Fed up

[Gillybabe48]

Still getting low back pain stomach cramps. Constipation and headaches and wheezing. My blood test results TSH 0.18 T4 12 And did not do T3. The Medway ranges are apparently TSH 0.35 to 5.5. T4 9 to 21. So T4 on low side. Doctor says normal so I have booked a telephone appt to discuss. Hope doctor will listen.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Are you now on strictly gluten free diet?

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Have you ever had both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested?

If so what were the results

Obviously you need vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 tested

Essential to test FT3. You'll likely need to test all these privately, but see what you can persuade GP to test

Vitamins are frequently low, especially if suffering gut symptoms or if antibodies are high

What supplements do you take?

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested. Also extremely important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially if Thyroid antibodies are raised

Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and fasting. Last Levothyroxine dose should be 24 hours prior to test, (taking delayed dose immediately after blood draw). This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, best not mentioned to GP or phlebotomist)

Is this how you do your tests?

If so your FT4 was very low

Private tests are available. Thousands on here forced to do this as NHS often refuses to test FT3 or antibodies or all vitamins

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

Medichecks Thyroid plus ultra vitamin or Blue Horizon Thyroid plus eleven are the most popular choice. DIY finger prick test or option to pay extra for private blood draw. Both companies often have special offers, Medichecks usually have offers on Thursdays, Blue Horizon its more random

Do you always have same brand of Levothyroxine?

[Gillybabe48 in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you for your help. I am trying to stay gluten free and lactose. Can be difficult when they put lactose in pills. Medway apparently have changed their ranges TSH 0.30 - 4.80 T4 7.70 - 20.60. So my 0.18 is a bit hyper apparently and my T4 12 is mid range. May have to go down private route.

[Hay2016 in reply to Gillybabe48]

Hi. The ranges changed because the labs changed machines after the merge. They all go to dartford now (if they get there and they can be asked to open them bbc SE news last night) my t4 has always been top of range and suddenly it’s dropped to 11. Cynical me doesn’t trust the numbers coming out of the lab as private tests still say high in range.

[Gillybabe48 in reply to Hay2016]

Oh gosh. Thank you for that information. So how did you get your doctor to prescribe right meds. My TSH was 0.2 last time and now 0.18 and my T4 17 last time and now 12. So I apparently need retest in two months because of the 0.18 but T4 12 is supposedly in low range. TSH indicating hyper and T4 indicating hypo which makes no sense.

[Hay2016 in reply to Gillybabe48]

Still fighting!!! When were the 2 samples done. Was one pre merge and one post?

You could say to gp that your t4 has fallen so need increase in levo. If you still get paper blood form and can convince gp to retest write t3/t4 on form. Dart only do t4 if tsh low and t3 if t4 is then out of range. Reflex testing at its best but I was told to write it on and they’d do it. 😩

[Gillybabe48 in reply to Hay2016]

Not sure when merger happened. I had first test year ago. Last year and this year they did not test T3. Before last year they did test T3. I was not aware they merged. I had my test done at MCH Bailey Drive, Gillingham. Don't blood tests need to be tested within a certain period of time as results could be corrupted.

[Hay2016 in reply to Gillybabe48]

They need spinning within a set time. All the samples go to medway, are spun and booked in and then go to Dartford for testing.

BBC SE news Monday night thousands of people recalled, over 200 samples not even opened.

Think biochem went over in July last year.

This debacle was also brought up in parliament as they want to merge Ashford/ maid/ Medway and dart into one.

[Gillybabe48 in reply to Hay2016]

That's ridiculous. I emailed the Medway about different ranges because my T4 under old ranges would be low and on new ranges mid-range. Which does not make sense. Because old values still stand. But because my TSH is 0.18 they will not consider an increase. Still waiting to hear from endocrine secretary who was supposed to ring me back!!!!!

[Hay2016 in reply to Gillybabe48]

See how far % wise you are through the range. My t4 usually high but low on new range so makes my arguement for t3 redundant and they didn’t test t3 that last time after I’d done her lactose free t4 experiment and t3 privately dropped to 3.6.

I’m now on first name basis with endo sec. 😂

[Gillybabe48 in reply to Hay2016]

What does she say about different ranges and why change!!!!

[Hay2016 in reply to Gillybabe48]

They changed companies so different kits have diff ranges. As slightly different tests.

[Gillybabe48 in reply to Hay2016]

What did you do about your different ranges? Did it alter how much medication you are on. It is confusing me now.

[Gillybabe48 in reply to Hay2016]

Not very good with percentages. Maths not my strong subject.

[Gillybabe48 in reply to Hay2016]

I remember that now I had to retest allegedly because my blood did not have enough plasma to get a good result.