Explanation on my results please.

[megan2017]

Hi I have posted my results and the doctor just said I have hypothyroidism. Explained what it is but not my result.

Please could some explain to me ,my results and what I should request on the follow up blood test as they just started me on 50mg of Levo.

[shaws Administrator]

Hypothyroidism means that our thyroid gland is failing and is not producing sufficient thyroid hormones which enables our whole metabolism, from head to toe, to function normally. Our heart and brain need the most thyroid hormones.

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

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

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 the test and take afterwards.

Ask GP to test B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate. Everything has to be optimal.

A blood test is done every six weeks with increases of 25mcg of levo each time until you are symptom-free but many doctors stop increasing when TSH is somewhere in the range. We need a TSH of 1 or below.

[greygoose]

The only two results on there that pertain to thyroid are TSH and FT4. Your TSH is high, which means that your pituitary is desperately calling to your thyroid to increase output. However, your thyroid - for whatever reason - cannot respond, because your FT4 is only 4.7. I don't know how bad that is, because there's no range, but it looks pretty low - should be higher, and your TSH should be down around one. So, you are rather hypo, at the moment.

For your next test, it would be a good idea to request antibodies, to find out if your hypo is due to autoimmune problems - most are. But, also your nutrients : vit D, vit B12, folate and ferritin. If these aren't optimal, your body will be unable to use thyroid hormone properly.

An FT3 would be absolutely smashing! But it's very doubtful you'll get that on the NHS. Besides, given your TSH, that's bound to be very low at the moment.