Tsh level 8.4

[Vincent512]

Hi I’m a newbie here, my 19 year old son had not been well for over 8 months now , he’s very tired , bad eye floaters, feeling out of it all the time .we got eyes checked and all good , had bloods done and everything perfect apart from his tsh level was 8.3 . Doc wants to wait 3 months to check but his mood is bad and struggling with anxiety he wants to get sorted .feel so bad for him as he’s not like this normally .spoke to doc again and they want to put him on antidepressants while he’s waiting for his Nxt blood test 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️

[SlowDragon Administrator]

A TSH of 8 is clearly hypothyroid

How long ago was this first test done

2nd test should be done 6-8 weeks after first abnormal thyroid results

Meanwhile insist that vitamin levels and antibodies are tested NOW

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 cause is autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's) diagnosed by raised Thyroid antibodies

Ask GP to test vitamin levels and thyroid antibodies NOW

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)

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/

NHS easy postal kit vitamin D test £29 via

vitamindtest.org.uk

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.

Link about thyroid blood tests

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

Link about Hashimoto’s

thyroiduk.org/hypothyroid-b...

List of hypothyroid symptoms

thyroiduk.org/if-you-are-un...

See flow chart on top of page 2 here

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

[Vincent512 in reply to SlowDragon]

It was done about 4 weeks ago , they wanted his nxt one in 3 months time but I said no and have managed to get it for 6 weeks , I took him private and she said if he was her patient she wld treat him today , but wld mess up Nxt bloods .His b12 is 2000 but I put him on them when he was not feeling well as I have low b12 , and all other bloods were perfect .

He’s really struggling x I suppose I have to wait til Nxt bloods and go from there , just seems like they don’t give a shit and palm you off with something different every time .also different doctor dosent help every time we get a call

R all his symptoms of a thyroid problem ???

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Vincent512]

Suggest you get FULL Thyroid and vitamin testing done now privately

Likely Low vitamin D, folate...possibly ferritin too

Do you have pernicious anaemia or “just” low B12

[Vincent512 in reply to SlowDragon]

I have just low b12 , my nan, brother , sister, niece all have thyroid problems not sure if they r low or high but all have medication .x

[Vincent512 in reply to Vincent512]

Who do you recommend I go with for private tests .x

Do you know if eye floaters are a symptom ???

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Vincent512]

Have you had full thyroid tests yourself

We always recommend getting full thyroid and vitamin testing including both thyroid antibodies

[shaws Administrator]

Welcome to our forum and I'm sorry that your son appears to have hypothyroidism due to his higher TSH level.

Unfortunately, if in the UK, doctors have been told not to diagnose until the TSH reaches 10 disregarding clinical symptoms. (I had to diagnose myself when my TSH was 100 and that's due to the ignorance of many GPs and other medical practitioners).

Any blood tests for thyroid hormones should always be at the earliest possible, and make the appointment well ahead so that you get the earliest blood draw. It is also a fasting test (he can drink water).

I would request another blood test. GPs really don't seem to have much knowledge and I'll give some advice below.

Symptoms can make people feel unwell and they're not sure why they have symptoms. They may also be unaware (as it happened to me) that the person is hypothyroid due to clinical symptoms alone. and the professionals appear to know none.

Unfortunately, GPs seem to have been trained that they shouldn't diagnose hypothyroidism until the TSH reaches 10 whereas - in the past - we were all diagnosed upon clinical symptoms alone and given a trial of NDT(natural dessicated thyrod hormones). Nowadays they prescribe T4 alone (also called levothyroxine) which should convert to T3. T4 is inactive and has to convert to the 'Active' hormone called T3 .

To make sure to get the best results, make the earliest possible time for another blood test and it should be a fasting test (he can drink water) and don't take levothyroxine until afterwards. Levo should also be taken with one full glass of water and wait an hour before eating. Food can interfere with the uptake of levothyroxine.

Always get a print-out of the blood restuls, with the ranges. Ranges differ in other labs and it enables members to comment upon them.