I got my bloods back...

[AlliBalli]

Hi all,

I called my surgery today to ask if my bloods were back and the receptionist happily reported that everything was "normal" (don't feel the slightest bit normal!) I asked for a print out to try and make sense of it.  They done a full blood count, liver function, urea etc but only tested free t4 and TSH. Both look within range so why do I feel so awful??

Free T4 is 15.5. (9-24)

TSH is 4.18 (0.3-6)

Could my issues still be thyroid or am I losing my mind as the locum alluded to???

Thanks everyone. 😊

[shaws Administrator]

A normal TSH is below 1 usually. Yours is high and I'll give you a couple of links which might be helpful. It's amazing the amount of members have had to self-diagnose.

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/diagno...

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

on the left-hand side of either link click on About the Thyroid and click and fill in symptoms list of the one you think is most appropriate for you.

[AlliBalli in reply to shaws]

Thank you shaws, I've gone through the symptoms checklist and it's frightening how many of those I ticked!

[shaws Administrator in reply to AlliBalli]

I doubt any GP knows 1 symptom. There are over 300.

[Clutter]

AlliBall,

TSH 4.18 is high but FT4 15.5 isn't unduly low.  I don't think you are losing your mind, many members have been, and are, very symptomatic with TSH 2.5-3.0.  Unfortunately, protocols mean that you are unlikely to get a diagnosis until TSH is >6.0 or FT4 <9.0.

You may find a thyroid supplement like NutriThyroid helps for a while, and supplementing 100-200mcg selenium is a good thyroid support.

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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.

[greygoose]

By 'normal', they just mean 'in range'. But 'normal' is not 'optimal'. Given that in the real world, people are hypo at 3.0, you are very much hypo. And, by the way, that range is extraodinarily high at 6.0!!! Your FT4 isn't too bad - although not quite mid-range - but your FT3 could be low causing the TSH to be high.

The NHS won't test FT3 - of course - or anything else that is useful for thyroid - so, you could, if you can, get it done privately. In which case, it would be a good idea to get your antibodies done at the same time - TPOab and TgAB. And, also, vit D, vit B12, folate and ferritin. That will give you a far clearer idea of what is going on.