Hypothyroid understanding my results

[Nessynu]

Hi all, I'm a newby.(Diagnosed with underactive thyroid 6 months ago. Doc says I am now within the normal range but I am still so fatigued and feeling down and aches etc so I went to my doc today and got the results of my last three thyroid tests and was wondering if any of you nice people could have a look and let me know what you advice please?. Thanks in advance. Results are currently TSH 1.17 Free T4 15.2

[Chickenlady2009]

Nessynu, I am not an expert, but I'm sure the other people on this site who are will ask you to post your T3 results and the ranges, before they can give you advice. Edit your post with that and and include any vitamin and ferritin iron test results.

good luck

[Nessynu in reply to Chickenlady2009]

Hi Chickenlady, I dont have T3 results as my doc cant/wont do T3 testing hun. I live in Ireland and thats all most GPs will do!

[healthymarge in reply to Nessynu]

I had to go to Wilson in Maynooth to get T3 tested as my local hospital won't do.

[Hidden in reply to healthymarge]

I'm NO expert, but I do know you can mail order, to obtain a full testing via saliva. How about checking online for throid test kit? Go forward from there? Feeling bad is horrible, it effects quality of your life. I've received, a LOT of suggestions, info I'd never think on my own!!!! Positive thinking, order your own test if your Dr., wont/can't, get to feeling better🐝

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Nessynu

If you post all your test results, along with their reference ranges (possibly in brackets) then we can try and help.

[Nessynu in reply to SeasideSusie]

Hi hun. I live in Ireland and that is all my Doc will test for, but he said my Ferritin and B12 are fine?

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Nessynu]

You need to know the actual results and ranges and vitamins. Never accept "fine, normal, or ". That's an opinion not a result

They need to be optimal, not just in range

Plus have antibodies tested and FT3

[Beata_s in reply to SlowDragon]

They all say everything is fine even if it isn’t ! Thanks to this site and help and knowledge here I discovered my dogs are iron deficient ! And they are not anemic - yet !! Vets would have never looked at iron and B vitamins if I didn’t demand if after learning it’s importance here . No wonder they all have thyroid problems ! And B vitamins tested too - but so far adding B complex worked for Lymphedema in on who has low thyroid function ( but of course the vet says he is fine ) , another one who has hashimoto I couldn’t stabilise for almost 2 years ! Waiting for her Bs and iron tests ! Never looked at her T3s and since I am she is not converting so no matter how many T4 pills she gets - she can’t get better !

These guys saved my dogs life ! I am grateful more than words can say !

You will be ok if you follow these guys advice

All the best x

[Hidden in reply to Beata_s]

👏I so agree with you, I learned, felt better in one day from the intelligent, knowledgeable people that truly take time. Reading, replying, sharing I'm so happy to find people who "get" what I'm saying, you will too, hang in there🏖🌺

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Nessynu]

Nessynu

As mentioned by others, your doctor is saying your results are fine purely because they are somewhere within the range, but it's where in the range that is important.

For example, if your Ferritin was 14 and the range was 13-150 your GP would say it was fine/normal/OK. He would say the same if your level wad 149. However, if your level was 14 you would be feeling vastly different from how you would feel if your level was 149, you would have many symptoms and your thyroid hormone wouldn't be able to work properly. So it's important to know where in range you fall for every test you have done, and optimise any nutrient levels if they are low.

[Furface in reply to Nessynu]

Never believe a dr who says your tests are fine. The so- called normal wide ranges include sick people and you need to be optimum for your thyroid to work efficiently. Ask for a copy of the tests. You can still ask for them and advocate for yourself, its what we all end up doing. Its your body and your life, not theirs and you 'are' worth it! ; )

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Just testing TSH and FT4 is not enough information

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4, TT4, FT3 plus TPO and TG thyroid antibodies. Plus vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12.

Essential to test thyroid antibodies, FT3 and FT4, plus vitamins

Private tests are available. Thousands on here forced to do this as NHS often refuses to test FT3 or antibodies

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

Medichecks Thyroid plus ultra vitamin or Blue Horizon Thyroid plus eleven 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.

If on Levothyroxine, don't take 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)

If antibodies are high this is Hashimoto's, (also known by medics here in UK more commonly as autoimmune thyroid disease).

About 90% of all hypothyroidism in Uk is due to Hashimoto's. Low vitamins are especially common with Hashimoto's. Food intolerances too, especially gluten. So it's important to get tested.

[Nessynu in reply to SlowDragon]

Hey SlowDragon

Thank u for getting back to me. vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 are all ok but as

Doctors in Ireland only test for TSH and T4 do u think Im under-medicated|?

[TSH110]

If all you have to go on are those two and you still feel unwell i’d Say yes. TSH is best down between 0.2-0.5, according to Dr Toft an eminent endocrinologist. So your could come down quite a bit. Admin have a copy of his statement you could take to your GP to ask for a dose increase. He says free T3 and free T 4 should be towards the top of the range (hence everyone asking you to post ranges as these vary from lab to lab your doctor should have these too so get them next time) but you did not get tested for them only T4 which is not really useful. You may have vitamin and mineral deficiencies demand the actual results do not let your doctor fob you off saying they are ok, your TSH is not ok and you do not feel ok a decent doctor would want to know why and do something about it not imply it is in your head and they know your own body better than you. Luckily none have had the audacity to say anything like that to me if they did I’d challenge them and they would not know what had hit them! I did get one who was awkward and I gave her a piece of my mind and refused to have anything to do with her again. These incompetents can keep you ill for years when all they have to do is increase your medication by a measily 25 or 50mcg.

[silverfox7]

We still need the ranges for the ones you have posted as they differ from lab to lab so without them we would just be guessing. They are usually in brackets after your results so would look something like this.

FT 4 16 ( 12-22)

At this stage once we have the ranges we can only suggest that you may not be on enough medication so ask for an increase but say for instance that your FT4 is at or near the top of its range then that doesn't necessarily merbromin its go and it may not be converting the inactive T4 to the active T3 that every cell in our body needs do then many of us end up paying for good testing as it's the only way to really see and understand what is actually happening. In many cases the GO doesn't realise this and even if the GP requests them then the lab will so no! Yes it's very frustrating and annoying but it's a cross be have to bear.

[Nessynu in reply to silverfox7]

His Silverfox tsh 1.17 range 0.3-4.2 free to 15.2 range 12-22. What do you think?

[silverfox7 in reply to Nessynu]

Thank you for your rages. FT4 isn't even half way and I would think this means your FT3 would be even lower. So you need a dose increase of 25 mcg and retest 6/8 weeks later to see if you are in the right area. If not another dose increase and keep repeating until your FT4 is in the top third or even the top quarter of the range. If you get it up there and after a while still struggling then come back yo us as toubmay not be converting with. Then levels of Vit D, B12, folate and ferritin need testing. They need to be optimal and it's important that they are as they help your thyroid to work better, help conversion ofcthe T4 to T3 and can also get rid orcatcleast lessen some symptoms you may have. It can be a long process to fine tune but well worth the effort.

[Nessynu]

Thank you all so much for your input. I have found a doc in Ireland that tests for everything to do with Thyroid (albeit an 8 week waiting list) and I have also done a test for food intolerance (3 week wait for results) and vitamin and mineral defincenty.