Results, What do they mean?

Hi There,

Please can someone help. I had a phone call from my Doctor this morning, these are my results. TSH 6.19 and T4 12.5. Do I need to do anything or just wait until my next blood test which is next year?

Thank you

[Hidden]

I was told by the receptionist that my free t3 was normal?

[shaws Administrator in reply to Hidden]

How does the receptionist know your FT3 was 'normal'. She is talking about your result being 'somewhere' in the range.

Never accept 'normal' 'fine' 'ok' with regards to blood test results. FT3 and FT4 should be towards the top of the range and TSH 1 or lower. That's why we always get copies.

Levo should be taken first thing with one full glass of water and wait about an hour before eating. Food interferes with the uptake. New research has shown that bedtime dosing may be better for some people, in that case (because or digestion is very slow - hypo means slow) - we should last have eaten about 3 hours before if you've had a heavy meal with protein.

[Angel_of_the_North in reply to Hidden]

Well, since it doesn't seem to have been tested (no result) how would the receptionist know (probably doesn't even know what free T3 is)?

[shaws Administrator]

You will have to be pro-active. Unfortunately the guidelines state that, in the UK, our TSH has to reach 10 before being diagnosed. Thankfully some doctors will if we are over range. I think you are over range but you'd need to put the ranges. The figures are in brackets after the results.

If you go to your surgery and ask for a print-out of your results with the ranges (some charge a nominal sum but we are entitled by Law to have copies).

You can open a new post and put them although and I do see that Hidden has given you the correct answer - you have an Autoimmune Thyroid Disease called Hashimoto's and I'll give you a couple of links.

Unfortunately, with hypothyroidism we don't fare very well if doctor isn't clued up and many aren't. So we have to take care of our thyroid health ourselves by reading, learning and asking questions.

Blood tests should always be at the very earliest (TSH is higher than and it other countries we are given a prescription if it reaches just over 3). You should also fast but you can drink water and allow a gap of approx 24 hours between last dose of levo and test. Taking a dose before the test skews the results and doctor may adjust dose. Also the TSH is highest early a.m. and drops throughout the day and may make the difference between increasing dose or reducing.

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

[Hidden in reply to shaws]

Thank You, I have an appointment on Thursday so I will ask for a complete print out. Cheers for the links, will go and have a look

[Hidden]

Hi All, Well I went back to my doctor and he asked me lots of questions and told me I was stressed, I'm not. He has agreed to try me on levo

[Hidden]

Also had lots more blood tests, I think one of them is for B12