Recent blood test results

[McMurtagh]

Hi

My recent T3 reading is really high.

I’ve been on the same dose for about 20 years so don’t know why I’m now out of sync.

Results as follows:

Thyroid stimulating hormone: <0.02 L mU/l (0.50 - 5.00)

Free Thyroxine: <0.9 L pmol/l (10.0-25.0)

Free T3: 16.3 H pmol/L (4.3 - 8.1)

B12: 724 H my/l (200 - 680)

Lots of other results on the sheets including the following comment:

‘DM Target 42 - 64

Patients priorities, blood glucose results, risks of hypoglycaemia vs long term complications and other clinical circumstances must be considered’

GP didn’t refer to this comment re risk of hypoglycaemia.

Any ideas?

[silverfox7]

Are you sure you haven’t got the tests muddled? Have you got the actual printout from the lab?

[McMurtagh in reply to silverfox7]

Hi

I have the print out but couldn’t upload the photo.

What I’ve written is exactly what’s on the page.

[silverfox7 in reply to McMurtagh]

Thanks for your reply. Didn’t think it likely but had to ask.

[McMurtagh in reply to silverfox7]

Should I be worried!!!

I feel no different than ever - no hyper symptoms at all.

[silverfox7]

Just had a look back at your previous posts and agree with GG that’s it’s looking like a lab error. I would ask for a retest. On the other point you made re not having access to your previous notes. I would ask whoever you see now if they could ask to have them forwarded. I’m sure that should be possible.

[McMurtagh in reply to silverfox7]

I’ve already emailed the surgery to request the retest.

I’ll also ask them to request my notes - they may have more luck than I have.

Thanks

[silverfox7 in reply to McMurtagh]

Well in theory they have taken over your care so are entitled to see what your care has been previously. Hope you succeed

[SilverAvocado]

As others have mentioned, my first thought would be a lab error. Mistakes can be made. The first thing that needs to happen is a retest to confirm the result is correct.

[McMurtagh in reply to SilverAvocado]

If it was correct, what would that mean?

I have no hyper symptoms ie

- no tremor

- no sweats

- no weight loss (in fact I gain just by looking at food!)

- no hair loss (hairdresser remarked on how thick it was when I had a cut this week)

- no insomnia

- no irritability/anxiety

- no heart rate issues

[SilverAvocado in reply to McMurtagh]

McMurtagh, if it was true it would be pretty surprising, particularly with no symptoms at all.

Do you take any T3? Probably the simplest explanation could be if the test was taken in the hours after a T3 tablet.

Another possibility is if you've started any new medication or supplement it could have completely confused the analysis machines.

If you have Hashimoto's this can cause temporary spikes in hormone levels. Thyroid tissue stores hormone as well as makes it, so sometimes as it's destroyed it dumps extra hormone into the blood.

The obvious thing that causes high blood levels is Grave's disease, otherwise known as overactive thyroid.

If you've had Hashimotos for over 20 years your own thyroid is probably all but destroyed, which makes some of these explanations even less likely.

Whenever the possible explanations are very unlikely, just in terms of probability it's more likely to be a mistake at the lab.

[McMurtagh in reply to SilverAvocado]

Hi again

I’ve been on T3 exclusively for over 20 years.

I take 90mcg a day and have done for as long as I can remember.

[SilverAvocado in reply to McMurtagh]

Oh, realising this makes me think of another possibility that isn't very likely. Sometimes our need for thyroid hormone can suddenly change quite a bit, I've heard of people having to slash their dose. I think you would have some symptoms, the main time I'm thinking of the person was hospitalised before the cause was found.

[McMurtagh in reply to SilverAvocado]

Hello SilverAvocado

I certainly hope not!! 😱

I’d imagine I’d have some inkling that something was wrong - ‘ as I said earlier, I feel no different whatsoever.

As someone with Hashi’s, I’ve had the hyper experience - I was positively manic!! Lost loads of weight, couldn’t sit still - exercising for hours every day!

Currently I’m a chubster, wearing additional layers of clothing as I’m freezing at home while my husband is in a short sleeved t-shirt! And I sleep like a bear in hibernation 🐻

I’ve requested the retest and have contacted the Endo I saw last time about an appointment in the New Year - even though it will mean an expensive trip back to UK.

Thank you for being interested in my plight - I appreciate the support offered by this group x

[SilverAvocado in reply to McMurtagh]

You're very welcome. Hopefully it turns out to be nothing