Hi can anybody help me please? I have just got my blood results back today after suffering extreme fatigue with brain fog and weight gain. My blood results are;
TSH 4.92
T4 11.5
I haven't seen the doctor yet but the receptionist told me i have to wait 6 months for another test but my TSH is above range and mt T4 is bordering on low, am i right? Thanks in advance for any answers.
Lucy xxx
Ask for a print out with ranges, but yes, your TSH is probably below the lab range, but indicates a thyroid in real difficulty, and your T4 is probably below range, but anyway is at the bottom of the range.
Speaking as someone whose white coat is imaginary, but has been where you are now, I think you are clearly hypothyroid. You must be feeling dreadful, and have you other symptoms? Scalloped tongue, missing third of eyebrows, lowered slowed voice, memory problems, high cholesterol, feeling cold, etc etc. The more relevant symptoms you can take to the gp the better. Ask for your dr to check your thyroid antibodies... s/he may refuse, in which case buy a private thyroid blood test which checks for both kinds of antibodies, T3 and some nutrient levels. c £100, which is an unfair amount to have to pay to secure your own health, but the reality is that it is a faster track to diagnosis.
Take your test fasting and as early in the morning as possible.
Are you currently taking any supplements, if so which, and do u have any auto immune diseases in the family?
Hi Aspmama,
Thanks for your reply. I have the print out and it says:
Serum free TS4 11.5 range (9.0-26.0)
Serum TSH Level 4.92 above range (0.27-4.2)
Im starting to feel worst as the weeks go on, my main symptoms are the ones i stated earler but its the fatigue thats affecting my day to day life. Iwork from home and instead of working im sleeping all day between school runs, if i dont sleep all day by the afternoon i cant think straight and fall asleep. I do have dry skin, nails, hair, feel the cold and struggling with memory but no scalloped tongue, lowered voice etc and i dont know about my cholestrol.
I havent seen the doctor yet so hopefully she is more helful than the receptionist if not i will ask fir a second opinion or do as you suggested and make my own path.
No supplemnetsat the minute and im not sure about auto immune diseases but some female members of my family have underactive throids. Thanks for your help.
Lucy xxx
OK, well above range TSH, emphasise to yr dr female close family members with autoimmune thyroid disease, ask for your antibodies to be checked, ask for cholesterol to be checked along with B12, since this is assoc with fatigue, serum ferritin, also assoc with fatigue, ask if she would check D too, and ask if she would give a trial of Levo given your tsh results are above range, T4 so low, family history and symptoms.
Don't supplement anything till u have results. xx
Lucy101,
If that is the first abnormal TSH result it is protocol to wait 2-3 months to retest in case the elevated TSH was caused by a virus or infection which would be expected to resolve within 3 months. If TSH is above range on the repeat test your GP should prescribe Levothyroxine.
Thanks Aspmama, hopefully the doctor will listen to me when i have my appointment as waiting months for another test would be torture.
Thanks, Lucy xxx
Try to push for re-test in a month or so. Also ask if they can test for raised thyroid antibodies. Especially as you have other family members with thyroid issues
There are two sorts of antibodies TPO Ab and TG Ab. (Thyroid peroxidase and thyroglobulin) Both need checking, if either, or both antibodies are high this means autoimmune thyroid - called Hashimoto's the most common cause in UK of being hypo.
TPO is rarely checked and TG almost never checked. More common to have high TPO or high TPO AND high TG, but negative TPO and raised TG is possible, though rarer.
If you do have raised antibodies, then they are more likely to recognise you have a thyroid issue and start treatment
Usual advice on ALL thyroid tests, is to do early in morning, ideally before 9am. No food or drink beforehand (other than water) 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
Very common to also have low vitamins. you could ask GP to check levels of vitamin d, b12, folate and ferratin. These all need to at good (not just average) levels for thyroid hormones (our own or replacement ones) to work in our cells
ALWAYS Make sure you get the actual figures from tests (including ranges - figures in brackets). You are entitled to copies of your own results.
If you can not get GP to do these tests, then like many of us, you can get them done privately
thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...
Hashimotos is linked to gut issues. Often gluten intolerance and/or leaky gut, causing low nutrients
You could try changing diet, you might find symptoms improve.
chriskresser.com/the-gluten...
Thanks Slowdragon,
I am gonna push for the month. Thanks for all of the advice on other areas that need testing. Im going to write it all down and go with hopefully a strong argument.
Lucy xxx
If GP asks where you are getting your advice, Thyroid Health Unlocked and Thyroid UK are the NHS recommended support group and website.
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