My GP rang last week and said I have hyperthyroidism and was going to email endocrinology for some advice.
She rang just now and said she had spoken to the endocrinology department and they said I had hypothyroidism. I said so it’s not overactive it’s a underactive and she said yes and is prescribing something like throxine. I’m just confused as to how she thought it was one thing but it’s now the opposite? Doesn’t a low level mean overactive? Thanks for any help.
Written by
Looking35
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
To fully understand your thyroid health and situation you would need to have a Free T3 test done at the same time (from the same blood sample) as TSH and Free T4 were tested. The tests would also have to be done at the right time and under the right circumstances.
It would also be helpful to know whether or not you have thyroid antibodies which could indicate whether or not you have Hashimoto's Thyroiditis / autoimmune thyroid disease.
If you had Hashi's you could recently have gone through a temporary "hyper phase" which is now ending. If this was the case - and you have no evidence either way at the moment - TSH may still be low from you being slightly hyper, while the thyroid hormone levels have already dropped a lot as you become hypothyroid.
There are other possibilities that could explain your results. But with just a single TSH and Free T4 result there is no way of knowing for certain what is going on.
Since your GP went to the bother of contacting an endocrinologist I wonder if you've had your thyroid tested before and she has more historical results than you are aware of.
Hi, thanks for your reply. No I’ve never had anything tested before. She just said it’s underactive and to come and collect the Levothyroxine and take it once a day.
Like SeasideSusie I'm not sure how the doctors involved came to the conclusion they did. There is no convincing evidence of either hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism from your results. I think you need to do your own private testing, as described by SeasideSusie in your last post. This one :
Your thyroid results look normal....neither hypothyroid or hyperthyroid
Why were you tested? Do you have any symptoms?
Have you any other test results?
Perhaps they have confused your results with another patient?
BEFORE starting on any Levothyroxine would strongly suggest you get FULL Thyroid and vitamin testing....privately if necessary
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
See GP and request vitamin and thyroid antibodies are tested
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
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
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Does anyone with thyroid problems have any positive experiences?
High TSH, mid f T4 graves ablated thyroid now on thyroxine
Am I overactive?
Confusing lab results?
Confusing results!
