Can anyone offer any insight into why my GP thinks these results need no action, or why he thinks I might in fact be taking a "A tad too much" levothyroxine (his words in the voice mail he left me) ?
I'm waiting on antibody test results too... as a possible diagnosis of Hashimotos is still in question. (abnormal AB results dating back 3 yrs)
Expecting a call back after 4pm today to discuss all test results, as my kidney function results (creatinine levels) are "abnormal" too.
Blood work done due to 2 bouts of Atrial Fib that had no known cause. (averaging 128bpm for 4-6 hours on 2 consecutive days)
Image attached showing TSH and FT4 results.
Note: I've been living with this for 27yrs, already medicated, 325mcg levo, cant get NHS to refer for alternative therapies (tried 2 different surgeries in 2 different counties). I just want to know what to say to my current GP later.
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Coffeebear44
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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
Do you have Hashimoto’s?
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)
Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or thyroid antibodies or all relevant vitamins
How do you feel? Were your blood tests taken early in the morning, 24 hours after taking your previous dose of levo, and on an empty stomach? If not, the results might show false readings.
Clearly your TSH is suppressed (which is no surprise) and your free T4 is well over-range, which is why your GP thinks a reduction in medication may be sensible. But to know for sure if you are over-medicated, you really need free T3 testing (at the same time as free T4) - also early in the morning, 24 hours from your levo etc etc. And really you also need your key nutrients testing too - ferritin, folate, vit D and B12, as your levo works best when these are nice and high.
So if it were me, I'd say to the GP that you understand the results are outside the "normal" range, but you would like more testing and these are the tests recommended by Thyroid UK.
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