Thyroid disoder

[Njenga]

Recently I had a Thyroid test and the result was High TSH of 6.3 uiu/mL and normal T3 of 4.32 pmol/L and T4 of 16.20 pmol/L.

Please help me to understand what these mean and do I need to be on medication?

[Ruthi]

We really need to see the ranges to make informed comments. I suspect that your T3 and T4 are low in the range which is why your TSH is elevated. In general optimal T4 and T3 are high in the range, and TSH is around 1.00. 

[shaws Administrator]

Welcome to our forum and I will say you are hypothyroid. When you give your blood results it's helpful if the ranges are also stated as labs differ throughout the country that's why ranges are important.

The guidelines of the British Thyroid Association state that the doctors should wait till the TSH reaches 10 before prescribing but, thankfully, there are some who will if it is just over top of range (around 5 or 6) taking clinical symptoms into account.

It's a whole new learning process for us unfortunately but if means we recover more quickly it's worth it.

Your blood tests should be at the very earliest and don't eat before test. You can drink water. Also allow 24 hours between your last dose of levothyroxine (when prescribed) and the test. This allows your TSH to be at its highest as doctors are apt to adjust our doses (wrong) to keep the TSH in the range. We feel best when our TSH is around 1 or lower and some need it suppressed.

Ask GP to also test B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate and thyroid antibodies. We are usually deficient in vitamins/minerals.

I hope your GP prescribes levothyroxine for you and the starting dose is 50mcg.

If your doctor doesn't want to prescribe until your TSH is 10 then ask him to do these  blood tests. They shouldn't let you suffer as I expect you have clinical symptoms with a TSH of 6.

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