My TSH levels

[Kat366]

Apparently when I got my thyroid checked last year they only checked TSH and it was 1.270, dr said it’s in normal range but did not check T4 or T3

[shaws Administrator]

Usually if we've not been diagnosed before, the basic test is TSH and maybe T4. Your TSH is fine but if your doctor didn't check for thyroid antibodies, then that could be different.

I shall give you a link to symptoms. If you've any, tick them off and you will see if you have sufficient to warrant another blood test.

GPs will only test TSH and T4. Rarely will the check anything else.

If you wish you can get a private test and request:-

TSH, T4, T3, Free T4, Free T3 and thyroid antibodies.

Your GP should test B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate as deficiences can also cause symptoms. Everything has to be optimal.

The blood draw has to be at the earliest and don't eat before it. If you were taking thyroid hormone replacement you'd allow a gap of 24 hours between last dose and test and take afterwards.

If you decide to do a private test, make sure you're wel hydrated a couple of days before. It is a pin-prick test s

but if you think you'll find this difficult either lab will recommend where you can get blood drawn.

tick off any symptoms

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

Blue Horizon or Medichecks are the labs. Medichecks do a discounted price on Thursday but I imagine they will be for different tests.

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

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

[Jake123- in reply to shaws]

I have 45 symptoms on this list

[shaws Administrator in reply to Jake123-]

45 too many. My goodness, what are doctors doing? They are prescribing other medications for the symptoms, instead of prescribing a decent dose of thyroid hormones which relieve our clinical symptoms. That could be T4, T4/T3, NDT, or T3 alone.

[Jake123- in reply to shaws]

They have me on 100 Mcg thyroxine just I say I'm hypo they say normal

[shaws Administrator in reply to Jake123-]

What they mean by 'normal' is that your results are within the 'normal range'. We, the patient, by normal mean we have no clinical symptoms and feel well. We need optimum not normal.

Please get a print-out of your latest results, with the ranges and post on a new question.

Did you have your blood test at the very earliest? Fasting? you can drink water. And allow a gap of 24 hours between last dose and test and take it afterwards.

This method gives us the best results for. TSH is highest then and drops throughout the day and prevents an adjustment in dose we don't want.

[Jake123- in reply to shaws]

24 hours . Wen do u recommend best time to take thyroxine I take mine in mornin

[Kat366 in reply to Jake123-]

You can take it anytime as long as it’s on an empty stomach

[shaws Administrator in reply to Jake123-]

Taking in the morning is fine - on an empty stomach with one full glass of water and wait an hour before eating is recommended. Don't have coffee - this is an excerpt:

Levothyroxine and Coffee Interaction

A case report described in the European Thyroid Association journal “Hot Thyroidology” states that coffee negatively affects the intestine’s ability to absorb levothyroxine. Study subjects who drank coffee simultaneously with or shortly after taking their thyroid medication failed to achieve the normalization or suppression of TSH, or thyroid stimulating hormone, levels for which they were taking the drug. When the same subjects allowed 60 minutes to pass between taking thyroid medication and drinking coffee, their TSH levels soon normalized, indicating that their bodies were successfully taking up the drug.

livestrong.com/article/5337...

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Kat

Have you had any more recent tests?

Your TSH of 1.27 is "normal" and for those of us on Levo the aim generally is for TSH to be 1 or lower with FT4 and FT3 in the upper part of their reference ranges if that is where you feel well.

If GP won't or can't get FT4 and FT3 tested then you can do that with a private test with one of our recommended labs.

[Kat366 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Not yet, I’m going to schedule another test, I only found out I had a thyroid problem when trying to get pregnant at age 35, had a couple miscarriages then got pregnant with my second daughter and was put on meds and was fine, after baby was born thyroid went hypo and I was told o have graves, that was 12 years ago. After my daughter was born everything went into remission for about 10 years now it’s under again and I’m on 88mcg of levothyroxine / day and feel absolutely terrible, body hurts no matter what i do, tired all the time, brain is full of fog, can’t concentrate, I’m bloated all the time, have puffy baggy eyes, hair is thinner, eyebrows and eyelashes very thin, extremely dry skin, heart palpitations, just all around feel like death most days. It’s been a year since last blood work when my TSH was normal and dr kept me on same 88mcg but didn’t check my t3 or t4 or antibodies, my endo seemed more concerned but he retired and now it’s just my PC checking on me and o don’t think they know what to do for me, also I’m from USA so not sure what a private test is...

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Kat366]

Sounds like you're not in the UK then. Is there any way you can get tests done yourself independently of your doctor? You may have seen us mention private testing here in the UK with a couple of labs recommended by Thyroid UK. Do you have access to something similar?

You really need TSH, FT4 and FT3 and I would do TPO and TG antibodies too.

[Kat366 in reply to SeasideSusie]

I am going to ask my Dr, he may do it if I ask