Hi everyone,
Forum members keep referring to Hypothyroidism being diagnosed and treated in countries abroad when TSH is over 3 in range. Can anyone tell me which countries this applies to I live in France and according to my doctor here, it’s the same as UK. TSH over 5 low FT4 & FT4 treatment zilch.
It's actually more complicated than that in the UK, where you are at the mercy of your postcode and local laboratories' protocols, in terms of determining whether your TSH is over range or not. In any case, most doctors in the UK won't offer treatment until the TSH is pushing 10, despite NICE guidelines stating that a trial of Levothyroxine can be offered to people who have symptoms, a 'normal' T4 level and a TSH over 4.
It might seem pedantic, but there are currently no NICE guidelines on hypothyroid treatment.
There are Clinical Knowledge Summaries (CKS) which are managed entirely differently to formal NICE guidelines.
The process of developing NICE guidelines is under way, though I have heard no recent news.
Did you get coeliac blood test?
According to my gastroenterologist 5 out of 10 Coeliacs have absolutely no gut symptoms.
Or if result was negative. Have you tried strictly gluten free diet regardless result
What happened about high ferritin levels, have they reduced with less vitamin C?
Hi SlowDragon,
How are you? Thank you for taking the time to reply.
No the Doctor didn’t test for coeliac even though he has on record my mother has it. Regarding the ferritin he made no comment but did a whole range of liver tests, all came back in range. He wasn’t happy when I gave him my UK blood test results, and wanted to prove I had diabetes, and was not my thyroid, again all results came back well within range (my mother also diabetic). He did give me quite a thorough examination and even checked my hair loss his response to this was that it happens after ovaries stop working, I felt like replying I’m 65 of course my bloody ovaries have stopped working years ago my hair loss only started 12-18 months ago, but my command of French under pressure disappeared. He said he would contact me if any problems with the blood results. The only tess out of range were TSH 5.320 (0.27-4.2) FT4 13.8 (12-22 ) no FT3 test. Results 10 weeks earlier with Blue Horizon were TSH 2.87 (0.27-4.20) FT4. 13.10 (12.0-22.0) FT3 3.70 (3.1-6.8).
The doctor hasn’t contacted me about the over range TSH.
I have lived in France and been to the doctors on 2 occasion first to register then now, we pay €1800 a year for our mutuelle, this is to cover the difference in UK NHS and the French health, and to be honest I felt like a hypochondriac time waster.
And this is my contribution to War and Peace.
Again thank your for your valuable advise and make sure you enjoy the bank holiday weekend.
Kind regards
So you need to either get private coeliac blood test (notoriously unreliable anyway, but not expensive)
Or just bite the bullet and try strictly gluten free diet for 3-6 months
Your TSH is far too high and FT4 too low.
Testing zinc levels for hair loss
Low magnesium can be linked to hair loss apparently too.
Low magnesium and low vitamin D often occur together. Low vitamin D common hypothyroid issue
Do you supplement vitamin D, as last result was good?
Did you start a good quality vitamin B complex to improve low vitamin B12?
If you are taking vitamin B complex, or any supplements containing biotin, remember to stop these 3-5 days before any blood tests, as biotin can falsely affect test results
I have private medical cover in Saudi, began treatment authorised by an English and Spanish GP with a TSH of almost 7.
In the UK we are not diagnosed with hypothyroidism until the TSH is 10, whilst ignoring all of our clinical symptoms.
Before blood tests were introduced anywhere in the world, as far as I know, we were all diagnosed due to our clinical symptoms and given NDT (natural dessicated thyroid hormones) due to our clinical symptoms and dose was increased until we were symptom-free.
This is an excerpt from the following link:-
TSH is not produced by the thyroid at the equal rate during the entire day. It follows a circadian rhythm and is mostly produced during our sleep.
Presently a normal reference range of serum TSH for adults is 0.4–4.5mIU/L.
In some countries that upper limit has been disputed, and reduced to 2.5mIU/L [2].
I was diagnosed in Russia. It started in 2016 when mh hair started falling out at an alarming rate. Trychologist suggested I should do a thyroid test (TSH). It was 3.7. She told me go repeat it in 6 months. Unfortunately, I didn't - I repeated it only in 12 months when I already had a multitude of symptoms, including inability to get out of bed in the mornings and severe bleeding for which I had an op (endometrial ablation). My next TSH was over 5. I was put on levothyroxine by my Russian endo.
Just curious... dose increases and hunger
curious to hear anyones thoughts on a Hashi’s turned Graves dilemma 
Curious question about T3 and testing
Curious if I could have Hashimotos which is being overlooked by my GP
