Thyroid blood test results

[Natz36]

Hi

Would someone be able to tell me what f these thyroid tests are okay as doctors say they are but I know sometimes they aren’t.

Thanks

SERUM FREE t4 level 13.5pmol/L (9-24)

SERUM TSH LEVEL 0.41mu/L ( 02-5.0)

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Are you diagnosed as hypothyroid and on levothyroxine?

Please add ranges on these results (figures in brackets after each result)

Just testing TSH and Ft4 is completely inadequate

Ft4 looks low (need ranges to confirm)

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

What vitamin supplements are you currently taking?

Ask GP to test vitamin levels

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?

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...

[Natz36 in reply to SlowDragon]

Hi Bit too much information there which I didn’t really want as it’s overwhelming and causes me so much anxiety.

A simple answer would of been better.

My b12 is 865 and my ferritin is 80 since being on iron supplements from the doctor since last year

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Natz36]

Are you on levothyroxine?

We need to range on Ft4 result (figures in brackets after result)

[Natz36 in reply to SlowDragon]

The FT4 is (9-24) no because doctors say my thyroid is fine that’s why I’m asking if it is

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Natz36]

So your Ft4 is only 30% through range...so fairly low

But TSH is low (all most medics look at)

But just testing TSH and Ft4 is not enough

If you have hypothyroid symptoms, look at getting full thyroid and vitamin testing done privately

[Natz36 in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks I’ll bring it up with my doctor also I can’t afford to go private x is it dangerous if you aren’t taking medication if it is my thyroid causing problems?

[shaws Administrator in reply to Natz36]

If the thyroid gland is the cause of your symptoms, then your GP has to prescribe, at the very least, levothyroxine - also known as T4. The aim is a TSH of 1 or lower with a Free T4 and Free T3 in the upper part of the ranges.

T4 has to convert to T3 which is the Active Thyroid Hormone needed in all of our T3 receptor cells. Our brain and heart have the most T3 receptor cells.

It's a big learning curve but we can feel much better if we're on the right dose of thyroid hormones.

[Natz36 in reply to shaws]

I will ask my doctor to text them again and mention that one of them was low . I honestly don’t know what’s up with me ! At first it was low ferritin but my ferritin is now 80 still taking medication to up it . I still feel dizzy and get the occasional palpitations and I’m not trying to loose weight but I look slim. I eat loads have extremely bad raynauds, when it’s warm my hands swell when it’s cold my hands turn purple. I just wish I had an answer it’s driving me mad as I know there’s something going on 😢

[shaws Administrator in reply to Natz36]

Even on the morning my TSH result was 100 and the NHS doctor wrote on the print-out 'no action needed'..

Thyroid hormones run our whole metabolism from head to toe, the 'active one' is T3 (liothyronine). T4 (levothyroxine) is an inactive hormone and should convert to T3. We have thousands of T3 receptor cells and our brain and heart have the most.

We can go a long time before being diagnosed but there's no dramatic change and our symptoms are probably not too dramatic.

Try not to worry and tick off any symptoms on the link below and if you have sufficient ticked, ask GP for a Full Thyroid Function or at the very least a Free T4 and Free T3 blood test plus TSH. The 'frees' results give more information. Usually GP wont test other than TSH.

thyroiduk.org/?s=list+of+cl...

[shaws Administrator]

If you can put the ranges at the end of the sentence. The reason for putting ranges, is that labs differ in their machines and so sometimes the results will also differ,

You only have the FT4 level but a FT3 would also be helpful. You can request next time.

We also aim for a TSH of around 1 or lower.

If you need to edit a response, click on the down arrow next to more and select edit. There are also some other suggestions, You can then alter anything you wish.

[Natz36 in reply to shaws]

Hi sorry the ranges from SERUM FREE T4 level is (9-24) and the other one SERUM TSH LEVEL IS (0.2-5.0). Hope that helps

[shaws Administrator in reply to Natz36]

Thank you. If we need to change anything in a response, you click the down arrow next to 'More' and change what you want.

[Soma33]

I think those numbers look fine. You can always get them checked again in a few months to see if they've changed.

[Imelda13]

You need to know what you T3 levels are as the NHS don't test for those and that shows how well you are converting T4 to T3 which is the thyroxine that your body can use.