Help i'm confused !!

[LucyC76]

Hi i wonder if anyone could help me please, i was diagnosed with an over active thyroid about 15 years ago and had to under go a full thyroidectomy about 12 years ago, just lately i have started to feel unwell again i went to the doctors and had a TFT and had a call from the surgery asking me in to discuss the results, when i asked her for the test result's she just said they were extremely high at 18 but that is all she had on screen to give me until i see the doctor on Monday, would this mean that my Levothyroxine will need to be reduced or upped ? and how would this of happened after 12 years of normal levels ?, Help i'm confused !!!!!

[humanbean]

It's impossible to be sure with just a number, but I would guess that your TSH is 18, which is horribly high, making you very hypothyroid (underactive). You will need substantially more levothyroxine (at the very least). You probably have low in range or below range Free T4 and Free T3 as well. You might need T3 to go with the levo as well.

But this is all speculation. We need numbers.

When you see your doctor please ask for your ferritin, vitamin B12, vitamin D and folate to be measured, because they are essential in allowing you to convert your T4 into T3.

When you get an increase in dose, please make sure you are re-tested in 6 - 8 weeks. Don't allow yourself to be left to rot for months.

[LucyC76 in reply to humanbean]

Thank's for the advice and after reading other people's post i definitely will be asking the doctors for a full print out of my results, it's crazy because i didn't know half the thing's about my illness until looking it up on here, i was in such a bad place all those years ago i just got on with it and went along with everything they told me and never questioned any of it but iv'e never felt completely well even after all these year's and just lately i feel rubbish

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Usual advice on ALL thyroid tests, (home one or on NHS) is to do early in morning, ideally before 9am. No food or drink beforehand (other than water)

If you are taking Levo, then don't take it in 24 hours before (take straight after). This way your tests are always consistent, and it will show highest TSH, and as this is mainly all the medics decide dose on, best idea is to keep result as high as possible