I have suffered with symptoms of under active thyroid for many years, extreme tiredness, weight gain, dry skin, pins and needles in fingers/hands, feeling cold. I have a family history of under active thyroid, my dad, both of his sisters and their dad.
My most recent blood tests are as follows:
TSH 1.18 (0.27-4.2)
T4 11.4 (12-22)
My GP felt this was ok. He said I would not be referred onto an endocrinologist unless my T4 was 10.
I am wondering about other people’s experiences? I have been thinking of paying for a private blood test to include T3. Does anyone have any recommendations? Do these blood results indicate I don’t have a problem?
Any thoughts appreciated
Written by
KC0587
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Please get back to your GP and point out that your FT4 is below range, you are not producing enough thyroxine yourself and he should look into Central Hypothyroidism where the TSH is irrelevant.
Thank you! I was hoping that someone may be able to shed some light on this for me. I have interestingly just gone back through my blood tests on my online record dating back to 2013 where the T4 has been as low as 10.3 with a normal TSH.
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.......
Or low vitamin levels if hypothyroid due to central hypothyroidism
Ask GP to test vitamin levels and TSH, Ft4 and Ft3 plus thyroid antibodies
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)
Is this how you do your tests?
Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or thyroid antibodies or all relevant vitamins
If TPO or TG thyroid antibodies are high this is usually due to Hashimoto’s (commonly known in UK as autoimmune thyroid disease).
About 90% of all primary hypothyroidism in Uk is due to Hashimoto’s. Low vitamin levels are particularly common with Hashimoto’s. Gluten intolerance is often a hidden issue to.
Hi after going to my Doctors for years off and on complaining about tiredness and just having no energy I got a chance appointment with a Doctor in the practice I hadn’t seen before and it was he who tested for a under active thyroid.After been put on medication my life totally changed ,but about after 2 years I started to feel tired again I went to get blood test at my doctors on two occasions they never up’d my medication ,phone up nurse to get results she told me they where fine but after asking to speak to Doctor suddenly my levels where low so I just feel that some Doctors are scared to up medication that’s my take on it I hope this helps
After years of seeing my GP and eventually an endocrinologist I wasn’t given any treatment until my Tsh was over 14, even at 9.1 I wasn’t kept an eye on, until I came on here and realised the reason why I was feeling so wretched was because no one was really listening and because of nhs ‘guidelines’ I was passed off as basically getting older and was told I should expect to be feeling more tired ‘at my age’. Unfortunately you have to sort yourself out and keep pushing forward. After saying that I have had 2 telephone appointments cancelled this year, so I have telephoned to ask for my recent blood tests to be emailed through to me twice last week and I am still waiting!
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