Blood Test Result Help

[Deb59]

Hi

I have just had my blood test through and my doctor has stated that I should keep to my dosage of thyroxine 150 each day. I asked for my Iron, folate, b12 and Vit D to be tested, fortunately this was not carried out so will get a private blood test done in a months time.

My results

Free T4 17.7. (12-22)

TSH 10.57 (0.27-4.20)

FT3 5.00 (3.1-6.8)

Looking at my results I thought that the Dr may have suggested I take an extra 25 maybe 3 times a week and 150 4 times a week?

Your advice will be much appreciated.

Many Thanks Deb

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Deb59 Oh for goodness sake! Why is it that these doctors will only go by TSH when a diagnosis is needed, in some cases it has to be over 10 to confirm hypothyroidism. Yet here you are with a TSH of 10.57, a diagnosed, treated hypo patient, and he's totally ignoring the fact that your TSH should be way down low in the range. Does he have **** for brains?

A quick squint at your profile shows that one of your posts mentions that you have Hashi's. Are you completely gluten free to try and reduce the antibody attacks. Are you also supplementing with selenium which also helps reduce them? Keeping TSH low also helps reduce them.

Have you ever been given this information:

Dr Toft, past president of the British Thyroid Association and leading endocrinologist, wrote this in a Pulse Online magazine article:

"The appropriate dose of levothyroxine is that which restores euthyroidism and serum TSH to the lower part of the reference range - 0.2-0.5mU/l.

In this case, free thyroxine is likely to be in the upper part of its reference range or even slightly elevated – 18-22pmol/l. Most patients will feel well in that circumstance.

But some need a higher dose of levothyroxine to suppress serum TSH and then the serum-free T4 concentration will be elevated at around 24-28pmol/l.

This 'exogenous subclinical hyperthyroidism' is not dangerous as long as serum T3 is unequivocally normal – that is, serum total around T3 1.7nmol/l (reference range 1.0-2.2nmol/l)."

If you email [e-mail] she will let you have a copy of the article which you can print out and show your GP.

I think you need to fight your corner and get that increase in your Levo.

[Deb59 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you for your reply, much appreciated.....don't know why I bother....I always get the best advice from this site!

[Clutter]

Deb59,

Your TSH is incredibly high considering you are taking 150mcg. One would expect to see your TSH suppressed <0.1 on that dose. Anyone taking Levothyroxine should have TSH 1.0 or lower. Your GP should increase your dose to 175mcg to see whether TSH comes down from 10.75 and do a coeliac blood screen to rule out gluten intolerance which is a frequent cause of malabsorption of Levothyroxine. If coeliac disease is ruled out GP should refer you to endocrinology and gastroenterology.

[Jazzw in reply to Clutter]

Surely some of it is being absorbed with an FT3 of 5??

[Clutter in reply to Jazzw]

Jazzw,

The high TSH will be stimulating conversion of T4 to T3.

[Jazzw in reply to Clutter]

Mmm, maybe. But my money's still on a typo!

[Deb59 in reply to Clutter]

Thank you Clutter....thank goodness for this site. I have learnt so much. Your help is much appreciated.

[Jazzw]

Is that a typo? How could you have a TSH of 10+ with Ft3 and FT4 nicely up their ranges??

[Deb59 in reply to Jazzw]

Hi Jazzw. No not a typo TSH is 10.57......I just have a very weird body!

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Would your "exocrine pancreatic insufficiency" reduce uptake of Levo?

Or is your high TSH causing pancreatic issues

Personally I would get private test for Vit d ASAP if never done

Coeliac investigation very good idea too, by a gastroenterologist if standard coeliac blood test is negative. It is not a 100% reliable test.