Hi i'm new to here, male, 47 years old. For some time I have not been feeling right and have these results from my GP which basically told me i'm ok but my body is telling me different. Can any of you help me please and also make some suggestions as to what I could do to improve my energy, low moods?
RESULTS:
Result Satisfactory
What you need to do Other (thyroid is normal but you have thyroid antibody, putting you risk of thyroid disease in future. needed yearly thyroid blood test)
These are euthyroid (normal). However, your TSH is a bit higher than one might expect to see in a normal healthy person, that would possibly be no higher than 2. And FT4 one would expect to see possibly around half way through range, yours is 45%. But, of course, we are all individual and never tested when well for our own personal baseline.
Just as an example, my son (2 years younger than you) has just had some investigations for something else and they included TSH which was 1.96 (0.35-5.5) and FT4 was 11.8 (7-17) so 48% through range.
Raised antibodies confirm autoimmune thyroid disease aka Hashimoto's which is where the thyroid is attacked and gradually destroyed. Eventually your TSH will rise, and once it gets over range, with a normal FT4, this is classed as Subclinical Hypothyroidism. When you have raised antibodies with Subclinical Hypothyroidism then an enlightened doctor may start you on Levo.
So, for future tests, to get the highest possible TSH, when booking thyroid tests, we advise:
* Book the first appointment of the morning. This is because TSH is highest early morning and lowers throughout the day. If we are looking for a diagnosis of hypothyroidism, or looking for an increase in dose or to avoid a reduction then we need TSH to be as high as possible.
* Fast overnight - have your evening meal/supper as normal the night before but delay breakfast on the day of the test and drink water only until after the blood draw. Eating may lower TSH, caffeine containing drinks affect TSH.
These are patient to patient tips which we don't discuss with doctors or phlebotomists.
Your Vit D is just about approaching OK. The Vit D Council recommends a level of 125nmol/L and the Vit D Society recommends a level of 100-150nmol/L. As we're nearing summer, you may find it increases naturally if you go out in the sun and leave skin uncovered, no sunscreen, for around half an hour a day. Be careful not to burn, that's not what you want.
Low energy - get ferritin tested. This needs to be at least 70 for thyroid hormone to work properly - that's our own as well as replacement hormone. Recommended is half way through range, and I've seen it said that for males around 150 is good.
No guarantees, but some members have reduced the antibodies by adopting a strict gluten free diet. Everyone is different though, but trying it for 3-6 months will give you an idea if it's going to help.
Gluten contains gliadin (a protein) which is thought to trigger autoimmune attacks so eliminating gluten can help reduce these attacks.
You don't need to be gluten sensitive or have Coeliac disease for a gluten free diet to help.
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Help with blood test results
Blood test results - help please!!
Help with blood test results
