Completely confused and in need of expert advice.

[NinjaKnitter]

Hi Everyone,

I've been lurking in the background on here since the discovery of my multinodular goitre in may 2016.

Following all the tests to assess my goitre it showed that it's was retrosternal and had shifted everything to right side of my neck. The left side was much larger and this explained why I was struggling to swallow and breathe. I finally had a left hemithyroidectomy in December.

Since then I have felt awful. I had my thyroid function checked at the end of January and was started on 50mg of levothyroxine. It made no difference at all to my symptoms. I was retested 6 weeks later and told I was in range. My GP also told me that they only need the TSH level as T4 and T3 aren't helpful.

It's now 2 months on from then and I've just got the results of my latest bloods. I made sure I got a printout so I could of post them. They didn't test my T3 though 🤔

TSH 0.68 (0.2 - 4.5)

T4 10.5 (9.0 - 24.0)

What confuses me is that my T4 is at the very lower end of the range but my TSH seems good. I'm hoping one of the expert patients on here can help me. I requested the check my Iron, B12 and Folate as they were low previously and I now supplement. Results showed B12 and Folate mid range but I'm very iron anaemic despite being on iron tablets for years.

Sorry for the essay and thanks in advance for your advice.

Ninjaknitter xx

[shaws Administrator]

Your T4 is at the bottom of the range, so I doubt whether there is sufficient to convert to T3, the only Active thyroid hormone required in all of our receptor cells.

Your doctor should really do a Free T4 and Free T4 test but probably wont as TSH is 'normal'. I shall give you a link from TUK.

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

[Clutter]

Ninjaknitter,

A dose increase will raise FT4 and reduce TSH. Some patients need to have TSH suppressed <0.1 in order for FT4 level to be good. FT3 is rarely tested in primary care now but you can order private thyroid tests via thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

Read Treatment Options in thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_... Email [e-mail] if you would like a copy of the Pulse article to show your GP.

If you remain iron anaemic after supplementing iron for years your GP should consider an iron infusion.

[NinjaKnitter]

Thank you for your advice. You confirmed what I thought. I am going to get a copy of the Pulse article in the hope my GP will be open to reading it.