Hi can someone please help me with my results at all?
15th Feb
TSH 8.57 mu/L (0.3-5.6)
FT4 -12.3 pmol/L (6.3-14.0)
26th Feb (private test)
TSH 9.18 miu/L (0.27-4.2)
T3 4.3pmol/L (3.1-6.8)
T4 17.6pmol/L (12-22)
Thyroglobulin antibody 363 kU/L (0-115)
Thyroid peroxidase antibodies 277kIU/L (0-34)
2nd April
TSH 15.38 mu/L (0.3-5.6)
FT4 -10.5 pmol/L (6.3-14.0)
Grateful for any help.
Thank you 😊
Catfell81
Do you have a diagnosis of hypothyroidism/hashimoto's?
All your TSH results are over range, confirming primary hypothyroidism, many doctors wont treat until it reaches 10, which it did in April, but your FT4 is over range which is unusual with such a high TSH.
Thyroglobulin antibody 363 kU/L (0-115)
Thyroid peroxidase antibodies 277kIU/L (0-34)
Your raised antibodies mean that you are positive for autoimmune thyroid disease aka Hashimoto's which is where the thyroid is attacked and gradually destroyed. Fluctuations in symptoms and test results is common with Hashi's.
Thank you for such a quick response. I haven’t been diagnosed with either but my mother has hashimotos.
The last lot of nhs results were marked as satisfactory and nothing else has been done. I did the antibody tests privately as my mum wanted to check and also the doctors do not seem to know about hashimotos the nurse definitely didn’t.
Cath
TSH 9.18 miu/L (0.27-4.2)
T3 4.3pmol/L (3.1-6.8)
T4 17.6pmol/L (12-22)
Thyroglobulin antibody 363 kU/L (0-115)
Thyroid peroxidase antibodies 277kIU/L (0-34)
You should show these results to your GP, and also the article by Dr Toft, past president of the British Thyroid Association and leading endocrinologist, states in Pulse Magazine (the magazine for doctors), where he says, in answer to Question 2:
Question 2 asks:
I often see patients who have an elevated TSH but normal T4. How should I be managing them?
Answer:
The combination of a normal serum T4 and raised serum TSH is known as subclinical hypothyroidism. If measured, serum T3 will also be normal. Repeat thyroid function tests in 2 or 3 months in case the abnormality represents a resolving thyroiditis.
But if it persists then antibodies to thyroid peroxidase should be measured. If these are positive - indicative of underlying autoimmune thyroid disease - the patient should be considered to have the mildest form of hypothyroidism.
In the absence of symptoms, some would simply recommend annual thyroid function tests until serum TSH is over 10mU/l or symptoms such as tiredness and weight gain develop. But a more pragmatic approach is to recognise that the thyroid failure is likely to become worse and try to nip things in the bud rather than risk loss to follow up.
Treatment should be started with levothyroxine in a dose sufficient to restored serum TSH to the lower part of it's reference range. Levothyroxine in a dose of 75-100mcg daily will usually be enough.
You can obtain a copy of the article by emailing Dionne at
tukadmin@thyroiduk.org
print it and highlight question 2 to show your doctor.
If your GP doesn't like your private tests then you can refer to your
NHS tests
TSH 8.57 mu/L (0.3-5.6)
FT4 -12.3 pmol/L (6.3-14.0)
TSH over range and below 10 with normal FT4 = subclinical hypothyroidism
and
TSH 15.38 mu/L (0.3-5.6)
FT4 -10.5 pmol/L (6.3-14.0)
TSH over 10 = diagnosis of hypothyroidism
Add in thyroid antibodies raised and you have Hashimoto's. Mention the family connection but call it autoimmune thyroid disease or autoimmune thyroiditis, UK doctors don't tend to use the term Hashimoto's.
If GP wants tests repeated, ask how many times does he want to see a raised TSH before he agrees you have a problem. If he insists, then ask for thyroid antibodies too if he doesn't like your results from your private test.
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.
* Leave off Levo for 24 hours before blood draw, if taking NDT or T3 then leave that off for 8-12 hours. Take after the blood draw. Taking your dose too close to the blood draw will give false high results, leaving any longer gap will give false low results.
These are patient to patient tips which we don't discuss with doctors or phlebotomists.
Levo should be started at 50mcg unless elderly or you have a heart condition, then it should be 25mcg. Retest after 6 weeks, increase dose by 25mcg, then regular retesting/increasing by 25mcg every 6-8 weeks until levels are where you need them to be for you to feel well.
Most doctors dismiss antibodies as being of no importance and know little or nothing about Hashi's and how it affects the patient, test results and symptoms. You need to read, learn, understand and help yourself where Hashi's is concerned.
You can possibly help reduce the antibodies by adopting a strict gluten free diet which has helped many members here, although there is no guarantee.
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.
Gluten/thyroid connection: chriskresser.com/the-gluten...
stopthethyroidmadness.com/h...
stopthethyroidmadness.com/h...
hypothyroidmom.com/hashimot...
thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...
Supplementing with selenium l-selenomethionine 200mcg daily can also help reduce the antibodies, as can keeping TSH suppressed.
Hashi's and gut absorption problems tend to go hand in hand and can very often result in low nutrient levels or deficiencies, so it's essential to also test:
Vit D
B12
Folate
Ferritin
Thank you ever so much that is a huge help. I really appreciate it. They have diagnosed the hypothyroidism and I am starting on 50mcg and doing another test in 6 to 8 weeks time.
The above helped with my appointment and she knew about hashimotos which was a first for me at my doctors 😊.
Thank you again
xx
That's excellent news 
Take your Levo on an empty stomach, one hour before or two hours after food, with a glass of water only, no tea, coffee, milk, etc, and water only for an hour either side, as absorption will be affected. Some people take it as soon as they wake up, others take it at bedtime and find that is better (leave 3 hours after a large meal before taking Levo). I take mine in the early hours of the morning when I need a bathroom trip - keeps it well away from everything! Take any other medication and supplements 2 hours away from Levo, some need 4 hours.
Push for the vitamin testing next time as well
I will take it as soon as I get up will have to wait a little for my first cup of tea 😱.
Thank you and I will definitely push for the vitamin tests next. I am already having B12 injections every 3 months to help with tiredness but it stopped doing as much as it was.
You have been a big help thank you for taking the time for me today. xx
I am already having B12 injections every 3 months to help with tiredness but it stopped doing as much as it was.
Was that for B12 deficiency or PA? Sometimes, having the injections 3 monthly isn't enough and people start to flag between injections. Some people self inject between times, some people take sublingual B12, some manage to get their GP to give the injections more frequently.
When taking B12 in any form, we need a good B Complex to balance all the B vitamins. Post vitamin results when you have them, if folate is deficient you may need folic acid prescribing, if it's low in range then the methylfolate in a good B Complex will be enough, and different brands have different amounts so we can find out which might suit you best. I expect Vit D might be low, possibly ferritin as well.
You have been a big help thank you for taking the time for me today. xx
You're welcome
What is the difference between B12 deficiency and and PA?
It really doesn’t feel like quite enough to boost me. But they won’t increase the frequency of doses getting one every 3 months wasn’t overly easy as it was.
B12 deficiency is, simply, not having enough B12 and suffering the consequences.
Pernicious Anaemia is WHY someone might not have enough B12. Lack of ability to manufacture Intrinsic Factor - thus cannot absorb B12 through the usual route.
I highly recommend going to the Pernicious Anaemia Society forum here on HealthUnlocked:
Thank you for coming back to me I will definitely take a look at that forum. I don’t believe that I was diagnosed with PA I believe I would remember that. So I would say just a b12 deficiency.
Also I wrote the last ft4 wrong apologies it was 10.5 not 15.38.
You may not realise that you can edit any posts or responses you have made here.
HealthUnlocked have produced a simple demonstration of how to do this. You can find this here:
support.healthunlocked.com/...
I am pointing this out purely to ensure that you know your options.
(If you make extensive changes, it is sometimes helpful to add a comment so that people can see that you have made changes.)
In this case, I do recommend you edit your original post to avoid accidentally misleading people who read - and they don't realise until they have read all the way down!
Thank you so much for your answers. They have helped me a lot and I am sure many people feel the same.
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