Tsh levels

[Amanda15]

Hi my latest bloods are back T3 and T4 levels are normal but my Tsh levels have come back at 58 ! I have had an under active thyroid for the last 20 years but can’t ever remember feeling so unwell. I have gained half a stone in a week although not eaten due to flu and I have severe pins and needles day and night which is unbearable. Went back to GP yesterday who has said we’ll repeat bloods. Anyone else ever experienced this. Thanks Amanda

[Rhiansmama]

Yeah it's my b12 that caused it, they always say once you have one autoimmune disorder you are susceptible to others, I'd be asking him or her to check for everything

[Amanda15 in reply to Rhiansmama]

Hi thank for your reply I will discuss this with him new week in fairness he does listen.

[DippyDame in reply to Amanda15]

Listening is one thing....doing something about it is another!

[DippyDame]

Sorry you feel as you do.

Can you please post lab results with ranges, these will help members advise.

Difficult to comment in any detail without them.

You are legally entitled to ask the surgery for copies.

But....many of us have private tests which give far more information than NHS tests, usually only TSH and T4....sometimes only TSH!

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

Medichecks offer discounts.

Are you taking any replacement thyroid hormones i.e levothyroxine or liothyronine?

Though, unlikely to be lio!

It sounds as if your GP is clueless and knows only the most basic details about thyroid disease.....a disgrace, but the reason why over 100,000 people have arrived here, after the NHS failed to help them.

Your diagnosis, medication/ treatment needs to be revised asap.

TSH of 58 should signal that!

Ideally TSH should be close to 1.

You also need to have vit B12, vitD, folate and ferritin tested....pins and needles signal low B12.

These nutrients support the conversion of T4 (the storage hormone) to T3 (the active hormone) required by the trillions of cells in the body. You most likely have very low T3.

I'm not a medic....just like you, a patient who became very ill and has had to find (with the support and advice from TUK) the answers/clues that incompetent medics failed to recognise.

Don't panic....with TUK on your side you can sort this out!

Other members will be able to offer more advice.

Best...

DD

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Amanda15

I have gained half a stone in a week although not eaten due to flu

Did you have this thyroid test whilst you were unwell? If so then you may have a false TSH result. We shouldn't test when unwell, we should wait a few weeks until we are back to normal.

If that's not the case, did you have coffee before the test? Or do you take a B Complex or Biotin supplement and did you leave this off for 7 days before the test?

If your TSH is usually normal then I suspect something has skewed the result this time, maybe one of the things I've mentioned or something wrong with the assay. I'd get the test repeated, preferably at a different lab.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Have you recently changed brand of Levothyroxine?

Or been on antibiotics?

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

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 .

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

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