Can anyone help with my results?

[MERYLB]

I have been ridiculously tired, my nails break and hurt, depressed and grumpy and put on over 1.5 stones in weight. I got my thyroid tests back but the doctor wants to wait 2 months to do more tests which is frustrating. Is this normal? Thank you!

[Leahcollett3]

hi, even though it says your slightly elevated - this is still hypothyroidism - mine was 5.8 and i was put on medication as i was borderline but still very symptomatic. i would keep booking appointment and annoy the hell out of them until they put you on medication - i was in with my doctors every week explaining how shitty i felt. but i researched and researched the condition so i knew inside and out what was going to. so educate yourself on the diesase then go to them all guns blazing.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Say you have been in contact with the NHS recommended thyroid support group. Then you could ask him to test for thyroid antibodies and also check vitamin D, B12, folate and ferritin.

If thyroid antibodies are high this means you have autoimmune thyroid called Hashimoto's - and more likely that he would start you on replacement thyroid hormone (Levothyroxine) sooner.

Common, if hypo to have low levels of Vitamin D, B12, folate and/or ferritin. Do NOT supplement before being tested

Always get print out of test results for your own records - important that they have the ranges (figures in brackets after) too. Lab ranges vary from lab to lab or even in same lab sometimes.

[eeng]

They always do 2 tests about 8-12 weeks apart because things like an infection can apparently cause the TSH to be higher than normal. That's the excuse they give anyway.

[humanbean]

If the test you've had showing an elevated TSH is the first the doctor has seen it is standard practice to make the patient wait for three months and then test again to see if the problem resolves itself. Sometimes people can get temporary thyroid problems from viruses or infections and the problem resolves. I've never actually come across anyone this has happened to though, and I've been using thyroid forums for quite a while now.

On the other hand some doctors can look at over the range TSH results for years and declare it to be normal every time. Doctors don't really believe hypothyroidism is a serious problem so some of them just ignore it.

Ask your surgery for access to your medical records online. You will need to take proof of identity with you, then register for an account online. You might get access, you might not. (My surgery is still dragging its heels. I asked again yesterday. *Sigh*)

If you can't get access online then you'll have to ask for paper copies of your results. Expect to be charged for paper and ink but it shouldn't be a lot.

Ask for the results of all the blood tests you've had for the last 2 - 3 years or so. (I'll leave it up to you how much you ask for.) You want the actual results and the reference ranges.

When you have thyroid function tests always do the following :

1) Arrange the blood draw for first thing in the morning. TSH has a circadian rhythm and the highest result you can get in office hours is first thing in the morning by 9am at the latest. The later you leave it the lower your TSH will be.

2) Don't eat or drink anything except water from about 10pm the night before until after the blood draw.

3) Once you get a prescription for Levo, remember to always leave 24 hours between your last tablet and the blood draw. So, if you normally take your Levo in the morning, remember the day before the test to take a tablet early in the morning the day before the blood draw. Don't take it the morning of the test. Once the test is over take your levo as normal.