My TSH result is low at 0.02 as reference range is 0.3 to 4.8. I did not know I was having this blood test so took my usual daily dose of 125 MCG Levo the night before.
Could this explain the out of range blood test result? How much extra Levo goes into the blood 12 hours after taking it?
I usually aim for a lower TSH level as I subscribe to the view that TSH should be below 1.0. I often have a result of 0.5 or 0.1.
My triglicides are high at 3.99 [should be no higher than 1.8], my HDL is slightly high at 1.18 [should be no higher than 1.18] and LDL is low at 1.9 [should be no higher than 3.0]. I am 8kg overweight.
Grateful for thoughts and comments.
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Adam10
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So, there was a gap of... what? 8 hours? between your last dose of levo and the blood draw? That's won't have any effect on your TSH, because the TSH doesn't change that fast - it would take more like a week.
But, testing the TSH only is totally inadequate. A below-range TSH does not automatically mean you are over-medicated. You're only over-medicated if your FT3 is over-range. And, as you say your cholesterol is high, it's far more likely that your FT3 is too low. I would imagine you have a high FT4, suppressing the TSH, but a low FT3 because you're a poor converter. But, you need the Frees tested to find that out.
As Greygoose says...it won’t affect TSH...it would affect Ft4...had they bothered to test it
How much levothyroxine are you currently taking
Do you always get same brand levothyroxine, which brand
What vitamin supplements are you currently taking
See you are already on strictly gluten free diet and Hashimoto’s
Likely to need addition of T3 prescribed alongside levothyroxine if gluten intolerant
For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 tested. Also EXTREMELY important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 at least annually
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)
If/when also on T3, make sure to take last third or quarter of daily dose 8-12 hours prior to test, even if this means adjusting time or splitting of dose day before test
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 you normally take levothyroxine at bedtime/in night ...adjust timings as follows prior to blood test
If testing Monday morning, delay Saturday evening dose levothyroxine until Sunday morning. Delay Sunday evening dose levothyroxine until after blood test on Monday morning. Take Monday evening dose levothyroxine as per normal
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Should I take Levo before blood test?
Should I be taking Levo on the morning of a blood test
Blood Test. I take Levo at night.
