Well as some of you may remember my other post on here, I got my lab results last Friday. Attached an image of them here just for reference. They show my thyroid as being severely underactive.
Seen the nurse practitioner yesterday, I wasn't sure if they would accept my private blood test results but they did and issued a prescription for thyroxine that I can pick up today.
When I seen the nurse practitioner he told me that my thyroid was last checked in February and was fine back then. This was a surprise as I thought it was a little longer ago.
My question is, what if the lab results I got back are an abnormality on the test? what if the bloods somehow got messed up and my thyroid is normal? What would happen if I taken the thyroxine tablets with a normal thyroid?
I'm sure its not and the lab results are right, just anxious about it!
Guess I just want to know what would happen if the lab results was wrong and someone accidentally taken thyroxine when they did not need it.
I tend to get anxious about taking new medication.
Edit forgot to ask, is it okay to crush thyroxine tablets? E.g dissolve it on a tablespoon of water and swallow?
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MivoUK
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It's a shame you didn't have thyroid antibodies checked as this might throw some light on why your results were considered normal back in February. Do you have those results because it would be interesting to see just how "normal" they were.
I don't think you need to worry about these results, I'm sure they are correct. We've never had anyone query a Blue Horizon test before.
Levothyroxine is meant to be swallowed whole with a glass of water, not crushed, chewed, taken sublingually, etc.
I know what you mean! I didn't have thyroid antibodies checked because I didn't suspect my thyroid was even the problem. I thought I had low testosterone so went in for a male hormone panel with OptiMale. The nurse practitioner didn't seem to care about them though he just said we will prescribe levothyroxine and in 6 weeks time they want to repeat my prolactin and TSH blood tests.
Just speaking hypothetically though, if the bloods was inaccurate and someone taken levothyroxine with a normal thyroid function, would it be a big deal?
I guess in reality I know that the blood tests are right as I've noticed a steady decline in my body temperature this week too. Its normally around 37c, now its down to 35.2c (under arm). Think I'm just trying to reassure myself by knowing exactly what would happen if the blood tests was wrong.
Also as a side note, these blood tests do confirm that my thyroid is definitely underactive right? Because when I seen the nurse practitioner he said he couldn't tell if my thyroid was underactive or overactive from the blood results, then he gone and spoken to the doctor and prescribed levothyroxine.
Underactive thyroid is confirmed by high/over range TSH and low/below range FT4 and your results fit. To be honest, with a TSH of 100 many members here wouldn't be able to function.
Overactive thyroid is confirmed by below range TSH and over range FT4.
If there was a mistake and you weren't underactive then taking Levo would most likely result in you having signs of being overactive, eg sweating, palpitations, hand trembling when held out in front of your, bags of nervous energy. Look up symptoms of hyperthyroidism is you're worried.
How much Levo have you been prescribed?
When booking future thyroid tests, always book the first appointment of the morning, fast overnight (delay breakfast but you can drink water, no tea or coffee though), and leave off Levo for 24 hours, take after the blood draw. This gives the most accurate results and by keeping conditions the same every time you will be able to compare results accurately.
I have to be honest even with the TSH of 100 I don't feel anything like what people have said I should feel like. I mean I wake up feeling tired and don't do much more than sit on the couch all day most days but all in all, accept for feeling like that and super zombified all day I don't feel that bad. Not like what some members have said about muscles barely moving ect when they have had similar TSH.
I'm not 100% sure how much I have been prescribed as I haven't picked my prescription up yet from my doctors surgery. Will update you once I have picked it up in about an hour.
Interesting, I had an the current bloods taken early morning, 9am but I didn't fast the day before or on the day! I will remember to do that next time.
You don't fast the day before, you eat all your normal meals at the normal time, including your evening meal and supper if you have it, you just delay breakfast on the morning of the test until after the blood draw. This is because eating can affect the TSH, as can coffee, so water only is advised until after the blood draw.
If your nurse practitioner couldn't tell from TSH 100 and FT4 8.3 whether you were Hyper- or Hypothyroid it may be that they've also misinterpreted your previous results..... Do you have a copy? However, I see that you quit smoking earlier in the year and smoking is known to compensate for/mask thyroid issues that then come to light once smoking has been stopped. So that may be a factor in your most recent results compared with earlier in the year.
The appointment with the nurse practitioner gone like this. He looked at my results, said I can't tell if you are underactive or overactive thyroid from these results. He said I think we will have to do more blood tests but let me speak to the doctor to find out. He came back in the room after speaking to the doctor and said it appears you are overactive thyroid we will be prescribing thyroxine. You can pick up the prescription tomorrow morning. Oh and here are your blood forms that you can go for in 6 weeks to test prolactin and TSH again.
It was honestly rather concerning, but as they prescribed the levothyroxine I didn't question them and simply left!
Yes I did quit smoking earlier in the year. Its been about 5 months? I think since my last cigarette. Although I am still using 15mg nicotine patches daily.
If the nurse practitioner can’t tell then he shouldn’t be a nurse practitioner. I was under the impression these practitioners were highly skilled. We really are all doomed ... 😭😭
So not only can he not interpret basic blood tests; but when he does, he comes to the wrong conclusion; and having come to the wrong conclusion prescribes entirely the wrong drug had that conclusion been correct ..... Perhaps after being on your thyroxine for 6 weeks, have a second private blood test and post here again.
Are you sure that the"nurse practitioner" is qualified and not a first-year student? It is simple to tell that you are underactive from your results. My cat could do it. TSH marked with an H and FreeT4 marked with an L
No they said he was a advanced nurse practicioner lol.
Just been out to get my prescription and I feel super super weird all of a sudden. With each step it feels like my feet are moving on the floor kinda like a vertigo sensation + dizziness. head feels incredibly heavy. Hearing keeps going muffled on and off too.
Should I worry about this? Or just take my medication? Getting a bit worried to be honest that it might have progressed to dangerous levels or something.
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