I had private bloods done last week and I have the results of them. The reason I had them done is because I felt so disbelieved by my GPs with my ongoing symptoms of hypothyroidism. Unexplained weight gain. Gritty eyes. Sensitivity to the sun. Constipation, IBS related symptoms. Joint aches. Acne. Hair loss. Puffy eyes. Dark rings under eyes. Feeling cold. Headaches. Fatigue. Weakness in bones and in muscles. Heavy and irregular periods. So do I post them here for advice? I am not yet diagnosed.
I’m just checking it’s not a typo that your TSH is 22.8?
You must be feeling like 💩.
If it’s not a typo, then NHS guidelines are that anyone with a TSH of 10 or above should be started on Levothyroxine.
Have you shown those results to your GP?, he may not accept them some are funny accepting private blood testing.
if he will not accept then, tell him you want NHS bloods doing, TSH, T3 & T4 based on your own private bloods showing you have a thyroid problem. Don’t not be fobbed off, don’t accept antidepressants either, they don’t work well with thyroid issues. You feel ill because you have a thyroid issue.
If he accepts your results you should be started on Levothyroxine. Don’t accept 25mcg, unless you are elderly or have a heart condition.
If not you start on 50mcg, then 6 weeks later have another blood test and increase the dosage by 25mcg each time, Until your results improve and most importantly you feel better.
When we talk about NHS ranges they often still leave patients feeling ill.
To feel better it is advised that our TSH should be 1 or below and T3 & T4 in the upper figures of the range.
Some GP are only obsessed with TSH ranges, which becomes irrelevant when we have Hashimoto’s as they can be up and down like a yo yo then the Gp’s start buggering about with our dosage, ignoring our T3 & T4 results.
T3 is the important one to look at.
Thyroid tests should include TSH, T3 & T4 and booked as early in the morning as possible before 9am.
Don’t eat and only drink water. Don’t take Levothyroxine before the blood test either. Why? Well our TSH is always higher in the morning and this enables patients to be diagnosed with a thyroid condition and start in medication and or get an increase. We pass this information to our members on here as a tip, so no need to disclose this to the nurse or GP.
You have antibodies present so you have an autoimmune disease (Hashimoto’s) this causes inflammation, going gluten free will help, also taking 200mcg of selenium daily will help.
A word of warning, you may do well on Levothyroxine , but, may hit a brick wall with it.
why? Well Levothyroxine only contains T4, T4 is suppose to convert to T3, however, many patients that have Hashimoto’s don’t convert and no matter how much Levothyroxine we have some symptoms don’t disappear and we need to add T3. T3 is a hot subject at the moment and like gold dust.
It’s still very early days for you as you haven’t started treatment yet, but, keep that in mind.
Vitamin levels need to be checked as well.
Before I forget make sure you obtain copies of your blood results from your GP.
You are legally entitled to them free of charge. Don’t be fobbed off by the receptionist etc. If your surgery offers on line services then register with them and all your results are then posted on line to be viewed once your GP has seen them.
Thanks. No the result is 22.8. It would make sense it would be that high because I had a high TSH back in 2011 which was 6.2 (0.2 - 4.2) and I insisted on thyroid antibodies to be checked, only to be told by the practice manager they only check them when there is suspicion of thyroid disease. I don't understand where I would fit in to that criteria.
I think I would take action as you've been hypo for a very long time, undiagnosed and untreated. If we have antibodies even if TSH is low we must be prescribed levothyroxine. Even your 6.2 (0.2 - 4.2) in 2011 was above but doctors in the UK have been directed (by someone who must be an idiot) that we've not to be diagnosed until TSH is 10. TSH is actually from the pituitary gland which struggles to get the gland to pump out more thyroid hormones.
email Dionne at tukadmin@thyroiduk.org and ask for a copy of Dr Toft's Pulse Online article (Physician to eh Queen when she's in Scotland) and highlight the part where he states that if antibodies are present you should be prescribed regardless of the TSH.
You are not a hyperchondriac. You are ill. You poor thing. I couldn’t move when my TSH was 4. You need to be medicated. There are brilliant people on this board who can help you. You need T4 and possibly T3.
Your doctor is not a doctor if he wasn’t appalled by your blood work. You have every reason to be feeling bad.
Thank you very much i just don't understand why I was left like this. When my TSH was above range last time I wasn't asked how I was feeling. Just I was hypothyroid and to repeat bloods in 8 weeks time
It is because doctors have been told all that they need to do is wait until the TSH is 10. That seems quite easy but sometimes we can be very symptomatic with a lower TSH and I think the problem is they don't connect the two. They have no idea, I believe, of any symptoms and that's how, before blood tests were introduced, we used to be diagnosed and given a trial of NDT.
First thing I would do is change the doctor who is completely ignorant.
You have an Autoimmune Thyroid Disease, also called Hashimoto's (hash's for short) and is the commonest form of hypothyroidism. This is diagnosed by thyroid hormones present.
Tell him he has been neglectful not to have prescribed before your TSH has gone well above their 'optimum' for diagnosing which is 10. Believe it or not if we were in another country we'd be diagnosed if TSH is above 3+.
Is your GP REALLY unawaware that dysfunctions of the thyroid gland if untreated can have serious consequences:-
THYROID STIMULATING HORMONE 22.8 mIU/L (0.2 - 4.2) - well above the max of 4.2.
*FREE THYROXINE 10.5 pmol/L (12.0 - 22.0) below range
*FREE T3 3.0 pmol/L (3.1 - 6.8) below range
Both FT4 and FT3 should be nearer the upper level.
Phone your GP and ask him to provide a 50mcg of levothyroxine now. Tell him you've had advice after posting your private blood test results onto Healthunlocked for Thyroiduk.org.uk.
You need a blood test every six weeks with an increase of 25mcg until TSH is 1 or lower. Many GPs think somewhere in range is fine. No it isn't.
Listen to Shaws above and everyone else. You have a serious thyroid condition and need to get it sorted by a competent doctor as soon as possible. If you don't, it could lead to further problems. Living with your levels is very difficult and we all feel for you and have been there. I'm afraid you will have to fight your corner to get the medical system helping you appropriately. Use this site to get advice and the encouragement you will need.
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Overmedicated? Doesn't feel like it!
Should I increase Levo?
Endo says I am a hypochondriac 
I feel like giving up
