Quick question

[Glover17]

I’m going through a dispute with my old doctors and they are avoiding my question with regards to TSH levels so could anyone tell me if your TSH levels or supposed to be between 0.38-5.5 at what level over the range should a doctor treat you for under active thyroid? Appreciate your comments as just looking for a rough guide

[Clutter]

Glover17,

UK Guidelines tend to suggest treatment should commence when TSH is >10. Most GPs treat when TSH is >5.5 , especially if antibodies are positive.

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

[Glover17]

Thank you

[Glover17]

And would that be after the first blood test or would they retest a few weeks later before treating?

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Glover17]

They would normally repeat test in month or sometimes three months, before starting what could be life long treatment. They want to rule out temporary swing

For full evaluation you ideally need TSH, FT4, FT3, TT4, TPO and TG antibodies, plus vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 tested

See if you can get full thyroid and vitamin testing from GP. Unlikely to get FT3

Private tests are available

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

Medichecks Thyroid plus ultra vitamin or Blue Horizon Thyroid plus eleven are the most popular choice. DIY finger prick test or option to pay extra for private blood draw. Both companies often have money off offers.

All thyroid tests should be done as early as possible in morning and fasting. This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results

Link about antibodies

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

Link about thyroid blood tests

thyroiduk.org/tuk/testing/t...

Print this list of symptoms off, tick all that apply and take to GP if looking for retest

thyroiduk.org/tuk/about_the...

[Glover17]

Thank you

[shaws Administrator]

In reality they should diagnose when over 5.5 but if in the UK, the guidelines state not until the TSH is 10 (which is so ridiculous as to be unbelievable).

Of course, as doctors are now untrained in clinical symptoms they know none so the patient is left suffering unnecessarily.

[Glover17]

Thank you for your help. I’m in a dispute as back in 2010 my first test showed overactive then 2 more test after showed under active one result levels were 63 and the second was 74 but they never treated me Iv been suffering for the past 7 years i changed doctors who treated me straight away after doing a blood test and my levels came back at 24.4 and antibodies present.

[Clutter in reply to Glover17]

Glover17,

Use the Reply tab underneath the post of the person you are responding to and they will be sent email and on-site notifications that you have responded.

A TSH of 63 would usually be treated immediately as far as I'm aware, and certainly a second TSH of 74 would have triggered a diagnosis and treatment. You should certainly make a formal complaint about the lack of treatment.

nhs.uk/NHSEngland/complaint...

[Glover17 in reply to Clutter]

Thank you for your advice