Thyroid results abnormal

Hi I don’t have the full readings but my TSH is usually below range. I have just been told it is 0.14 and abnormal. However I haven’t got an appointment until next Friday! I am worried now about continuing with the same dose for another week! Also I don’t know if this reading refers to being under medicated or over medicated does anyone know? I take 75mg one day and 100mg the next and I am worried that I may have got confused with the dose somewhere along the way! Will have to try and get earlier appointment. Thank you in advance if anyone can shed any light on this.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Just testing TSH is completely inadequate and many patients on Levothyroxine have low TSH. It does not mean you are over medicated unless FT3 and FT4 are over range

Low vitamin levels are extremely common with Hashimoto's and often TSH becomes suppressed if vitamins are low

How long have you been on 75mcg/100mcg dose?

When were vitamins last tested ?

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 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. This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, best not mentioned to GP or phlebotomist)

Last Levothyroxine dose should be 24 hours prior to test, (taking delayed dose immediately after blood draw).

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

Come back with new post once you get results and ranges

As you have Hashimoto's are you on strictly gluten free diet or tried it?

[Hidden in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you SlowDragon I need to go and demand these tests if they haven’t done a full blood test already.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Hidden]

Vast majority of us have to test privately.....even if GP requests all tests, frequently the laboratory refuses to do tests.

Eg if TSH is within range they almost certainly won't test FT3 and frequently not FT4 either.

Vitamin D only allowed to test every two years, even if in high risk category (eg having autoimmune disease)

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/286...

Vitamin D deficiency is frequent in Hashimoto's thyroiditis and treatment of patients with this condition with Vitamin D may slow down the course of development of hypothyroidism and also decrease cardiovascular risks in these patients. Vitamin D measurement and replacement may be critical in these patients.

[pennyannie]

Hello Jewels

Just as a point of reference, T4-Levothyroxine is a storage hormone, so alternating a dose on a daily basis doesn't really do anything, so don't panic, whether you did or didn't take the right dose on the right day.

If 88 mcg is the magic number for you, why not ask for some 25s that you could cut in half and put in a pot to have daily with your 75 mcg thereby making life a little easier for you.

A TSH reading means nothing in isolation, T3 and T4 need to be tested alongside a TSH reading before any sensible discussion can occur.

[Hidden in reply to pennyannie]

Thank you for your reply pennyannie that is really helpful.

[radd in reply to Hidden]

JewelsP

Good advice already given by pennyannie above, re Levo’s half life.

Many doctors dose Levo by TSH levels, and if your level has been classed as “abnormal” because it is below range, your doctor may be going to suggest a dose reduction to encourage a higher TSH.

However, a low TSH doesn't always mean overmedication because it can not accurately gauge whether exogenous thyroid hormone is adequate, sufficient or excessive. You need to have FT4 & FT3 tested for that.

Many long term hypo people will have a TSH feedback loop that is either not functioning well (for varying reasons) or has been down regulated, so can only achieve well- being with a low TSH which allows adequate hormone. Unfortunately many doctors do not understand this.

If your doctor wishes to reduce your dose against your wishes, you could ask to have actual thyroid hormone levels tested.

When doctors are uncooperative, members use private labs.

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

[Hidden in reply to radd]

Thank you radd I am going to try and get GP to do a full blood test.

[Hidden]

Another query I have is that I thought any reading between 1-4 was in range. If my TSH is 0.14 is this considered below range?

[radd in reply to Hidden]

JewelP,

Test ranges vary depending on labs used. If your test range was between 1-4, then your result of 0.14 would be classed as under range.

[Angel_of_the_North in reply to Hidden]

The range will be stated on the bllod test results sheet. It is probably something like 0.3 - 4.5, but all labs are different, so you need the actual range from the lab that did the test. On meds, you usually aim for a TSH below 1 - but as people have said, TSH doesn't tell you anything about your thyroid once you are on meds.

[Angel_of_the_North]

TSH doesn't really matter when you are on meds and many people who are on sufficient levo have under range TSH, as TSH is only produced to tell the thyroid to produce more hormones - if you have enough hormones, you don't need to produce more TSH. Unfortunately most GPs don't think this through logically. What IS important are your free T4 and free T3 levels - those (and your symptoms) are the only things that show whether you are under or over medicated

[Hidden in reply to Angel_of_the_North]

Thank you Angel_of_the_North I definitely need a full thyroid blood test done.

[Hidden]

Thank you all for your help. I had a private full blood test carried out previously and the GP whom I am going to see on Friday wouldn’t acknowledge it! However he told me that it wasn’t necessary to get Private tests done as he would carry out the necessary blood tests for me. Let’s hope he sticks to his word. Thanks again everyone.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Hidden]

Did you get FULL Thyroid and vitamin testing from GP?

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested. Also 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. This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, best not mentioned to GP or phlebotomist)

Last Levothyroxine dose should be 24 hours prior to test, (taking delayed dose immediately after blood draw).

High prolactin (on your other post) relatively common with autoimmune thyroid disease also called Hashimoto's - diagnosed by high thyroid antibodies

Post results and ranges and members can advise

Just testing TSH is completely inadequate