Low Free T4

[Jennie16]

Ive just come over from the Pernicious Anaemia/B12 deficiency forum to ask for a bit of advice on a recent blood test.

I know nothing about thyroid problems, as yet!

Results are as follows:

Thyroid stimulating hormone 2.46 (0.27-4.2)

Free thyroxine 11.7 (12-22)

Total T4 88.7 (59-154)

Free T3 4.84 (3.1-6.8)

Thyroglobulin antibody <10 (0-115)

Thyroid peroxidase antibodies <9 (0-34)

The free thyroxine is obviously a little low (not much), but what does this mean?

I have lots of B12 deficiency symptoms which, from what little I know, seem to overlap with thyroid symptoms.

Any comments/advice/information gratefully received!

[greygoose]

Actually, your FT4 is very low. It should never be under-range. And your TSH reflects this by being a bit high, and shows that your thyroid is struggling. However, you are converting well, so your FT3 is almost mid-range. You do not appear to have autoimmune thyroiditis - aka Hashi's - but it's never conclusive.

What all this means is that whilst you're not yet hypo, you should be keeping an eye your your thyroid, and get regular tests. Have you had your thyroid tested before?

How do you feel? Do you have hypo symptoms? Weight-gain, constipation, fatigue, depression, hair-loss, digestion problems, sleep problems, etc.?

[Jennie16 in reply to greygoose]

Thanks for the reply.

I had serum TSH tested over a year ago at the doctors. That was 2.29 (0.27-4.2) I'm not on the best terms with my doctor now (as I told them I was self injecting B12 after awful treatment for my deficiency) so had thyroid tests done by medichecks after some symptoms began to reappear.

I get symptoms such as fatigue, depression, brain fog, hip, leg and back pain, pins and needles and numbness in hands and feet, tinnitus... Some of this, I know, is the B12 deficiency as it comes and goes as i need jabs, but there is always the possibility of an overlap.

I've been gluten free for over a year now and that has definitely helped with some stomach problems.

I have put on weight over the last year or so but I've put that down to not being able to walk as I used to and being too tired to try!

[greygoose in reply to Jennie16]

OK, so it looks like your TSH is cosistantly showing a struggling thyroid, so just keep an eye on it. No doctor is going to diagnose you hypo with those results. The TSH needs to go a lot higher for that, or the FT3 come down.

[Jennie16 in reply to greygoose]

Thanks. I will make sure I get tested again at some point.

[greygoose in reply to Jennie16]

You're welcome.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

You might want to test vitamin D

Vitamindtest.org.uk £28 postal kit if GP won't

Ferritin needs testing. Ask GP if they will

If not Medichecks can do it

With B12. Injections do you also supplement vitamin B complex?

Recommended to help keep other vitamin B's in balance, and keep folate higher

If you are taking vitamin B complex, or any supplements containing biotin, remember to stop these 3-5 days before any blood tests, as biotin can falsely affect test results

endo.confex.com/endo/2016en...

endocrinenews.endocrine.org...

[Jennie16 in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks, I didn't know about biotin. Just checked my supplement and it contains 100% nrv (50ug)!

During 2016 I had quite a few tests. My vit D was low but I got that up and since then take a multivitamin and mineral supplement which seems to be keeping everything at the right level. Last tests were a year ago. I self inject B12 about twice a week.

[fibrolinda in reply to Jennie16]

Where you taking biotin when you had your last blood tests?

[Jennie16 in reply to fibrolinda]

Yes, I was.