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[marianna1978]

Hello guys,

yesterday I saw the GP who finally agreed to refer me to a specialist! I also had a printout of my blood result and I could see that the only thing they checked for was TSH, which is 2.3 taking 25mg of levothyroxine... what do you think?

[shaws Administrator]

I think your GP needs to be re-educated (maybe he isn't even educated by the sound of it).

I believe because your TSH is 2.3 and taking an 'extremely' small amount of levothyroxine i.e. T4, you aren't improving. Unless of course you have a heart disease, then you'd begin on a very low dose. Many doctors wait until the TSH is 10 before prescribing and by that time quite a number of people would be very symptomatic..

When you state your results of a blood test you have to also have to state the ranges. Ranges are in brackets after the result. The reason is that labs differ in their machines, and the ranges may also be different.

The normal starting dose is 50mcg of levo with a blood test and increase of 25mcg levo every six weeks until TSH is 1 or lower (not somewhere in the range as many doctors seem to believe).

Are you aware that all blood tests have to be at the very earliest possible, fasting (and leave a 24 hour gap beween last dose of levo and test and take it afterwards.

Some doctors would wait until the TSH is 10 before prescribing, so you're fortunate yours has already prescribed.

[marianna1978 in reply to shaws]

0.2 to 4.5 mine is 2.30

[shaws Administrator in reply to marianna1978]

The aim is increases in dose until the TSH if 1 or under. Mind you many doctors then believe we've become hyPERthyroid but that's untrue and the starting dose of levo (unless you are very frail with a heart diesease) is 50mcg with a blood test every six weeks. Fasting (you can drink water) and allow a gap of 24 hours between last dose of levo and test and take afterwards.

Also tesst B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate. Everything has to be optimal.

[marianna1978 in reply to shaws]

I doubt the GP will engage in any of this, but I hope the endocrinologist will..

[shaws Administrator in reply to marianna1978]

We shall cross fingers and you may have a knowledgeable doctor but they, too, have had to toe the line whether or not they wanted to i.e. NDT was withdrawn, then T3 (due to enormous increase).

It's false economy because if patients don't recover and still feel very unwell, they will be given 'other' prescriptions for the symptoms they still have.

I should also state that T3 was withdrawn too, due to the exorbitant rise in price.

[marianna1978 in reply to shaws]

Thanks for the enlightenment and I wish the endocrinologist I will see will be happy to investigate further

[Wetsuiter in reply to marianna1978]

the endo might simply send a message back saying 'put the dose up!'

[marianna1978 in reply to Wetsuiter]

Very possible, but at least I will have the honour to see him 😂I will prepare 100 of questions which are gone unanswered for years... also I need him to confirm if my hypo is Hashimoto, which I believe is...

[Angel_of_the_North in reply to marianna1978]

You'll need TPO and TG antibody tests to confirm hashis (called autoimmune thyroid disease in the UK). You'll also need TSH, free t4 and free T3 tests done in the morning, fasting