Hi 👋🏻
I had a private blood test done, I could see I’m under medicated and the company also commented that my meds needs to be increased.
So went to the drs Monday and she said the results look fine and are “borderline” she’s also sending me for another blood test because apparently there numbers are probably different, I personally think that’s rubbish!
So what does everyone else think of my results?
Thank you in advance x
these are nearly identical to my daughters- high tsh, high TPO - her t3 was higher though as she’s in early stages i think. my daughters gp also insisted on doing more tests despite the fact i had tried to save nhs money by getting a full thyroid and vitamin panel. insulting and wasteful. i intend to change my daughters GP & complaining to the previous doctor about her ignorance
Another member will be along to give more detailed advice but my untrained eye can see you are not borderline- you have autoimmune thyroid disease and your tsh is very high- most need it under 1 to feel well.
I understand from others here that b12, folate , D , ferritin need to be optimal and thyroid needs to be optimal with a reduction in symptoms, and often gluten free diet can be very helpful people with autoimmune thyroid disease ( hashimotos),
What dose are you taking?
100mg
That is a low dose my 78 year old Dad is on that because he is elderly ... are you elderly?
I’m 39
You need to increase by 25mcg and then do a blood test.
Six weeks later. 
Yes that is right, I had to go because I started to cough yet again .... can't seem to shake of this horrible bug!
These bugs are very tenacious this year. I have the same problem.
Clmartin80
Occasionally I see posts with results that make me wonder whether the GP who responds with comments like yours has is actually qualified. I would like to say a lot more but I can't
So, she thinks your results are borderline. Borderline for what? You already have a diagnosis of hypothyroidism, so one has to presume that your GP hasn't the foggiest idea where results should be when medicated.
she’s also sending me for another blood test because apparently there numbers are probably different
She probably means reference ranges will be different, which of course is very likely, but ranges don't matter, it's where within the range your result lies.
The aim of a hypo patient generally, when on Levo only, is for TSH to be 1 or below or wherever it needs to be for FT4 and FT3 to be in the upper part of their reference ranges, if that is where you feel well. So your TSH is way, way too high, your FT4 is a mere 15% through it's range and your FT3 a measly 7.3% through it's range. It would be nice if your GP could live with those results then see how she feels!
So you urgently need an increase in your Levo, 25mcg immediately, retest in 6-8 weeks, keep repeating until your levels are where they need to be for you to feel well.
For your next blood test that you are having done for your GP, please follow the advice always given here:
* Book the first appointment of the morning, or with private tests at home no later than 9am. This is because TSH is highest early morning and lowers throughout the day. If we are looking for a diagnosis of hypothyroidism, or looking for an increase in dose or to avoid a reduction then we need TSH to be as high as possible.
* Fast overnight - have your evening meal/supper as normal the night before but delay breakfast on the day of the test and drink water only until after the blood draw. Eating may lower TSH, coffee affects TSH so it's possible that other caffeine containing drinks may also affect TSH.
* If taking thyroid hormone replacement, last dose of Levo should be 24 hours before blood draw, if taking NDT or T3 then last dose should be 8-12 hours before blood draw. Adjust timing the day before if necessary. This avoids measuring hormone levels at their peak after ingestion of hormone replacement. Take your thyroid meds after the blood draw. Taking your dose too close to the blood draw will give false high results, leaving any longer gap will give false low results.
* If you take Biotin or a B Complex containing Biotin (B7), leave this off for 7 days before any blood test. This is because if Biotin is used in the testing procedure it can give false results (most labs use Biotin in the assay).
These are patient to patient tips which we don't discuss with doctors or phlebotomists.
After your test, obtain your results either by online access if your surgery offers this or by asking the receptionist for a print out. Then post them on here for comment in readiness for your next appointment with your GP.
In preparation for requesting an increase in Levo, and in support of your request, the following information will be helpful:
Dr Toft, past president of the British Thyroid Association and leading endocrinologist, states in Pulse Magazine (the magazine for doctors):
"The appropriate dose of levothyroxine is that which restores euthyroidism and serum TSH to the lower part of the reference range - 0.2-0.5mU/l. In this case, free thyroxine is likely to be in the upper part of its reference range or even slightly elevated – 18-22pmol/l. Most patients will feel well in that circumstance. But some need a higher dose of levothyroxine to suppress serum TSH and then the serum-free T4 concentration will be elevated at around 24-28pmol/l. This 'exogenous subclinical hyperthyroidism' is not dangerous as long as serum T3 is unequivocally normal – that is, serum total around T3 1.7nmol/l (reference range 1.0-2.2nmol/l).*"
*He recently confirmed, during a public meeting, that this applies to Free T3 as well as Total T3.
You can obtain a copy of the article by emailing Dionne at
tukadmin@thyroiduk.org
print it and highlight question 6 to show your doctor.
You can also refer to NHS Leeds Teaching Hospitals who say
pathology.leedsth.nhs.uk/pa...
Scroll down to the box
Thyroxine Replacement Therapy in Primary Hypothyroidism
TSH Level .................. This Indicates
0.2 - 2.0 miu/L .......... Sufficient Replacement
> 2.0 miu/L ............ Likely under Replacement
**
As for your other results:
You have raised TPO antibodies. Did you know that you have Hashimoto's?
**
Ferritin is low at 50.2. Ferritin is recommended to be half way through range.
You can help raise your level by eating liver regularly, maximum 200g per week due to it's high Vit A content, also liver pate, black pudding, and including lots of iron rich foods in your diet
apjcn.nhri.org.tw/server/in...
**
Active B12 is good at 127.
**
Folate is low at 5.19, this would be better in double figures. Eating folate rich foods will help, as will a good quality bioavailable B complex such as Thorne Basic B or Igennus Super B.
**
Vit D is low at 64.7nmol/L. The Vit D Council recommends a level of 125nmol/L and the Vit D Society recommends a level of 100-150nmol/L. If you wish to improve your level then the Vit D Council suggests supplementing at 3,700iu D3 daily (nearest is 4,000). As you have Hashi's then for best absorption you could consider an oral spray, eg BetterYou, as this is absorbed through the mucous membranes in the oral cavity so bypasses the stomach. Some Hashi's patients have also done well on an oil based softgel, eg Doctor's Best.
Retest after 3 months.
When you've reached the recommended level then you'll need a maintenance dose to keep it there, which may be 2000iu daily, maybe more or less, maybe less in summer than winter, it's trial and error so it's recommended to retest once or twice a year to keep within the recommended range. You can do this with a private fingerprick blood spot test with an NHS lab which offers this test to the general public:
Doctors don't know, because they're not taught much about nutrients, but there are important cofactors needed when taking D3 as recommended by the Vit D Council
D3 aids absorption of calcium from food and Vit K2-MK7 directs the calcium to bones and teeth where it is needed and away from arteries and soft tissues where it can be deposited and cause problems such as hardening of the arteries, kidney stones, etc.
D3 and K2 are fat soluble so should be taken with the fattiest meal of the day, D3 four hours away from thyroid meds if taking tablets/capsules/softgels, no necessity if using an oral spray.
Magnesium helps D3 to work. We need Magnesium so that the body utilises D3, it's required to convert Vit D into it's active form. So it's important we ensure we take magnesium when supplementing with D3.
Magnesium comes in different forms, check to see which would suit you best and as it's calming it's best taken in the evening, four hours away from thyroid meds if taking tablets/capsules, no necessity if using topical forms of magnesium.
naturalnews.com/046401_magn...
drjockers.com/best-magnesiu...
Your GP will be happy with all your nutrient levels because they are in range; however, they are not optimal and that is what we Hypos need so we need to buy supplements and address this ourselves.
**
Don't start all supplements at once. Start with one, give it a week or two and if no adverse reaction then add the next one. Again, wait a week or two and if no adverse reaction add the next one. Continue like this. If you do have any adverse reaction then you will know what caused it.
Thank you that’s a really interesting read!
Is there any books you’d recommend? I’ve got one but it’s pretty outdated now.
I've got Your Thyroid and How to Keep it Healthy by Dr Barry Durrant Peatfield. You could make a new post asking for book recommendations, mention that you have Hashi's as well.
Books are very helpful but won't give you the VERY personal and excellent report given by SeasideSusie above.
i sometimes wonder about Drs too, but i was still gobsmacked when it happened near me recently
The GP is borderline. Get her to increase your levothyroxine by 50 mcg, there's no point in dithering. I assume you have not had previous results where your fT3 or fT4 have been much higher.
See a different GP
Take along a supportive friend or family member along to consultation as witness.
Ask/ insist on 25mcg dose increase
If still refused then insist on referral to endocrinologist
Email Dionne at Thyroid UK for list of recommended thyroid specialist endocrinologist
Clearly your GP skipped the three hour trading on thyroid conditions in her GP training.....lol. I would avoid her like the plague & see a different GP urgently. You deserve far far better care!!
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