Am I overactive or underactive: Hi, just had my... - Thyroid UK

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Am I overactive or underactive

SJB1234 profile image
6 Replies

Hi, just had my thyroid results and doctors say it is acceptable, they are as follows

TSH 8.9

T3 4.6

T4 12.9

As I am new to this can anyone tell me if this is ok or should I question it.

Thanks.

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SJB1234 profile image
SJB1234
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pennyannie profile image
pennyannie

Hello SJB

On face value your results would be those of hypothyroidism, so underactive, but believe the new guidelines suggest no treatment should be prescribed until the TSH goes over 10.

In many countries treatment for hypothyroidism starts when TSH is above 3 :

How are you feeling, or is that a silly question ?

SJB1234 profile image
SJB1234 in reply to pennyannie

Hi pennyannie I am feeling not to bad, getting a bit anxious also I have AF and the heart has been playing me up and I wonder if that is why, due to the thyroid.

Many thanks

pennyannie profile image
pennyannie in reply to SJB1234

Hey there,

Well yes, the two can be connected :

The thyroid is a major gland responsible for full body synchronisation including your mental, physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual well being, your inner central heating system and your metabolism.

In fact the thyroid is you body's engine and when it's not working as usual, we need to go under the bonnet , and see what's going on.

Would suggest following slowdragon's advise, and this is where I started off a few years ago and am now such much better, thanks in the most part to this amazing forum.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

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...or test privately

Your TSH is high and Ft4 low...suggests hypothyroid and vast majority of hypothyroidism is due to autoimmune thyroid disease

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 as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or thyroid antibodies or all relevant vitamins

List of private testing options

thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...

Medichecks Thyroid plus ultra vitamin

medichecks.com/products/thy...

Medichecks often have special offers, if order on Thursdays

Thriva Thyroid plus vitamins

thriva.co/tests/thyroid-test

Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes vitamins

bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...

Come back with new post once you get full results

fuchsia-pink profile image
fuchsia-pink

We really need the reference ranges for free T3 and free T - but anyone can see that your TSH is much too high, and on most reference ranges your T4 is very low.

The ranges matter, because if you aren't currently on thyroid meds, even though most countries would treat you once your TSH got to 3, in the UK they often make you wait until it's 10 - so instead of waiting until you feel rough, they wait until you're really, really rough. No idea why this is considered helpful - or even kind.

So if you're feeling bad, your best chance of getting treatment is to go to the GP and point out that your TSH is very high, well above the reference range, while your T4 is low [X% into the range] along with a list of your hypo symptoms and asking for a trial of levo. If s/he says your TSH must get higher still, you could legitimately ask what the point is of a reference range when you are [twice] as high as the top of it. And take someone with you - ideally a man - who can say how ill you are, what your symptoms are, how worried they are about you etc etc.

Good luck x

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

AF can be due to having low thyroid hormones...many medics only associate AF with being hyperthyroid

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/175...

Results: Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels were low (<0.3 mU/L) in 168 patients (62.7%) and high (>5 mU/L) in 39 patients (14.9%); 76 patients (28.4%) had high free triiodothyronine (FT3) levels (>4.3 pg/ml) and 91 patients (34.3%) had high free thyroxine (FT4) levels (>1.7 ng/dl); 60 patients (22.4%) had low FT3 levels (<2 pg/ml) and 24 patients (9%) had low FT4 levels (<0.9 ng/dl). Overall, 76.2% of patients with hyperthyroidism were women. Hyperthyroidism was considered subclinical in 68 (40.5%) patients with low SH concentrations.

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