New here - advice please on test results

[anthonyj89]

Hi all, I'd appreciate some guidance on whether I need to take any actions following my test results.

I'd visited the GP (for the first time in about 5 years) at the start of the year as I had been feeling depressed despite no discernible cause, was suffering from low concentration and energy levels and in general not feeling great.

I'm also quite a serious runner (40 -60 miles per week) and had noticed my performance had dropped unreasonably in the prior months and I was recovering poorly after intense sessions.

He advised me to "wait and see" and to return in 3 weeks if things hadn't improved. They hadn't, so he took some blood tests to rule any biochemical cause out, including thyroid tests.

These returned normal for T4 (can't remember exactly but bang in the middle of reference) but 5.92 for TSH. The clinic advised me that this was "borderline" and I had to wait 3 months for an additional test to see if the results got worse.

Does this appear to be a reasonable course of action, given that I was symptomatic enough for the GP to order a test ( I hadn't considered it myself)? It's just if there is an issue I'd rather sort it sooner rather than later.

Thanks

Anthony (Male 28)

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Yes it is normal for a first high TSH result, the reason being that non-thyroidal illness can cause TSH to rise and they want to see if it goes back to normal. When you have your next test in 3 months time, book the very first appointment of the morning and fast overnight (water allowed), have your breakfast after the blood draw. This gives the highest possible TSH which is needed for diagnosis of Hypothyroidism.

It would be an idea to ask for a full thyroid panel to include FT4, FT3 and Thyroid Antibodies, also Vit D, B12, Folate and Ferritin. Whether you will get them all is a other matter, but they're all part of the picture so it helps to have them all done. If your GP can't or won't do them, there is a home fingerprick test you can do with one of our recommended labs.

[anthonyj89 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thanks for this - much appreciated. This test was actually carried out first thing in the morning before breakfast by chance; I'll be sure to repeat this in my next test in 3 months! I'll see if I can persuade them to do the other tests you suggested too.

Anthony