I've been hypothyroid for 10 years and take 100 micrograms of Levothyroxine per day. However, like so many others on this site, I still continue to experience symptoms of an under-active thyroid. After recent research I wanted to check my T3 levels, since my GP refused to give me the test, I paid for a Medicheck home test. I have just received my results:
TSH: 2.24 mIU/L (0.27 - 4.20 )
FREE THYROXINE: 17.4 pmol/L (12.00 - 22.00)
TOTAL THYROXINE(T4): 124.0 nmol/L (59.00 - 154.00)
"Your thyroid stimulating hormone is in the upper half of the normal range. Some people who are taking thyroxine feel better when their thyroid stimulating hormone is maintained in the lower half of the normal range. If you are experiencing symptoms of an underactive thyroid (tiredness, weight gain, mood problems, hair/skin problems) then I recommend that you discuss this result further with your GP. Your T3 and thyroxine are within normal limits.
Your antibody levels are within normal limits and so an autoimmune condition of the thyroid is not detected."
So it looks like my T3 and T4 are ok. But the part which really surprised me was that the doctor says my condition is not autoimmune. None of my GPs have ever told me what sort of hypothyroidism I have, as far as I know, my antibodies have never been tested before. However, I always presumed that I had Hashimoto's since this is the most common form, there is a family history of hypothyroidism, I have no other medical conditions and I lead a healthy lifestyle.
If I don't have Hashimoto's then what is causing my hypothyroidism? I'm worried that there could be an underlying cause which hasn't been addressed for 10 years, or perhaps I've just had genetic bad luck.
Thanks in advance!
Sarah
Written by
smayo1990
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90% of hypothyroidism is caused by Hashimoto's but the other 10% is due to thyroidectomy, RAI ablatement, central hypothyroidism caused by pituitary or hypothalmic dysfunction, or is idiopathic (unknown caused).
TSH 2.24 is a little high and although FT4 and FT3 are within normal range there is scope to increase dose and raise them without going over range.
The goal of Levothyroxine is to restore the patient to euthyroid status. For most patients that will be when TSH is 0.27 - 1.0 with FT4 in the upper range. FT4 needs to be in the upper range in order that sufficient T3 is converted. Read Treatment Options in thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_... Email louise.roberts@thyroiduk.org if you would like a copy of the Pulse article to show your GP.
If I don't have Hashimoto's then what is causing my hypothyroidism?
Who knows, maybe you've got a lazy thyroid, it just decided it didn't want to play any more. Just because Hashi's is the commonest form of hypothyroidism doesn't mean we all have to have it, I think it's responsible for about 85% or something like that. That leaves a lot of us being hypo for another reason.
I've been Hypo for about 43 years, they told you even less back then than they do now, and there was no internet and no way of getting any information to help yourself. I don't have Hashis (had enough negative antibody tests to tell me that) but one of the reasons you can become hypo is following the birth of a child which I put mine down to as I started symptoms a few months after my second baby's birth or it could be that I lived in the first area to have flouride added to the water in 1964 and 10 years later I started having symptoms. My mother also did at a later date, as did my sister-in-law. Flouride is toxic to the thyroid (it used to be used to control overactive thyroid), so if you live in an area where water is artificially flouridated there is another reason.
In his book Your Thyroid and How to Keep it Healthy, Dr Peatfield discusses many reasons for hypothyroidism such as the environment and toxins attacking our thyroid (eg flouride) then there's glandular fever, Epstein Barr Virus, major trauma, whiplash injury, even surgery and he mentions in particular gall bladder removal, hysterectomy, sterilisation, D&C, termination, tonsillectomy (ooh, I had that aged 5). So there are lots of reasons and I honestly don't think it's worth spending time and emotion trying to find the reason if it's not already clear.
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As for your test results
TSH: 2.24 mIU/L (0.27 - 4.20 )
FREE THYROXINE: 17.4 pmol/L (12.00 - 22.00)
TOTAL THYROXINE(T4): 124.0 nmol/L (59.00 - 154.00)
FREE T3: 4.42 pmol/L (3.10 - 6.80)
even though you have a decent total T4, your FT4 is just slightly over half way through it's range and your FT3 is low in range. Your TSH is far too high for a treated hypo patient. You need an increase in your Levo. The aim of a treated hypo patient generally is for TSH to be 1 or below or wherever it needs to be for FT4 and FT3 to be in the upper part of their respective reference ranges when on Levo.
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