Quick t4 & tsh question : Just had preoperative... - Thyroid UK

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Quick t4 & tsh question

Eoperez profile image
17 Replies

Just had preoperative nurse on phone telling me i need to speak to GP about my bloods. It has been that long that anyone has questioned them that it has thrown me a bit!

TSH 0.05 (bottom range 0.3)

Free t4 25.5 (top of range 22.6) roughly this time last year it was 20.

No t3 done. Last time in 2016! It was 5.1

My TSH has been suppressed for ages but free t4 all within the range but now it has tipped over. Does this mean I'm over medicated? I'm on 175mcg Levothyroxine. Also take folic acid, iron, b12 injections, vit d.

Thanks

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Eoperez
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17 Replies
fuchsia-pink profile image
fuchsia-pink

How do you feel? Yes, free T4 is over-range and TSH is suppressed, but if you feel great I would be most reluctant to reduce levo - at least until you know where free T3 is ... so you really need free T3 testing.

If free T3 is over-range, yup you're over-medicated; but if free T3 is top third of range and you feel great, I'd say you should stay on your current dose.

If free T3 is low in range and you don't feel great - and key nutrients are all good *quite likely if you are supplementing) - that means you have a demonstrable "poor conversion" problem and are likely to benefit from a reduction in levo AND the addition of lio - so need a referral to an endo ...

That means getting the list of T3-friendly endos from Dionne at Thyroid UK - tukadmin@thyroiduk.org - as not all endos will prescribe lio even if you clearly don't convert well.

Good luck x

Eoperez profile image
Eoperez in reply to fuchsia-pink

Thanks. If they try to reduce my dose, like they usually do, I'll ask them to test my t3 first. I never feel great but that's cos I've got other health issues going on :( Really appreciate the advice, thank you & merry Christmas x

jrbarnes profile image
jrbarnes

The only way I can feel functional on levothyroxine is if my T4 levels are over the range but my actual thyroxine levels are only mid-range so system-wide I'm not over medicated. My T3 levels were also low again which proved that I wasn't over-medicated. It's all about how you feel.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

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)

Is this how you do your tests?

Never ever agree to dose reduction based just on TSH and Ft4

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 antibodies and vitamins

medichecks.com/products/adv...

Thriva Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins By DIY fingerpick test

thriva.co/tests/thyroid-test

Thriva also offer just vitamin testing

Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes antibodies, cortisol and vitamins by DIY fingerprick test

bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...

If you can get GP to test vitamins and antibodies then cheapest option for just TSH, FT4 and FT3

£29 (via NHS private service ) and 10% off down to £26.10 if go on thyroid uk for code

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

monitormyhealth.org.uk/

Also vitamin D available as separate test via MMH

Or alternative Vitamin D NHS postal kit

vitamindtest.org.uk

Eoperez profile image
Eoperez in reply to SlowDragon

I do usually have them first thing and fasted, but this was late afternoon at a pre-op assessment appointment. I'm sure all will be ok when I speak to my usual GP as she is more understanding than most. But if I have any problems getting t3 tested I'll look at the private options. Thanks :)

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply to Eoperez

Need to test TSH, Ft4 and Ft3 together

Eoperez profile image
Eoperez

fuchsia-pink SlowDragon got my t3 results back, along with t4 & tsh:

T3 - 6.6 pmol/l (range 3.5-6.5)

TSH 0.05 mu/l (range 0.35-5.5)

T4 22 pmol/l (range 9-23)

Currently on 175 mcg Levothyroxine

Does this mean I'm overmedicated?

Thanks

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply to Eoperez

No necessarily

How do you feel?

Was this test done as early as possible in morning before eating or drinking anything other than water and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test

What vitamin supplements are you currently taking

When were vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 last tested

Eoperez profile image
Eoperez in reply to SlowDragon

They were last done end of November 2020 but at the hospital so can't access them. Prior to that 29/11/2019:

Folate 24.0 mg/ml (range 3.3-999999)

Ferritin 82.6 ug/ml (rame 13-300)

B12 2000 ng/l

I have do my own b12 injections and take folic acid & gentle iron

Vit d last done October 2017:

Total 81.7 nmol/left

25 hydroxyvitamin d2 <5.0 nmol/l

D3 81.7 nmol/l

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply to Eoperez

Suggest you retest vitamin D at least annually

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply to Eoperez

Presumably as you have endometriosis you have autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto’s)

If doing B12 injections recommended to also supplement daily vitamin B complex

Ferritin needs to be at least half way through range.

Can see in past it was extremely low

Vitamin D at least around 80nmol

Are you on strictly gluten free diet

Eoperez profile image
Eoperez in reply to SlowDragon

Yes they were done 1st thing and only had water and 24 hours after last Levothyroxine.

You know I have no clue if it is hashimotos, got diagnosed with underactive thyroid as a teen and now in my 40's!

I have suspected endometriosis, awaiting a laparoscopy with a specialist to confirm, hopefully will be next month.

I do have raynauds too which I believe is another autoimmune condition?

Not on a gluten free diet.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply to Eoperez

If you feel ok, why change dose

If you feel a touch over treated, perhaps reduce dose 25mcg PER WEEK

Retest in 6-8 weeks

But I would check vitamin d and ferritin levels first

Eoperez profile image
Eoperez in reply to SlowDragon

I wouldn't but know my GP based on numbers will say I'm over medicated! Will ask them what ferritin was at hospital and look at private vit d test. Thank you :)

Eoperez profile image
Eoperez in reply to SlowDragon

Can't remember the last time I felt great like normal people! Feel like I'm not drowning in treacle as much as I was but on my better days I tend to over do it! But generally I feel like crap!

Eoperez profile image
Eoperez in reply to SlowDragon

Forgot to say that I take vit d supplement daily

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply to Eoperez

Important to test twice year when supplementing. May need more in winter than summer

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