If GP isn’t sympathetic....

[Anniewoz1]

My medicheck results are better than I thought they’d be !

Having said that it doesn’t take away the fact I’ve many symptoms of hypothyroidism.

I’ve been wondering, IF the GP says I’m fine, would it be in my interest to think about NDT ?

I’m not on any thyroid medication at present.

Just to add, I had a partial thyroidectomy 40 years ago.

Here’s my results ....

THS 4.79. 0.27 - 4.20

Free thyroxine 11.3 12.00 - 22.00

T4. 72.5. 59.00 - 154.00

Free T3. 4.95. 3.10 - 6.80

TGAB. <10. 0.00 - 115.00

TPAB. 15.8. 0.00 - 34.00

B12. 87.20. 25.10 - 165.00

Folate. 18.66. 2.91 - 50.00

Vit D. 40. 50 - 200

CRP. 4.49. 0.00 - 5.00

Ferratin. 110. 13.00 - 150.00

Thanks for reading 😉

[Nanaedake]

I don't think GP should think vitamin D is ok as it's below range you've given here. Your TSH is raised and as you've had a thyroidectomy it should make GP think your remnant may be struggling. Not only that but GP should consider low calcium as a contributing factor to symptoms. Do you know if you lost any parathyroid glands or if they were damaged?

Some interesting information about calcium here This article explains how some nutrient deficiencies can cause a number of symptoms and links calcium deficiency to thyroid disease. news-medical.net/health/Cal...

check for symptoms of calcium deficiency whittington.nhs.uk/document... This document is by the NHS so it might be worth printing? Note that soy products are not recommended for people with thyroid conditions though since this was clearly written for a different patient group.

[Anniewoz1 in reply to Nanaedake]

Thank you Nanaedake,

I’ll read articles now

[Angel_of_the_North]

Your free T4 is under range. Needs to be treated.

[Anniewoz1 in reply to Angel_of_the_North]

Thanks for your reply,

I really struggle to understand results, is “in range” not good ?

Sorry if I sound a bit dumb !

[Angel_of_the_North in reply to Anniewoz1]

Free T4 isn't in range, it is under range . It is 11.3 and the range starts at 12. Total T4 is a useless test as it includes T4 that cannot be used. And most healthy people have a TSH of around 1.2, very , few healthy people even have a TSH over 2, so statistically a TSH at the top end of the range is unlikely to be healthy. Yours is over range (because your free T4 is too low - because your thyroid cannot make enough hormone). When that happens, your body revs up free t4 to free T3 conversion to try to keep you alive - that's why your free T3 is still in range.

[Anniewoz1 in reply to Angel_of_the_North]

Thanks

A little bit clearer now,

GP appointment tomorrow but I’m not holding my breath, there must be a way to make him realise there’s a reason I feel so lousy 😞

[Nanaedake in reply to Anniewoz1]

Good point Angel_of_the_North makes about FT4 being below range. With raised TSH and below range FT4 it shows your thyroid is struggling. Be persistent with the doctor and insiste they work with you to resolve your symptoms. A trial of levothyroxine should be possible and look into nutrient deficiencies too. If needs be just keep booking 10min appointments until you get to the bottom of your symptoms. If you only get to communicate a few sentences at each appointment then you just have to keep booking Dr's apts until you get some action.

[Anniewoz1 in reply to Nanaedake]

Thanks

I will have to make him listen, I can’t keep feeling this lousy!

[Nanaedake in reply to Anniewoz1]

No, you deserve better.

You can't make the doctor listen but you can tell him/her you're relying on their 6 years of medical training and years of experience to figure out what's wrong with you. Have you got copies of all your blood tests going back some years? It might be worth accessing them online which you can do through your GP reception who can arrange a password and instructions about how to do it. I would ask before you visit the GP as you might need a signature on the form.

[Anniewoz1 in reply to Nanaedake]

Morning Nanaedake

Once again, thanks for your positive reply !

As for blood tests, I only have the recent medicheck results, all other results given over the phone

I’m only now realising years of symptoms may all be down to thyroid issues !

This makes me feel really dumb - I can’t believe I didn’t pick up on this !

Thank goodness for this forum and the internet!

[Nanaedake in reply to Anniewoz1]

No need to feel dumb, how are you supposed to know? That's what doctors are supposed to do...help us figure our why we don't feel well and if we don't have access to our blood tests we can't discuss knowledgeably with them or at least ask sensible questions.

Your symptoms could be low vitamin levels or a number of things besides thyroid although your test results show thyroid is struggling. Doctors will say we are fine if results are anywhere in NHS range, however, if we're bumping along the bottom of the range we won't feel fine. Most docs only test TSH so they wouldn't pick up that FT4 is low.

I didn't know my doctor had tested vitamin D, in fact I had no idea I'd had so many blood tests, I thought I was going for thyroid blood tests but lots of others were done. So it's worth getting online access to historical blood tests and see what's been going on. I supplemented vitamin D after I ordered my own blood test not knowing NHS had done it. The doctor didn't tell me it was low but now I know it wasn't in a good range for someone with thyroid disease.

[Anniewoz1 in reply to Nanaedake]

Thanks Nanaedake

It’s great to get well informed advice.

Well, to say I’m amazed is putting it mildly, visited the GP earlier, armed with medicheck results....... success ! Levothyroxine prescribed !

Very low dose, then more bloods then we’ll see how things go

Thanks so much for advising me

Enjoy your weekend 🌞

[Nanaedake in reply to Anniewoz1]

You too, enjoy your weekend!! Let us know how it goes. If you still feel unwell, next step is to get all your nutrient levels tested. Did you get Vitamin D prescribed?

[Anniewoz1 in reply to Nanaedake]

Thanks

I’d already bought a vitamin D3 spray !

Didn’t want to risk asking too much of GP !