Help! In reading results & what action to take in getting help

[Rosie_D]

Hi, I got my thyroid blood results back today. I have felt dreadful exhaustion for some years. I show most of the hypothyroid symptoms.

It appears I have what is an elevated Serum TSH level of 7.78 mU/L

Serum free T4 level 11.2 pmol/L which I was told was low normal.

However, no treatment is recommended as these results according to my GP show only subclinical hypothyroidism.

I wonder if others out there have been prescribed medication to help with similar results?

What would be prescribed?

Should my T3 levels have been tested too?

If there is any chance that medication could help me to feel better, I so want to try it

Thanks for any help you can offer.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3

plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested. Also EXTREMELY important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially if you have autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's) diagnosed by raised Thyroid antibodies

Ask GP to test vitamin levels and thyroid antibodies

You may need to get full Thyroid testing privately as NHS refuses to test TG antibodies if TPO antibodies are negative

Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and before eating or drinking anything other than water .

This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, best not mentioned to GP or phlebotomist)

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...

For thyroid including antibodies and 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

Cheapest option for just TSH, FT4 and FT3 £29 (via NHS private service )

monitormyhealth.org.uk/thyr...

Come back with new post once you get vitamin and thyroid antibodies results

[Rosie_D in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks SlowDragon.

I did have these vitamin

levels tested and asked for a print out of everything; which I thought I had, until I got home and saw I didn’t.

I was told when I asked for the printout they don’t like to do any printout for the patients as it costs money to print them!

I think the vitamin levels were OK though anyway. I supplement with D and B12 as I am aware how low levels impact energy. I am not anaemic.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Rosie_D]

You are legally entitled to printed copies of your blood test results and ranges.

UK GP practices are supposed to offer online access for blood test results. Ring and ask if this is available and apply to do so if possible, if it is you may need "enhanced access" to see blood results.

This is by far the best option for getting current and historic results

In reality many GP surgeries do not have blood test results online yet

Alternatively ring receptionist and request printed copies of results. Allow couple of days and then go and pick up.

[Angel_of_the_North in reply to Rosie_D]

I doesn't matter whether they "like" to do it or not. The law says they must.

[Travelling922]

Hi there, how did you get on with your GP? In a similar situation at the moment with symptoms/TSH of 6.74 and wondering of you managed to get some treatment/did it help?