Help interpreting blood results please

[Hawkwind]

Hi I had a thyroid blood test done with Blue Horizon as my GP is useless! and they said everything is normal and within range. I am so disappointed though as I was hoping something would show up so that I Could show my GP and it would help me to be referred to an endocrinologist.

I have been ill for 25 years with severe PMDD and fatigue & depression and 2 year ago I was diagnosed with subclinical hypothyroidism and started on 25mcg of levothyroxine. Since my total hysterectomy 3 months ago I have felt worse than ever even though I have altered my dose of HRT, I asked my GP if I could raise the dose of levothyroxine to see if that would help me but she refused because my levels were normal. I have always taken my levo before any blood tests that I had done in the past as I didn't realise I shouldn't have. But I didn't with this one.

If there is anybody who could look at my results and give me any advice I would greatly appreciate it. I thought I may have trouble converting T4 to T3 but with these results I am thinking that maybe the trouble I am having is maybe more linked to my adrenals or something else?

I was advised by Blue Horizon that to check my levels of vitamins i should not have been taking supplements for a month, but I had only been off them 1 week when I had the blood test as I was anxious to get the test done.

My Blue Horizon results are shown below, should I be able to see a NHS endo with these results and the fact that I am really suffering with Depression, excessive tiredness, loss of hair etc.

Test. Result. Normal Range

Free T4. 14.94. 12-22

Free T3. 4.10. 3.1-6.8

TSH. 3.99. 0.27-4.20

T4 Total 98.8. 64.5- 142.0

Anti-thyroid peroxide ABs 11.2. <34

Anti-thyroglobin ABs. 20.0. <115

Biochemistry

CRP. 0.90. <3.0

Ferritin. 87.7. 20-150

Vitamins

VIt B12. 417. deficient<140

Insufficient 140-250

Serum Folate. 29.60. 10.4-42.4

Many thanks.

[rosetrees]

Have you been tested for Lyme Disease? Turned out to be the root cause of all my problems. Lyme undermines the endocrine system and can cause almost any symptom you can think of.

[waveylines]

Hi Hawkwind,

Looking at your results on 25mcg of levothyroxine it would suggest that you under prescribed. The problem with a low dose of levothyroxine like 25mcg is that it can actually depress the TSH -this is what the emminent Dr Lowe said. I can't help wondering how much your TSH would rise if you weren't taking that very small dose of Levo. On the meds your TSH of nearly 4 and low Ft4 which is barely in range indicate that you are under medicated and would indeed benefit from an increase in your levothyroxine.

You sound like you have had and are having a really tough time. Is there a more sympathetic doctor in your GP Practise who would consider raising your levothyroxine? The endocrine system interacts with its different compononant -principally this is the Adrenals, thyroid and Ovaries. When one is out of whack it affects the rest of the system. In your case your Adrenals will be working hard to try to compensate for the thyroid.

The other thing is your B12 is lower then the recommended level that the Perncious Anemia Society recommends -they say no one should be under 500. So you could look at B12 supplements. Low B12 causes all sorts of symptoms but a very common feature is severe fatigue. Low B12 is very common in hypothyroidism. Another symptom of hypothyroidism is depression.

I have a dear friend who has suffered with depression for years -recently she was diagnosed with hypothyroidism and put onto levothyroxine -she is a different person and no longer depressed. She can't believe it!

[gabkad]

Your doctor should increase your dose and see how you feel. 25 mcg is a baby dose.

[Clutter]

Hawkind, I agree with the others, you are undermedicated. Read Treatment Options in thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_... Email [e-mail] for a copy of the Pulse article if you would like to show it to your GP.

Good news is that antibodies are negative for autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's).

B12 is a bit low so you should resume supplementing and take a B Complex vitamin to keep the other B vits balanced.

Folate and ferritin are good.

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I am not a medical professional and this information is not intended to be a substitute for medical guidance from your own doctor. Please check with your personal physician before applying any of these suggestions.

[Marz]

Low VitD can also affect mood

I agree with all the others that you are under-medicated. 25mcg is just a starter dose for people with heart issues or who are frail. I started on 25mcg and felt so much worse than before.....

Hope you soon feel stronger...

[shaws]

Your TSH is too high for you to feel well. Doctors are only interested in the range and if you're within it they hallucinate that the patient cannot be having a problem with low thyroid hormones. They are, however, willing to prescribe any other medication for the symptom rather than a decent dose.

The best thing a doctor can say to his patient is 'how are you feeling' and if patient is still unwell they aren't on sufficient hormones. Some of us need a very low or suppressed TSH - not 'somewhere' in the range.