Seriously annoyed...

[Helena12]

Just been to collect a copy of my recent blood test results, after being told evefything was in the usual "normal" range, apart from my iron level, for which GP has prescribed ferrous fumerate tablets.

I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's a year ago, along with Pernicious Anaemia in Jan of this year.I have been on 75mg Levo for the past 6 months. My last TSH level was 1.27 (admittedly I did take my Levo the night before) but this time I didn't, and was totally shocked to find it is 14.05. When I was diagnosed a year ago TSH level was 14.92.

What is particularity shocking is that the GP did not think this required an increase , and totally ignored it. I know that TSH levels are high first thing but surely this should have been picked up. There is even a comment from the biochemist to say that the level was consistent with under-replacement but again the GP did not think it was important.

I am going to book a telephone consultation with the GP to discuss further.

I consider myself lucky not to have many horrible symptoms a lot of fellow sufferers do, except fatigue, but am still left completely fuming at the lack of understanding in interpreting my results.

Apologies for the rant!

[greygoose]

I think you should make a complaint about him, to the practice manager.

For future reference, taking your dose of levo the day of the test, will not affect your TSH. The TSH does not move that fast. But, it will give you a false high FT4, if your doctor tests that - but it sounds like your doctor wouldn't take any notice, anyway!

Were both tests done at the same time of day? If so, your TSH is swinging wildly. You ought to ask for your antibodies to be tested.

[Kipsy in reply to greygoose]

greygoose - I take my levo (100mcg) at night, around 10.30pm. Would the 10 hours between a nighttime dose and an 8.30am blood test give it time to affect the TSH result?

I found that I felt overmedicated when I missed the 10.30pm dose, had an 8.30am blood test, took the previous night's missed dose at 8.40am then took another dose at 10.30pm. Was boiling hot and unable to sleep etc.

Thank you in advance

[greygoose in reply to Kipsy]

As I said above, it won't affect the TSH because the TSH doesn't react that fast. But, it will affect the FT4.

I can assure you that you weren't over-medicated from taking two doses in one day. T4 is the storage hormone, it doesn't really matter when you take it, it won't have an immediate effect, because it takes 7 days to be fully absorbed.

If would be better if you could rearrange your schedule so that the day before the test, you take your dose in the morning, so that you can leave 24 hours between the last dose and the blood draw. But, that is only if your doctor tests the FT4, and takes that into consideration. If he only tests/looks at the TSH, then that doesn't really matter. You will still have the highest TSH if you test early, and fast over-night.

[Kipsy in reply to greygoose]

Brilliant- thank you greygoose . GP only tests TSH so that's very helpful of you. Sorry to have jumped on someone else's post.

[Clutter]

Helena12,

Before you accuse your GP of incompetence find out who reviewed the results and signed them off as no action required. Some practices have a roster where doctors take turns reviewing all the results which come into the practice.

[dtate2016]

Here in the US, my functional Doctor Who has helped me for the past 20 years very successfully , he insists that the blood tests be fasting blood test no medicine for 24 hours before the test so basically I take it the day before I take the test in the morning before The test and then I don't take it again until after the blood is drawn 24 hours plus later. For whatever it is worth and again I have nothing but praise for the way he's handled my Hashimoto's and I feel good most of the time just pens on what I've done to get out of line with my diet Re: gluten-free etc.

This is not the first time that I've heard doctors ask for fasting blood test so Grey Goose - is there any wiggle room forever there for another opinion.