What does "just on the borderline of 25"?

[Teanna]

Hi all,

I have been on thyroxine for around 18mths and I started of with 50mg and now on 175mg. Around 2mths ago my GP said that 175mg could be a bit much (the hospital put my thyroxine up to 175mg). Now the hospital did my blood and I don't know what she meant by "your on the boarder line 25". Does this means is my thyroxine is to high, or does it mean that it might need to go up if it goes over the boarder line?

The Thyroid clinic and GPs have no time for proper consultations, plus with my other health issues I feel like I'm on my own as all the medical doctors/GPs that I'm under push me from pillar to post. I feel so unwell, I had to wait 6mths for a scan on my hand, although it's not going to kill me, but I still need treatment/operation which could be avoided if I had been seen earlier.

Can anyone help regarding my thyroxine.

Kind regards

Tina

[greygoose]

I wonder if she knew what she meant. It's rather a strange thing to say - either it's 25 or it isn't. But, if the FT4 range went up to 25, then perhaps she meant it's at the top of the range. But 25 is rather high for the top of an FT4 range.

You really should get print-outs of your results every time you have a blood test. If you live in the UK, it's your legal right to have one. Then it would be easier to understand what she's talking about. And, if you still don't understand, just post the results on here, with the ranges, and someone will explain.

[Teanna in reply to greygoose]

Hi

Thank you for your quick reply.

I think it was my GPs secretary that called me regarding my blood test. The test was actually taken after seeing my haematologist doctor for my APS. She also said that I will be getting a hospital consultant appointment over the phone next Tuesday (which I did not know that you can have an appointment over the phone). But this has nothing to do with my Thyroid. So is it possible to ask my GPs secretary to send me the results? I still won't know what it means, but to talk to my GP you have to have a call back appointment which could take a week, to see her is usually 3/4 weeks.

Regards

Tina

[greygoose in reply to Teanna]

I don't know if they will send them to you in the post, but they might email them. But do insist that you need the ranges. Ranges vary from lab to lab, so you need to know the range your lab used.

[shaws in reply to Teanna]

If you are able to pop into the surgery and ask for a print-out with the ranges of your most recent blood test for thyroid hormones. They should do so. Some charge a small sum for paper/ink. Always get a print-out and blood tests have to be at the very earliest, fasting (you can drink water) and allow a gap of 24 hours between last dose of levo and test and take afterwards.

[silverfox7]

I thought very differently so could be very wrong and it's always going to be guesswork without seeing the readings. It I took it that by adding the 25 that you are borderline going over slightly. So possibly not sure about continuing on that dose but if that's the case I would t drop back to your previous dose but try alternating them so you are somewhere in between. I was at one time between 125 and 100 but before I started recording my basal temp alongside my dose I had the problem on remembering which day I was one so I took the higher dose Mon Wed Fri but that also meant if need be I could fine tune a little differently by changing to the lower dose on those days instead

Hopefully though your results will anecrhings clearer

[Daffers123 in reply to silverfox7]

hi SF

very interested to read your reply re basal temp to help fine tune dose. I need to do this as struggling - do you use mercury or digital?

I agree that the poor person posting this thread is probably over medicated and probably needs dose reduction

thank you

[silverfox7 in reply to Daffers123]

Well use a digital as I'd probably bite the end off a mercury one! I was t happy with it to start off with as it bleeped far to soon so I left it on till it switched off as supposed to do that when it stops changing abd usually if it dips I can explain it. But over a few weeks it's pretty good and when I doing it again mid afternoon but often foget it's gone up to what I would expect as well. If you are still ovulating then that will change but if you do it daily you will see a pattern emerging. I get mine from that well know high street chemists that reminds you of footwear!

[Daffers123 in reply to silverfox7]

ha ha thanks very much I am going to try it as can't stabilise my dose !

[LAHs in reply to Daffers123]

Body temp is very important but do watch your blood pressure as you increase your dose. I had to settle for a temp of 97.6 (degs.F), i.e. almost a degree under normal, because as I increased my thyroid meds dose (to raise my temp) my blood pressure rose as well. When I hit 170/70 I called it quits and settled for 97.6 (degsF).

[SilverAvocado]

You've had good advice about getting copies of printouts. I'd always be cautious about GPs wanting to reduce your dose, especially if an Endo has put you on the higher dose. GPs love reductions, and are not goot at interpreting blood tests, so will say people are overdosed when they aren't.

[Teanna]

Hi,

Thank you all for lots of advice.

I have always taken my Levo in the morning, even having to fast before a blood test, I've always taken all my meds before any blood test. So this could be the reason of feeling unwell, fatigue etc, apart from my other medical issues which still can cause the feeling of being unwell.

It's really made me think because having APS and I take my Riveroxoban prior to blood tests and my legs are so swollen, I'm just wondering if it's all linked because APS is also an autoimmune disorder???

I will call my GPs and ask for the print outs of my blood results.

Thank you all

Tina

[Teanna]

Hi,

Sorry I may sound a bit slow (only regarding underactive Thyroid).

As for Mercury/digital , never heard of it.

It's very difficult to get anyone (professional to give time to explain). I only know what I read online, so as you all know there are to many conflictions and feeling this unwell and fatigued, the only good that's come out of this is my hair no longer falls out.

At first I thought it was down to the APS, but after sorting out the medication (which I feel that it's not right for me) but hey, I'm not the doctor.

I just feel that the doctors & GPs are to busy and being complexed I'm being pushed from pillow to post. All I what is to feel well as I can be, I'm wheelchair bound as it is.

Thank you to all for your replies

Tina