Hi, could anybody help me please. I suffered with Hyperthyroidism last year and am euthyroid now but I don't feel right, very tired. My latest results are:
TSH: 2.54 (0.035-5.5)
Free T4: 9.9 (7-17)
Free T3: 5.4 (3.5-6.5)
GP says results are great but I know this isn't the case, I asked why T4 is so low and he said T4 doesn't matter only TSH!! Does anybody know why my results are like this?
My ferritin is 53 after being on iron tablets for 6 months, up from 46 so very slow to rise, GP says this is probably my 'normal' and not to expect it to go up?! Makes no sense at all!
I'd be very grateful for any help as this forum has been a massive help to me I don't know where else to turn! Thank you
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Mwms9
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I'm not over active but it sounds like your doctor hasn't a clue. Has the GP arranged the blood tests? I would voice your concern to the clinic that saw you when over active as I understand they should be monitoring you and it looks like you may now need some T4 adding in.
I requested this latest blood test myself as it hadn't been checked for 3 months so these are results from 7th March, I know every GP I see say the same it's almost pointless saying anything as I'm in range so they are happy. My endocrinologist I saw last year is also not the best and I've heard a few people comment about him, he's in North Wales Bangor! I feel I would benefit from T4 also but don't think it's possible.
That wouldn't be Dr W would it? If it is, I thought he'd retired but I did hear he fills in. I saw him back in 2002 and he made me extremely ill because he's TSH obsessed, doesn't give a flying fig about FT4/FT3 or how you feel, TSH is god as far as he's concerned.
Would you mind sending me a PM to let me know who it is please.
Yes that's him he's not retired unfortunately!!!! Useless he was rude and very unhelpful. I'm shocked with these thyroid doctors who should be helping us not the opposite.
Even with all this I would like to concieve in the next year and I actually got a gyneacologist to support me that a TSH above 2.5 could explain my fertility issue and if over to be referred to Endo, the gp said Dr W would baisically laugh in my face if he referred me! Great thanks a lot!!
Yes, I found him rude, obnoxious, he shouted at me even though my husband was in the room with me. A truly vile individual. I endured 3 consultations with him altogether, each one left me in tears. I wouldn't succumb now, I'm much stronger and I'd shout back at him and tell him how rude I thought he was.
I asked my then GP if she knew him, she replied she "knew of him". I told her I refused to see him any more and she actually agreed with me.
My TSH was suppressed, and all he wanted was for it to be back into range, nothing else mattered. He reduced and reduced my Levo until it scraped back into range at 0.4 (0.27-4.20)
but in achieving this my FT4 had lowered to 15.6(11.8-24.6) and my FT3 had plummeted to 2.8(2.8-7.1). With that my GP disagreed with what he'd done and raised my Levo again, but the damage had been done.
This creature reduced me to a zombie, I had to give up working in my own business and needed looking after for 2 years. I used to crawl out of bed just before noon and my day was spent on the sofa.
I pity anyone who gets referred to him. The memory of what he did to me will never leave me.
Only TSH matters? Oh dear, here we go again. Your GP is a jerk. He is part of the rather evangelical brigade who claim to be able to monitor the thyroid by looking at a pituitary hormone and ignoring the thyroid hormones.
That’s like saying the cake tastes good because of the oven temperature it was cooked at - connected, but not as vital as the essential cake ingredients at all! If the cake had no flour or eggs, wouldn’t matter about the oven temperature would it?
If you are not too tired, run away from this idiot fast as you can. He is going to make you - and keep you - ill. You have been to him and explained your symptoms, he has ignored them and told you you are great! He needs to look at you and listen to you - not focus on a set of numbers on a piece of paper. Grrrr!
I know it's so frustrating this health system makes no sense it's only from this site that I've had any useful information it's crazy. This GP says there are many reasons why someone can feel tired and to not blame the thyroid for everything.
I just can't seem to find why my T4 would be low in relation to the TSH and T3 results so I feel lost! Thank you for replying
Last year did endocrinologist ever test TSI or TRab antibodies to check for Graves?
See you had negative TPO antibodies
We're TG antibodies ever tested?
For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested for Hashimoto's . Also extremely important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12
Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially with Graves or Hashimoto's
Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and fasting. 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?
Private tests are available. Thousands on here forced to do this as NHS often refuses to test FT3 or antibodies or all vitamins
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
If TPO or TG antibodies are high this is usually Hashimoto's, (also known by medics here in UK more commonly as autoimmune thyroid disease). Though they can also be raised with Graves' disease too
About 90% of all hypothyroidism in Uk is due to Hashimoto's.
Low vitamins are especially common with Hashimoto's or Graves. Food intolerances are very common too, especially gluten.
So it's important to get TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested at least once. Also TSI or TRab antibodies tested if Graves suspected
Private testing for suspected Graves - TSI or TRab antibodies
Thank you for replying, these latest thyroid tesults are from the 7th of March, last year it was concluded I was overactive because I had thyroiditis, my TPO and Trab were negative hence supporting his diagnosis of thyroiditis.
My last results of B12 were something like 500 Vit D 69, folate 5 and ferritin 46, I have been taking a more bio available form of folate since and iron tablets but it's not risen much at all after 6 months only to 53??. I take many supplements including better you vid D with K2.
Do you know why my results would be like they are and T4 low I can't seem to find anything online only if both T3 and T4 are low? Thank you
That's what I think and maybe if T4 was higher it would bring TSH down a bit and I'd feel better?
He diagnosed me with thyroiditis because antibodies were negative,about a year after I had my baby I was going through lots of stress with my mother in law at the time so maybe that contributed to it! My previous TSH results from the years before this my TSH has always been around 2.5 so that thyroiditis does look like a one off in the last 10 years.
My TPO was negative before carbimazole then the TRab was tested whilst on carbimazole and it was negative, although close to the limit. No other antibiodies were tested.
Do you think I would benefot from iodine, it's the one supplement I'm not taking as I have various vitamins not one multi vitamin...maybe this is the missing link I'm not sure!
Iodine deficiency is quite rare in the UK, we can get quite a lot of from diet - milk, yogurt, white fish, etc.
Genova Diagnostics do an iodine test which you should do before considering an iodine supplement.
Urine Iodine Test:
Specimen requirements: Urine
Cost: £71.00
Order Code: END25
Turnaround time: 5 - 10 days
Iodine is an essential trace element, vital for healthy thyroid function. Adequate levels are required to enable the production of T3 and T4 thyroid hormones, whilst also being required in other areas of health. Deficiencies can lead to impaired heat and energy production, mental function and slow metabolism. Urine iodine is one of the best measures of iodine status. This test is not performed as a loading test, but can be used to establish existing levels or to monitor iodine supplementation.
Order with ThyroidUK as your practioner, details here
Thank for the information. Someone suggested to me that I might have had an iodine problem then I went on a cruise and felt wonderful with extra energy! Ithen found out that eggs were high in iodine and I'd had a cheese omelette every day for breakfast!
Hi thank you for your reply, yes I could can you give me any details for the endo there please? I feel wary travelling far to be told that my results are in range and waste my time.
Thank you I'll take a look at that page, I've actually just started taking a magnesium supplement aava labs one, it definitely helps make me feel more relaxed and the benefits look amazing from what I've read, I've only been taking it for around 3 weeks so hoping it would have helped my latest results. Perhaps I need an iodine supplement as well and that is what's missing?...
Results ‘in range’ mean ‘diddly squat’. My tsh is undetectable it is so low and my T3 is very high, according to the ranges, yet I feel well. I take 3x the physiological dose of T3 but were I to be ‘in range’ I would be ill again, so tired I could barely stand and with unacceptable brain fog. How do you feel, is the best question a doctor can ask, in my humble opinion.
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