Translation please!

[LesLiz22]

Hi. Never posted before but found the dialogues really informative (as much as I can understand - it's a whole new language!) since being diagnosed approx 9 months ago when my GP tested bloods as I was suffering from muscle pain. Levothyroxine started at 25mcg, now been on 50mcg for the past 4+ months. The GP wants to speak to me next week following latest blood test results. I asked the surgery for my results:

Serum TSH level: 5.84 mu/L (0.30-5.50)

Serum free T4 level: 16.1 pmol/L (11.5-22.7).

Is there any guidance anyone can give me as to what I should be asking my GP at this stage? I feel OK other than bouts of overwhelming tiredness from time to time but not sure if that is just life catching up with me, or a symptom of anything.

[Clutter]

Welcome to the forum, LesLiz22.

You are under medicated to have TSH 5.84 on 50mcg and that's what's causing fatigue. Ask your GP for a dose increase. You could also ask whether thyroid peroxidase antibodies were ever tested and, if so, what the result was. If antibodies weren't tested ask your GP to add thyroid peroxidase to your TSH and FT4 bloods order which you should have done 6-8 weeks after the dose increase. Hypothyroid patients are often deficient in ferritin, vitamin D, B12 and folate so it may be worth requesting those are tested too.

The goal of Levothyroxine is to restore the patient to euthyroid status. For most patients that will be when TSH is 1.0 or lower with FT4 in the upper range. FT4 needs to be in the upper range in order that sufficient T3 is converted. 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.