Question

[Jojo2799]

Hi

I have recently been referred by my doctor to the hospital as my blood test results come back and I havent yet had my appointment with the hospital so am totally confused at the moment, wondered if anyone can shed some light until I get my appointment at the end of October,

My results of bloods showed a tsh of 0.1 with borderline high ft3 and ft4 of 21.5 and ft3 of 6.5. Haemoglobin level is 118 and folate and vitamin b12 are in normal range, this is all double dutch to me only went to doctors as I was feeling very lethargic, mood swings irregular periods dry brittle hair, and anxious

Hope someone can help

Jo x

[ITYFIALMCTT]

Just a quick check to help more knowledgeable people than I am to comment. Do you have a current diagnosis (I'm assuming that you don't)? Are you taking any medication or supplements?

Please post your test results, with their reference ranges (usually in brackets) as the ranges vary from one lab. to another because of slightly different machinery and methods of testing and it's very tricky to comment without them.

Please include any results and ranges for your vitamin and mineral tests, even if they are 'normal' or 'in range'.

[Jojo2799 in reply to ITYFIALMCTT]

Hi

On my letter it says my symptoms are due to hyperthyroidism, and they recommend a prolactin level as a base line??!! Am not currently on any medication or been diagnosed as of yet by the specialists

[ITYFIALMCTT in reply to Jojo2799]

tbh, that TSH number looked like a marker associated with hyperthyroidism as per the letter you mention but I had to ask. If you have any of the reference range information it would help other people to comment for you.

I'm not surprised you've been feeling so rough and I hope the appointment comes through quickly for you.

[Jojo2799 in reply to ITYFIALMCTT]

Hi the only reference range i have at the moment is a tsh of 0.1 with borderline high ft3 and ft4 of 21.5 and ft3 of 6.5,

In your reply it says I may have hyperthyroidism, what is this? Sorry to sound silly but I honestly know nothing about this condition

Thank you for responding

[ITYFIALMCTT in reply to Jojo2799]

There's an overview on Thyroid UK that might be useful to you: thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

NHS link that might cast some light on your results and why they indicate an overactive thyroid as well as giving helpful information about possible causes that might contribute to this: nhs.uk/Conditions/Thyroid-o...

[Treepie in reply to Jojo2799]

Reference ranges are shown in brackets .You need them as they differ amongst labs.

[Rmichelle]

Hi there im hyperthyroidism with hashimotos i was diagnosed at the end of july by the doctor who didnt explain anything and just left me in a state of shock and thought i was going to die. He said i would be referred to hospital to see endocrinolgist and they would sort me. Its been a long rough ride as doc did not prescribe any low dose meds so after 2 hospital visits to a and e docs finally agreed that i needed some meds so i now on carbimazole 20mgs this is the same meds that you will probably start off on, maybe a different dose and it does take quite a while around 5 weeks to notice a benefit. I have my 1st appointment with specialist on tuesday after a 4 month wait as the waiting lists are ridiculous. Did the doctor not explain what hyperthyroid means? My symptons are trembling, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, fatigued, panic attacks which i hate with a passion.insomnia, muscle aches, yes and thinning hair all unfortunatley hyper symptons. Has the doctor gave you any meds even beta blockers to slow your heart rate down.☺

[Jojo2799 in reply to Rmichelle]

Hi

Thanks for your reply, very informative, doctor has been no help whatsoever, went to seei him about a year and a half ago complaining of feeling unwell with similar symptoms to you but was just palmed off, tyroid problems wasnt even mentioned or on the readar only about 2 months ago was given a blood test which has shown up this thyroid problem, he refered me and still waiting for appointment which is on 24th Oct, i am on no medication whatsoever, guess will have to grin and bear it till then!!

Again thank you

Jo x

[Rmichelle in reply to Jojo2799]

Its beyond belief but docs are a waste of time you will learn more here, my doc is completley useless as well, fir god sake we just want to feel better and get on with our lives i know i do but this has knocked me sideways.bive got docs tomorrow as i have hashimotos now so dont think i should be on carbi. Have you had your antibodies tested if not you should.xx

[Jojo2799 in reply to Rmichelle]

No have had no tests yet, part from the initial blood test that showed it up

Hope you get on ok tomorrow x

[Rmichelle in reply to Jojo2799]

Shocking hope you get it sorted too.x

[greygoose]

Hi Jojo, doctors don't explain what's going on because they don't understand themselves.

Whilst your TSH is lower than they would like - and certainly under-range - it doesn't look low enough to me to suggest Grave's - which is hyperthyroidism due to an autoimmune disease, diagnosed by high Grave's antibodies. I take it you haven't had any antibodies tested yet.

As to your FT4 and FT3, these are thyroid hormones - TSH is a pituitary hormone that stimulates the thyroid to make thyroid hormone. Just saying they are borderline high doesn't tell us anything. Nor does giving us the results - 21.5 and 6.5 - without giving us the ranges. On your print-out, or whatever you have, it would look something like this :

FT4 21.5 (12.5 - 22.5)

That's just an example range, in brackets, but the range used by your laboratory is essential to us for the interpretation of your results. An FT4 range usually looks something that, but it varies from lab to lab. But, if that were your range, your FT4 wouldn't be over-range. If you have Grave's, it would be well over-range.

So, the most important thing, as I see it, is getting the antibodies tested. Because the treatment you need depends on the disease you have, and the treatment for hyperthyroidism is not the same as the treatment for hypothyroidism, for example.

Ask your doctor now. He will probably say he cannot test for Grave's antibodies, an endo has to request it. But, he can test of the other autoimmune disease, Autoimmune Thyroiditis - aka Hashimoto's. The test is the TPO antibodies. If you have Hashimoto's, you will be basically hypothyroid, but sometimes, you will get high results like yours appear to be. But, the treatment will be quite different.

It may sound like a no-brainer, but doctors know so little about thyroid, they often don't think the check the all-important antibodies, they just see a low TSH and jump to the conclusion that you have Grave's, without the proper testing. We see so many cases like that, on here. Rmitchelle, above, is a case in point. Your doctor might even tell you that the antibodies are of no importance. He couldn't be more wrong! So, go back to him and insist you want your TPO antibodies tested. Once you've done that, we'll be better able to advise you.