Blood Tests

[ib1703]

I was diagnosed with hypo in August and started on 100mcg Levo. Since then I have increased Levo (even though within TSH range) and now on 125mcg. Just had further blood tests completed via consultant route (range in brackets).

Free T4 18.5 (12-22) is it better to be higher or lower?

Free T3 4.2 (3.9-6.7) is it better to be higher or lower?

TSH 1.47 (0.27-4.2) I noticed on previous reading Lab had stated this is >60 years and <60 years range is 0.1 - 2.0.

Thyroid Peroxidase ABS 24 (0-49)

Views on the above?

Even though I have been in range on TSH for last two blood tests I have increased my Levo by 25mcg (now a total of 125mcg daily) and I intend to increase it further. Still don't feel clear of symptoms. I assume that as body gets the T4/T3 back on track the dose may need to go up as the body gets back to normal working. So it's a combination of increasing the dose to find the right level in the first place and increase it as your body starts functioning again - correct? I want to get TSH as low as possible. With hindsight it would have been good to track body functions over the course of my life to see what was normal for me. Maybe one day we will all be doing that with various devices. Maybe one day more of us will be taking Levo as Thyroid deteriorates - there's probably a lot of people out there that should take it?

Is there a document that states all blood test ranges and whether there's an age difference factor as with TSH? Is there an ideal number for each (not just a range)?

Diagnose tests in August were TSH 8.48 and Free T4 10.

I'm told I don't have Hashimoto's and I'm having an ultrasound carried out next by consultant.

Thanks

[Gill-56]

Hope you don't mind if I follow, as all interesting points here.

[greygoose]

Ib, there are a lot of things that affect TSH, but I Don't think age is one of them! Bear in mind that ranges are totally man-made, and Don't always reflect reality. In fact, TSH rarely refects reality itself because it is so unstable. if I were you, I would totally forget the TSH and concentrate on the FT4 and FT3. BTW, I'm 70 and my TSH has been suppressed for at least ten years.

It doesn't look as if you have Hashi's according to those results. BUT... they only did one test out of two. That one may be negative, but the TgAB (which they rarely do for some reason, leaving a huge number of people undiagnosed) could be positive. And, quite apart from that, one negative antibody test does not entirely rule out Hashi's, because antibody levels fluctuate - they could just have been having a tea break when the test was done!

FT4 could be higher, it's not much over mid-range.

Your FT3 should be much higher, it's not even mid-range. You might have a slight conversion problem there, but the FT4 would need to be a bit higher to really tell.

But, all that is theoretical. What really counts is how you feel. The problem with ranges is that it supposes that we are all the same. We aren't. And what suits one person won't necessarily suit another. So, if you feel well with these results, then all is fine. But if you Don't feel well, then you definately have room for an increase in dose.

You are the expert on your own body. Only you can know how you feel. Blood tests are only a rough guide.

[ib1703 in reply to greygoose]

Thank you for your response. Appreciated.

NHS seems to be driven by TSH readings...especially in subsequent blood tests after being on medication because that's all NHS labs seem to test.

The lab (it's actually the hospital lab) stipulates different ranges on the output one for under 60 and the other for over 60! Why is that? I'm 60 by the way.

How would you get FT4 higher....take more Levo and see if FT3 goes up or not?

[greygoose in reply to ib1703]

Trying an increased dose of T4 would be a good start. It should raise the FT4, but won't necessarily raise the FT3. But, at least then we would know if you're converting.

If you aren't converting very well, then the next step would be to procure some T3...

You say you intend to increase your T4, does that mean you are self-treating? If you are, then no problem for the T3, you can just buy some on-line and add in a small dose, see how it goes. But if you are relying on the NHS, then you might have problems getting it prescribed. Doctors Don't like prescribing it because it's expensive - and they've been indoctrinated into believing that it doesn't 'work' - which just has to be the stupidest idea ever!

And that's the whole problem with the NHS! FIrstly, money is more important than patients' health, so they Don't prescribe the more expensive things, and Don't do the most expensive tests. Secondly, their education is domminated by Big Pharma who has a vested interest in keeping us sick.

And that's where the TSH comes in. If doctors dose to keep the TSH 'in range', the patient is usually going to stay ill, with lots of symptoms. As the doctor hasn't been educated to recognise symptoms, he is going to treat each one individually (whereas a decent dose of T3 would get rid of them all!) thereby making more money for BP.

Think about it all, all the symptoms, and all the Junk they prescribe to 'treat' them. The biggest money-spinner being statins. Being hypo usually means high cholesterol, so they prescribe statins on the pretext that all that cholesterol is going to give you a heart attack - it isn't, of course. Another symptom is weight-gain, so they'll give you appetite suppressors, and other Junk that will ruin your liver and kidneys, but - hey! - we can 'treat' that with another drug! And depression! BP is making a fortune out of anti-depressants that Don't work and can be dangerous - and people get hooked on them so they want even more! What a great ruse that is! Look at all that money Rolling in!

Oh, do I sound bitter? Well, I am! lol So, there you have the explanation of the TSH - the most useless test ever devised. Even the man that invented it says that it's pretty useless, and it was never intended to be used alone, but as part of a battery of tests. But, it's cheap, you see. The FT3 test is much more expensive. So, we Don't do that!

Successive générations of doctors are being more and more badly trained in the recognition and treatment of thyroid problems. Big Pharma controls the purse strings and has a big input into what doctors learn at med school. So, putting one and one together, I come up with two... And that's more than most doctors can do!