Newbie

[linny121]

Hi was diagnosed with thyroid last April .was on 25mg .then 50mg now 75mg .just been to docs for a 6wk blood test asked nurse if she could give me my results this is what she gave me .may 7.5. June. 1.4. Jan 6.4 so waiting on results for today which should be back end of the week . I haven’t got a clue what it all means can anyone explain it to me Photo below .thanks

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Welcome to the forum

So when was levothyroxine dose increased to 75mcg ?

Bloods should be retested 6-8 weeks after each dose increase in levothyroxine or change in brand of levothyroxine

Standard starter dose of levothyroxine is 50mcg (unless over 65 years old)

Dose is increased slowly upwards in 25mcg steps over period of months

The results you have there are TSH result

TSH is the message from brain (pituitary) to tell thyroid to work.

Thyroid disease has damaged your thyroid so it’s no longer working

So you are taking levothyroxine to replace missing thyroid hormones

The aim of levothyroxine is to increase dose upwards in 25mcg steps until TSH is always under 2

When adequately treated, TSH will often be well under one.

Just testing TSH is completely inadequate

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

Ask GP to test vitamin levels and thyroid antibodies if not been tested yet

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)

Most important results are ALWAYS Ft3 followed by Ft4. When adequately treated Ft4 is usually in top third of range and Ft3 at least 60% through range (regardless of how low TSH is)

Extremely important to have optimal vitamin levels too as this helps reduce symptoms and improve how levothyroxine works

Many people find different brands of levothyroxine are not interchangeable

Which brand of levothyroxine are you currently taking

Are you currently taking any vitamin supplements ?

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Vast majority of primary hypothyroidism is caused by autoimmune thyroid disease also called Hashimoto’s

Good short film explaining Hashimoto’s

drbradshook.com/understandi...