TSH levels in Derbyshire

[Deefee1]

Hello all , I've been told by my doctor today that the range for TSH in Derbyshire is 0.5 - 5.5 so higher than the rest of the UK which is 0.5 - 4.5 . Has anybody else been told this ? Can anyone advise please ? TIA

[helvella Administrator]

Deefee1,

The TSH ranges vary by lab. Quite possibly, at times, neighbouring labs have the same ranges, but not always.

Many other lab tests have different ranges depending on where they were analysed.

Despite "Derbyshire neck", I don't they have actually chosen you to have a different range to keep that going.

[Sybilla14]

I've lived in Derbyshire for 6 years and the top of the range here has been 5.5. When I lived in West Sussex, the top of the range was 4.2.

[shaws Administrator]

As far as I am aware, even if we have quite a number of clinical symptoms, we've not to be diagnosed until the TSH is 10.

Excerpt:

The 2006 Thyroid Function Test Guidelines state, “There is no evidence to support the benefit of routine early treatment with thyroxine in non-pregnant patients with a serum TSH above the reference range but <10mU/L.” which in layman’s terms means that patients who have a TSH of less than 10 need not be treated because it doesn’t help. However, they also state that, “Physicians may wish to consider the suitability of a therapeutic trial of thyroxine on an individual patient basis.”

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

Despite other countries diagnosing and treating if TSH was above 3+ with symptoms.

[Deefee1]

Thanks all, I've had Hashimoto's for 19 years and my recent blood test came back at 5.9 . I wrongly assumed the range was the same all over the UK .

[helvella Administrator in reply to Deefee1]

Deefee1,

Well, at least that is clearly over range. Your only real difficulty is in arguing quite how far over range! Followed by whether that is far enough over to convince a doctor.

We really can't be sure whether your TSH test would have come out with a result of 5.9 if tested in another lab. Or, maybe, proportionately lower?

I was diagnosed with a TSH only a tiny bit over range (less than yours). What helped me was having a series of TSH tests over many months. Each one higher than the one before. Plotted on a simple chart. You could see the line going almost straight upwards.

[Treepie in reply to Deefee1]

Are you taking levothyroxine ? If so you are undermedicated.

[Deefee1 in reply to Treepie]

Hi ,

Yeah I've been 150mcg for last 3 years . Doc has just upped it by 25mcg after phone call and me telling him I didn't feel myself, so hopefully I'll be sorted .

[Angel_of_the_North]

It's not the area of the UK, but the testing lab that sets the results. It may be that the NHS in Derbyshire uses a lab with that as the TSH range, but so will other areas.