.

Keep in mind that anxiety and depression are classic thyroid symptoms. As for depression, keep in mind that Kent Holtorf MD (a well-known US concierge doctor) has stated on twitter than T3 is the best anti-depressant, much better than any of the standard BigPharma tricyclic or SSRI anti-depressants. Once you get the rest of your nutritional issues treated, I suspect you would find thyroid treatment superior (no side-effects) to the anxiety or depression medication you are on now.

[tynebrand]

you have all the symptoms of low thyroid hope you get more tests and some tablets to help you.

[paulacat]

Your doctor should do, not just your TSH and T 4 as this is only the front door of your thyroid, your T4, T3, Free T4 and Free T3 as this will tell if your thyroid is converting to T3 I would try Vitamin D also B12 with multi B just look up what vitamins your body is getting depleted of as we do not get much in our food by the time it has travelled also don't touch table salt get proper salt rock or Himalayan just look up as we get older we need more ask your doctor to do b12 and D3, it is a shame but doctors have not got the time to research like us, but you can help yourself it is your body good luck let me know how you get on, if your doctor says she does not do those blood tests ask to be referred to an endocrinologist Paulacat.