My Results are back but I'm still confused my GP says everything's normal ? Thyroid borderline !

[Kazbe]

Hi everyone I've just been to see my GP and got some results I'm very new to this group and I'm not even sure if I need medication as my dr is a bit unsure ! Results as follows could someone please help throw any light on things for me please i would be very grateful 😀 Thank you . TSH 10.8 (0.3 - 5.5)

Free T4 11.2 (12.0 - 22.0)These were on June 15th .

One day of taking Thyroxine 25mg (I have irregular rapid heart beat ) and not fasting on July 4th my results are

TSH 6.50 ( 0.3-5.5)

Serum free T4 11.2 (12.0-22.0)

B12 339(197-771

Ferritin 71 (30-400)

Albumin 37(35-50)

Serum calcium 2.52(2.2-2.6)

Vit D 55 (50-144)

Sorry the list is long , any comments would be gratefully appreciated

Thank you x

[Angel_of_the_North]

You need meds - you are definitely hypo. Your Free T4 is under range and your TSH is over range still, but generally it takes longer to work than a few weeks. You should have repeat bloods after 6 weeks and then get an increase of 25mcg until your symptoms go away, which, for most people, is when TSH is under 1, and free t4 and free T3 are in the top quarters of their ranges. Bloods should be done first thing in the morning, fasting, and don't take levo for 24 hours before test. Your B12 is too low and that can cause problems when taking thyroid hormones - needs to be over 500, pref nearer 1000. You also need to have folate tested (needs to be half up range), but don't supplement B12 until you have folate results. D3 should be at least in the high 90s.

[Kazbe in reply to Angel_of_the_North]

Thank you so much for your reply and very helpful advice I will try and speak to my GP I might have to supplement myself because she I dusts my levels are normal !

[greygoose in reply to Kazbe]

Ask her what she thinks the point of ranges is, if a result of 6.5, with a range of (0.3 - 5.5) is normal. Why have ranges at all, in that case? That range is rediculous, anyway. Far too wide.

[shaws in reply to Kazbe]

Your TSH is abnormal as it is over range.

[Kazbe in reply to Angel_of_the_North]

Thankyou for your reply I will go and buy some supplements today! My Vit D what is a good dose to take daily ? Vit D 55 ranges (50-144) What is K2 I've it mentioned I need to take this along side it , my GP disagreed and said many patients take Vit D alone ? My Fertitin 71 (30-400) and B12 339(197-771) please can you advise me what to buy Thankyou so much 😀

[Heloise in reply to Kazbe]

Vitamin D is a prohormone, Kazbe, and like thyroid is in every cell of the body. It raises calcium and K2 is now added to many formulas because calcium can deposit in areas where it should not. I will vouch for that as I experienced a little bony growth on my gumline while taking high doses of vitamin D but my levels were way below the lowest range, even lower than yours, so I certainly needed something. But K2 will mitigate that problem.

[shaws]

Your GP is incorrect!

Your TSH is over range, but the problem is that in the UK it seems doctors are told (not trained at all) that they have to wait until the TSH reaches 10 before we are given replacement hormones.

Take the following to your GP and say you have taken advice from the NHS Choices for dysfunctions of the thyroid gland, Thyroiduk.org.uk and have been advised that you are hypothyroid with an over-range TSH which warrants 50mcg of levothyroxine to start with and an increase of 25mcg every six weeks until you feel much better, with a TSH 1 or lower and an FT3 and FT4 in the upper part of the ranges.

Your Vit D is too low and she should have supplemented with Vitamin D3.

Your B12 is too low and you will have to supplement yourself with methylcobalamin sublingual B12. I get mine from Amazon as they have a selection, few chemists seem to stock sublingual. Sublingual is recommended a it is absorbed through tongue and as our stomach can be affected with hypo sublingual seems the bet bet. The recommendation is a B12 of 1,000 to try to prevent dementia.

Blood tests have to be at the earliest possible, fasting (you can drink water) and wait an hour before eating. Allow a gap of 24 hours between last dose and the test and take afterwards.

Vit D and B12 are prohormones and are necessary to be optimal as well as all the other vitamins/minerals.

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

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

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[wellness1 in reply to shaws]

"The recommendation is a B12 of 1,000 to try to prevent dementia."

Hi shaws, do you have a reference for this recommendation by any chance?

[Marz]

Hashimotos ? Have your thyroid anti -bodies been tested ? Anti -TPO & Anti- Tg ??

I would also ask for an Iron Panel to be done as low iron can cause palpitations .... low iron = low oxygen so the heart beats faster in an attempt to push more oxygen around ....

[waveylines]

Many doctors are told that they have to have three consecutive blood tests (usually three months apart) demonstrating the TSH above the range before they will prescribe thyroid treatment. Their arguement for this is the thyroid can fluctuate due to viruses. Unfortunately this often delays treatment as many doctors apply this rigidly.

How do you feel? What symptoms and signs do you have? Doctors are supposed to take these into account but sadly the era of blood tests frequently over rules all, all too often!!

[Helena877 in reply to waveylines]

Nuts! My GP was like this and mine TSH was 10 something.

Thankfully I found this site the day I found out my results and went armed with info. I got my Levo no problem although he still would have preferred to wait 3 months. No chance! That timescale represents a good chunk of time to get the TSH down.

[shaws in reply to Helena877]

No one took my TSH at all First aider suggested an it as 100. !!

[Kazbe in reply to Helena877]

Hi I'm glad I found this site it's been a god send for me because I was so naive thinking my GP had it all under control !!! ( I think my GP was annoyed because a consultant Rhumatologist discover my blood tests were Hypothyroid and he wrote to her telling her my TSH 10.8 FT4 11.6 and she was cross that he suggested thyroid replacement ! She never prescribed on his recommendation she did bloods again and only requested TSH T4 T3 ! I've had to almost beg to have antibodies done as I feel so unwell !!! It's almost as if she's personally funding my medication !! Kazbe 😀

[Kazbe in reply to waveylines]

Thankyou for your reply my symptoms are very tired and fatigue insomnia palpitations difficulty swallowing thinning hair and I've gained lots of weight ! 😏

[waveylines]

All classic hypothyroid symptoms......lol. Sadly many GPs will not treat unless you have three consecutive blood tests out of range or have a tsh of 10! Do keep copies of blood tests because if you show a consistent borderline tsh and slow drop in thyroid hormone levels GPs will sometimes trial levothyroxine. If they do avoid 25mcg as your likely to feel worse -you need the starter of 50mcg.

My heart goes out to you as I remember being in your position for teo years before GP would prescribe.

Barry Peatfields book called Living with your thyroid -is a good book to help you gen up.

[Kazbe]

Thankyou Wavy lines that's great advice and I've just ordered that book ! 😀