Blood test results newbie

Hi my first post so hope I’m in the right place.

I’ve been diagnosed with an underactive thyroid for the last 9 years, my gp noticed I had a goitre even though I had gone for something else. A few blood tests later and an ultrasound which showed a few nodules but nothing serious I was started on Levo.

I was on 100mcg but since April it has been dropped to 75mcg due to my TSH going below range, unfortunately I felt worse than usual so I’m now alternating 75mcg/100mcg every other day.

In the past year I’ve been put on antidepressants for low mood and HRT for night sweats/flushes. I’ve since come off these as I didn’t feel any different taking them.

I’m now starting to think that it maybe thyroid related. I went to my Gp yesterday as I’m due blood tests at the end of July and asked if she could do some extra tests that I had seen recommended. These were Vit D, Vit b12, magnesium, T3 & iron. The gp refused to add these on but agreed to Vit B12 on,y. She said she would repeat TSH, T4 and folate. I have now managed to gain access of my past blood tests.

Any advice would be gladly received on where I can go from here. I was told on a USA site I may not be converting T4 to T3, but I’m not very clued up.

Thank you

[shaws Administrator]

Re antidepressants. This can be due to having a very low T3 in your body. Being hypothyroid means that we don't have sufficient T4/T3.

Levothyroxine is T4. T4 is inactive but it has to convert to T3. T3 (liothyronine) is the only Active thyroid hormone and is the only one required in our millions of T3 receptor cells. T3 drives our whole metabolism, from head to toe and brain and heart need the most.

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

She should test for Vit D as it is also a prohormone with essential work as is B12. Doctors usually test iron but not magnesium. We have two private labs who will do those GP wont. They are home pin-prick tests. Make sure you are well-hydrated a couple of days before blood draw if you decide to do this.

Can you get a print-out of your other blood test results, with the ranges and put them on a new post if you don't have them today. You will probably find you have more than a few 'symptoms'. Ranges are important as labs differ and so do ranges and we need ranges in order to respond.

All blood tests for thyroid hormones have to be at the earliest possible, fasting (you can drink water) and allow 24 hours gap between last dose and the test and take afterwards. This helps keep the TSH at its highest as they are apt to adjust dose according to TSH which is from the pituitary gland and not the thyroid gland.

The aim for us is a TSH of 1 or lower with FT4 and FT3 in the upper part of the ranges.

[Hidden in reply to shaws]

Unfortunately I’ve only had my T3 tested once in the 9 years and was 3.3pmoI/L below range

[greygoose]

It's very true, you might not be converting T4 to T3, lots of us don't. But, we would have to see an fT4 and an FT3 done at the same time to know that.

The results you've posted above are just TSH, aren't they? TSH on its own tells us very little. We can't deduce very much from that except that it keeps going up and down. But, did you have all those tests done at the same time of day? Because TSH is highest early in the morning and drops throughout the day. It also drops after eating. So, we always advise people to have their blood drawn early in the morning - before 9 am - and fast over-night. And, to leave 24 hours between the last dose of levo - if they're taking levo - and the blood draw (in case you have FT4 tested). But, this is a patient-to-patient tip, and not to be shared with doctors, etc.

So, your doctors won't do all the necessary tests? It's to do with money - cost-cutting - and to hell with the patient's health. Which is why so many people here get private tests done, when they can afford it. You also need your antibodies tested. Has that been done?

[Hidden in reply to greygoose]

Yes I had a Se thyroid Peroxidase Ab conc test which was abnormal to 281iu/mL (normal range 0-50)

I also had a serum free T4 which was 13.8 pmoI/L which was normal, unfortunately my gp surgery aren’t being very helpful

[greygoose in reply to Hidden]

OK, so you have Hashi's, which is what I suspected, and that's why your TSH goes up and down.

Can't comment on the FT4 because you haven't put the range.

Your doctor should not be dosing by the TSH, because it's far from reliable when you have Hashi's. And, in fact, should be kept suppressed. But, I don't suppose your doctor knows anything about Hashi's - none of them do.

There are two things you can try to help yourself a) go gluten-free and b) take selenium. That way, you might be able to reduce your antibodies, which could be causing symptoms, and make yourself feel better. But, you still need an increase in dose.