Can anyone help with my test results, are they normal like the doctor says I’m on 125mg thyroxine but don’t feel better!

[Vjdhkf]

Are my thyroid levels ok

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Vjdhkf

No, you're results are far from OK for a patient on 125mcg Levo, you are undermedicated and this will be causing symptoms.

Your FT4 is only 37% through it's range, FT3 is also only 37% through it's range and your TSH is almost at the top of the range.

The aim of a treated hypo patient generally is for TSH to be 1 or below or wherever it needs to be for FT4 and FT3 to be in the upper part of their respective reference ranges when on Levo if that is where you feel well.

You need an increase in your Levo to reduce your TSH and raise your FT4 and FT3.

To support your request for an increase, use the following information:

Dr Toft (past president of the British Thyroid Association and leading endocrinologist, states in Pulse Magazine (the magazine for doctors):

"The appropriate dose of levothyroxine is that which restores euthyroidism and serum TSH to the lower part of the reference range - 0.2-0.5mU/l.

In this case, free thyroxine is likely to be in the upper part of its reference range or even slightly elevated – 18-22pmol/l. Most patients will feel well in that circumstance.

But some need a higher dose of levothyroxine to suppress serum TSH and then the serum-free T4 concentration will be elevated at around 24-28pmol/l.

This 'exogenous subclinical hyperthyroidism' is not dangerous as long as serum T3 is unequivocally normal – that is, serum total around T3 1.7nmol/l (reference range 1.0-2.2nmol/l)."

You can obtain a copy of the article by emailing Dionne at ThyroidUK

[e-mail]

print it and highlight question 6 to show your doctor.

Also, from The Leeds Teaching Hospitals pathology.leedsth.nhs.uk/pa...

Scroll down to:

Thyroxine Replacement Therapy in Primary Hypothyroidism

TSH Level .....This Indicates

0.2 - 2.0 miu/L ..... Sufficient Replacement

> 2.0 miu/L ..... Likely under Replacement

[Vjdhkf in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you for your reply, Unfortunately my doctor said as it’s within normal range there is nothing else they can do so I’m about stuck

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Vjdhkf]

Yes, you are in the normal range, but if you read my previous reply again you will know that the aim of a treated hypo patient is for TSH to be 1 and FT4/FT3 in the upper part of the range if that is where you feel well.

If you still have symptoms, you should list them, go back to the doctor and present the evidence from respected sources that I have given above. If necessary see a different doctor.

Sometimes we have to fight to feel well.

[Vjdhkf in reply to SeasideSusie]

I did exactly as you said and shown them the info you wrote, it makes a lot of sense to me but not to them! They give me the blood tests I ask for, just if it says normal no action required they won’t do anything more

[MissSusan in reply to Vjdhkf]

A similar thing happened to me, so I booked an appointment to see the dr, told her I wanted an increase as I was still having symptoms, she agreed with me and upped my dose. Have you explained that you’re still having symptoms?

[Vjdhkf in reply to MissSusan]

Yes 3 times I’ve been in 8 weeks it falls on deaf ears! I think I should find a new doctor and see if that helps

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Vjdhkf]

Then it's probably time you found another doctor. The evidence is there, I honestly can't see how they can argue with evidence that has come from an NHS teaching hospital. This all goes to show that you have a doctor who doesn't give a toss about how his patient feels and has no interest in helping them get well. Unfortunately, there are far too many of them about, and they don't appear to be following NHS protocol.

SlowDragon Do you have any further links that emphasise where TSH and/or hormone levels should be that should be acceptable to a doctor?

[Vjdhkf in reply to SeasideSusie]

There is 3 doctors at my surgery and none of them seem to have any clue about thyroid, I have told them I still feel awful, Is there anyone I can see that actually specialises in thyroid

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Vjdhkf]

ThyroidUK have a list of thyroid friendly doctors which you can send for:

[e-mail]

but you are already diagnosed hypo and on Levo, you just need a GP who will acknowledge that you need the right dose of Levo for you to be symptom free.

[Vjdhkf in reply to SeasideSusie]

I’ll get on that, when it’s levelled out with the right dose will I stop gaining weight do you know?

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Vjdhkf]

Weight loss will be very difficult unless you are optimally medicated, and FT3 is at a good level. FT3 is such an important test yet doctors don't seem to think so, which is why so many of us do private tests to include this, and we often find that we are poor converters of T4 to T3.

[Vjdhkf in reply to SeasideSusie]

I requested the ft3 does mine show i don’t covert very well x

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Vjdhkf]

It's not really possible to tell how well you convert until TSH is down to about 1. Then you look at your FT4 and FT3 levels. If FT4 is high in range and FT3 low in range then that shows poor conversion. If they are balanced then conversion will be good.