I was diagnosed with underacrive thyroid last October time, and since then I have felt so unwell. Every time I have my bloods taken there is a problem with one of them. Last time it was my liver, which thankfully it has come back down and this time it’s potassium levels high so need to repeat on Monday. I’m so worried every time I have my bloods now now for what else might arise. Has anyone else had problems with these sort of blood test. It has only been happening since I got diagnosed. All my thyroid levels are within range, but still have symptoms of weight gain and tiredness but I think that’s partly my fault as I’ve lost interest in the gym and going out. I’m so worried that my kidneys are going to pack up ( over dramatic I know ) the level was 5.5 which was out of range (5.3). Is this all part of this horrible condition or something else.
Thank you
Jenny
Written by
Jennymiddle
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Always take Levo on empty stomach and then nothing apart from water for at least an hour after. Many take on waking, but it may be more convenient and possibly more effective taken at bedtime
Many people find Levothyroxine brands are not interchangeable. Once you find a brand that suits you, best to make sure to only get that one at each prescription. Watch out for brand change when dose is increased
Hi thank you so much for your helpful reply. I’m on 75mcg at the minute. My results are as follows. The lab didn’t test antibodies as they tested in November so thought there was no need.
Serum vit B12 505 no/L ( 197.0-771.0)
Serum ferritin 109 ug/l (30.0-150.0)
Serum folate 9.8 (>3.9)
TSH 1.1 mul (0.27-4.2)
Serum total 25- hydroxyl vit D 75 nmo/l (51.0)
That’s all I have apart from liver and kidney (potassium) which was 5.5
Medichecks Thyroid or Blue Horizon 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 ideally be done as early as possible in morning and fasting and don't take Levo in the 24 hours prior to test, delay and take straight after. This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, GP will be unaware)
Dr Toft, past president of the British Thyroid Association and leading endocrinologist, states in Pulse Magazine,
"The appropriate dose of levothyroxine is that which restores euthyroidism and serum TSH to the lower part of the reference range - 0.2-0.5mU/l.
In this case, free thyroxine is likely to be in the upper part of its reference range or even slightly elevated – 18-22pmol/l.
Most patients will feel well in that circumstance. But some need a higher dose of levothyroxine to suppress serum TSH and then the serum-free T4 concentration will be elevated at around 24-28pmol/l.
This 'exogenous subclinical hyperthyroidism' is not dangerous as long as serum T3 is unequivocally normal – that is, serum total around T3 1.7nmol/l (reference range 1.0-2.2nmol/l)."
You can obtain a copy of the articles from Thyroid UK email print it and highlight question 6 to show your doctor please email Dionne at
tukadmin@thyroiduk.org
Professor Toft recent article saying, T3 may be necessary for many otherwise we need high FT4 and suppressed TSH in order to have high enough FT3
Thanks very much for the very useful info. I do try and to be gluten free as possible. I have meals delivered on a weekly basis which are all gluten free. Can I ask if I get private blood test done, what will be different to what the doctor tells me ? And can I actually go to the doctor with the results if they are different ?
I don't know if this will reassure you but I had some blood tests a while back and my doctor called me at home and told me to go straight to A&E because my Potassium was high, and no it couldn't't wait until the morning.
I sat in A&E for 4 hours waiting to have a repeat blood test, it turned out that the person drawing the blood at my doctors had not flushed out the needle by doing other blood tests first and that the preservative within the syringe contained potassium, so it was completely wasted journey and a waste of everyones time in A&E because of course they had to run heart tests etc..
Thank you so much. I did read that could happen. It’s just me worriying before I get the facts as usual. Since I got diagnosed it’s sent me over the top with any little thing. I need to get a grip I think. Thanks very much for reassuring me.
Jenny- When your thyroid is out of whack it can make ANY blood test appear to be at a dangerous level but it's really NOT. Prior to my diagnosis with Hyper & Graves, my tests showed kidney failure, liver failure, blood cell counts indicating leukemia, and NONE of these were true- it's just that your thyroid controls 16 major metabolic systems in your body and if it's abnormal symptoms are not apparent to you, it raises other flags.
This happened to me- I thought it was normal that at age 40 I was a size 4, ate everything in sight, slept no more than 3-4 hours a night, worked 12-14 hours a day. Unbeknownst to me, it runs in my father's family, and he had most of his thyroid removed in the late 40's and never bothered to mention it.
Don't worry about those other test results, mine took 6-8 months to return to completely normal, long after the actual thyroid tests turned around. Also, You may benefit from anti-depressants but beware of Prozac- I gained a whole bunch of weight that took a year to lose. And Levothyroxine and it's other generics all made me itch uncontrollably, I can only take brand name Synthroid.
Thank you so much for putting my mind at rest. Deep down i know this as its only been flagged up since been diagnosed. I do suffer from anxioty and get help from a private counsellor which helps. The doctor did ask if i wanted tablets but i hate taking any tablets levo is the only one i take. Plus i try and help myself in other ways. Sometimes all i need is reasurance and you have given me that.
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