THS HIGH ....HELP : HELLO I have been having... - Thyroid UK

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THS HIGH ....HELP

Cavelet profile image
17 Replies

HELLO

I have been having trouble on and off with my thyroid/ under active “borderline” according to GP .... BUT have never even been given my results.

The last few weeks I have felt awful ,so tired ,foggy head ,palpitations aches pains etc,so I decided to do a private thyroid plus test privately, my results are showing 8.37TSH but my T4 ..93nmol

FT4(15pmol/l

T3(3.9)pmol/L

Anti-thyroid peroxidase

Antibodies9.0IU/ml

When I spoke to my GP I was so upset all she said to me was I’m borderline so no medication is given unless my TSH IS 10 ,all she said to was have another test in a years time that was IT !!!

I’m so upset as I’m feeling quite unwell ,can anyone advise me how to go forward .

Thank you

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Cavelet profile image
Cavelet
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17 Replies
Wetsuiter profile image
Wetsuiter

i can't quite understand your results the wY you ve wriiten them, but i can see your high TSH.

As you have symptoms, the NICE guideline state that above range TSH that s under 10, with symptoms should be retested a couple of months later and if meet same criteria, try Levo.

section 1.5.4

nice.org.uk/guidance/ng145/...

Cavelet profile image
Cavelet in reply to Wetsuiter

Thank you I will do a test again in a couple of months time .

shaws profile image
shawsAdministrator in reply to Cavelet

Did you have the very earliest appointment? fasting (you can drink water) and when diagnosed miss dose and take after test.

Our TSH is highest early a.m. and drops throughout the day or if we've eaten.

shaws profile image
shawsAdministrator

Your doctor is following the rules and God knows who thought up the 'not until your TSH reaches 10' !!!!!

You can be very symptomatic and to make symptomatic patients wait until the TSH reaches 10 is ridiculous. No sense means nonsense and it seems awful that people have unnecessary struggles. When you state results you always have to put the ranges too (these are in brackets after the results). This makes it easier for members to respond.

We need doctors like the following but many in the UK are afraid of losing their licences. Go down the page until you see dear Thyroid Patients.

hormonerestoration.com/

It's no wonder that people source their own.

Once upon a time we used to be diagnosed upon our clinical symptoms alone - no blood tests - and given a trial of NDT. NDT is short for 'natural dessicated thyroid hormones'. The first - in 1892 was prescribed and as it contains all of the hormones a healthy gland would do, people no longer died with hypo as thyroid hormones were replaced and all emphasis was on relieving symptoms. Many felt better on NDT as it is made from animals' glands so more conducive to the human body and it contained all of the thyroid hormones.

Unfortunately for us, the patients, NDT was withdrawn through False Statements being made about it - despite its long proven use by many thousands of patients.

thyroiduk.org/signs-symptom...

I had to diagnose myself eventually (TSH reached 100 and I was still told there was nothing wrong!) -after being told many times that I had different conditions. I even underwent an op to remove a 'web' - no such thing but you don't get your money refunded and they never thought of a swollen thyroid gland.

Not one ever mentioned 'thyroid' and I had no knowledge about it myself or knew anyone who had it.

It was so much better for us when we used to be given a trial of NDT according to clinical symptoms alone.

When you get a blood test for thyroid hormones it should always be at the very earliest, fasting (you can drink water) and if taking thyroid hormones allow a gap of 24 hours between last dose and test and take afterwards.

You can tell your GP she is forcing you to self-medicate as you cannot go on being so symptomatic and tick off your symptoms:-

thyroiduk.org/signs-symptom...

Cavelet profile image
Cavelet in reply to shaws

Aah thank you so much , it’s unbelievable how we are being tossed to the side , the doctor I spoke to this week was so cold and hadn’t even bothered to read my results I had to tell her I had already sent them to her , I’m so worried and don’t feel right at all .

fuchsia-pink profile image
fuchsia-pink in reply to Cavelet

It is cruel and sadistic not to treat you NOW. So much for "do no harm". It makes you wonder why they bother with an upper range limit for TSH when the doctors are quite happy to ignore it.

I hope you can get treatment soon - and start to feel better.

Big hugs from the south coast x

Cavelet profile image
Cavelet in reply to fuchsia-pink

Thank you ...so nice to be on this forum as it’s so frustrating not having any help from the GP

shaws profile image
shawsAdministrator in reply to Cavelet

She's chosen the wrong profession if she's no interest in helping patients feel much better.

Was your appointment at the earliest and fasting? If not - and I doubt she will take another test, is to get your own test and I'll give you a link - just in case your decide to do so.

Cavelet profile image
Cavelet in reply to shaws

Hi I did a private test at home before eating or drinking anything ..thank you I used let’s get checked

shaws profile image
shawsAdministrator

This is like a 'water torture' i.e. slowly, slowly drip feed until TSH reaches 10. I would buy my own levothyroxine which is T4 alone and it should convert to T3. T4 is an inactive hormone and should convert to T3.

Cavelet profile image
Cavelet in reply to shaws

Yes that’s exactly how I feel , 3years this has been going on !

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

See/contact your GP and request that vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 are tested

Your high TSH shows you are hypothyroid and low vitamin levels are highly likely

What’s your diet like?

What was the TPO antibodies result?

Were TG antibodies tested too?

Was this test done as early as possible in morning before eating or drinking anything other than water?

This can help increase TSH so that GP will prescribe levothyroxine

Median TSH graph

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

TSH daily variation

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Extremely important when you test TSH ....

researchgate.net/publicatio...

According to the current TSH reference interval, hypothyroidism was not diagnosed in about 50% of the cases in the afternoon.”

“Further analysis demonstrated inadequate compensation of hypothyroidism, which was defined in 45.5% of the morning samples and in 9% of the afternoon samples”

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/252...

TSH levels showed a statistically significant decline postprandially in comparison to fasting values. This may have clinical implications in the diagnosis and management of hypothyroidism, especially SCH.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

Print on this guideline...page 2 flow chart

gp-update.co.uk/Latest-Upda...

Your GP can prescribe 6 month trial levothyroxine if TSH is between 5-10 and you have Symptoms

Symptom list

thyroiduk.org/wp-content/up...

Cavelet profile image
Cavelet in reply to SlowDragon

Thank for all the information

Arossi profile image
Arossi

Hi, When I was diagnosed with an underactive thyroid 5 years ago I went to my GP (Scotland) because my main symptom was constipation. At the first appointment he told me I was stressed and should take up yoga but on the way out because I said I was fed up of feeling awful all the time he decided to send me for blood tests. When the results came back I was only borderline but I told GP he had to do something as I hadn't been to the toilet in a month. Whether it was because he was ashamed because of his previous yoga comment, he put me on levothyroxine and the symptom resolved within 2 days. This 'being borderline' is a lot of nonsense. I don't know how your GP practice works but keep going back and I hope you find a more sympathetic GP.

Cavelet profile image
Cavelet in reply to Arossi

Hi ,yes I’m suffering with constipation too! But wow a month that’s awful ...I will keep on it and not give up !

Shakeygirl1 profile image
Shakeygirl1

My TSH was 4.8 . I’m now on 50 Levothyroxine and my TSH is 0.7.

I’m under private endocrinologist who said my thyroid is not right and been out for two years.

Outrageous that you aren’t on levothyroxine .

My endo said at TSH 4.8 I will have symptoms so for you you should def be treated with your levels

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