Fluctuating TSH/Treatment with TSH of 3.5

[Travelling922]

Hi there,

A couple of questions...

1. Has anybody else found that their TSH fluctuates?

Jan 3.71, May 6.74, June 3.52

T4 is always below 15 but not out of range

2. Has anybody managed to get treatment with a TSH as low as 3.5?

Looking to see a private endo as getting nowhere with GP but was just wondering what the likelihood of success is.

Thanks x

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Travelling922

Are you taking your tests under the exact same conditions every time? We advise

* Blood draw no later than 9am (this is because TSH is highest early morning and lowers throughout the day)

* Nothing to eat or drink except water before blood draw (this is because eating can lower TSH and coffee especially can affect TSH).

[Travelling922 in reply to SeasideSusie]

The first one was done about 6 pm without fasting but the last two bloods were fasting before 8am... No idea why there is such a difference in result.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Travelling922]

Travelling922

Well, just taking the last two as the conditons were the same, there is such a vast difference one might suspect Hashimoto's, unless you were unwell at the time of the May test as acute illness/infection can affect TSH.

[Travelling922 in reply to SeasideSusie]

I think I would have stood a chance of my GP treating me if the 3rd one was over their range of 6.

Thyroid antibodies were done in May also. Seem quite low?

TPO 10.6 (<34)

Tg 16 (<115)

Thanks for your help, really struggling with all this now. Seems like its been going on for so long...

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Travelling922]

Travelling922

Apparently it's possible to have Hashi's without raised antibodies. You could ask for a thyroid scan.

[Travelling922 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thanks, when I manage to see a specialist I will definitely ask! Even private aren't seeing patients at the moment so there goes my back up plan...

[SlowDragon Administrator]

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

Looking through previous posts can’t see any vitamin results

What vitamin supplements are you currently taking?

When were vitamin levels last tested

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 .

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...

Ask for ultrasound scan of your thyroid

20% of Hashimoto's patients never have raised antibodies

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[Travelling922 in reply to SlowDragon]

B12, Folate, Ferritin and VitD were tested back in Jan when I first felt unwell. B12 and VitD were initially very low and treated (IM injections B12 and oral spray VitD). Re-tested last week and all in the upper limits of the range now thankfully.

I'm taking maintenance doses of B12, folic acid and VitD to ensure they stay at optimal levels.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Travelling922]

What are the actual results and ranges on these

How much vitamin D are you taking?

Are you also supplementing magnesium and vitamin K2 mk7 as well

betterbones.com/bone-nutrit...

medicalnewstoday.com/articl...

livescience.com/61866-magne...

sciencedaily.com/releases/2...

Vitamin K2 mk7

betterbones.com/bone-nutrit...

healthline.com/nutrition/vi...

Rather than supplementing just folic acid

Supplementing a good quality daily vitamin B complex, one with folate in not folic acid may be beneficial

chriskresser.com/folate-vs-...

B vitamins best taken after breakfast

Igennus Super B is good quality and cheap vitamin B complex. Contains folate. Full dose is two tablets per day. Many/most people may only need one tablet per day. Certainly only start on one per day (or even half tablet per day for first couple of weeks)

Or Thorne Basic B or jarrow B-right are other options that contain folate, but both are large capsules

If you are taking vitamin B complex, or any supplements containing biotin, remember to stop these 7 days before any blood tests, as biotin can falsely affect test results

endo.confex.com/endo/2016en...

endocrinenews.endocrine.org...

Low B12 symptoms

b12deficiency.info/signs-an...

Have you had iron and ferritin tested?

[Travelling922 in reply to SlowDragon]

I've not got the actual numbers/ranges here with me but they were right at the top of the range when i spoke to GP, B12 and folate slightly over range due to recent treatment.

I now take a B complex tab which also has iron,vitC +D, magnesium and zinc plus an omega 3 capsule daily. Ive not tried K2...