The photo is a test taken through medichecks at start of February. I had another at the start of May and the numbers are fairly similar. What was different was an increase in B12 and Folate and vitD. This was because I made a conscious decision to boost these vitamins in my system to try and improve my thyroid function.
As I got the little red cross next to TSH again in May (4.4) this time and as I have had loads of symptoms - depression, anxiety, dry skin, runny eyes, puffy face, thinning hair, losing hair, feeling cold, aching all over...especially legs, fatigue, spaced out and weight gain (some of which may be caused by the antidepressants doled out to me almost a year ago on presenting with symptoms - well, medichecks doctor advised me to go to my GP.
Obviously, I couldn't get an appointment so I wrote to them, including my blood tests. The receptionist emailed me to tell me to ring and I managed to get a face to face appointment!!! I was glad because my throat didn't feel right and my neck was hurting by now. She examined me and said she thinks it's water retention. I've put loads of weight on since I've been on these antidepressants and I am in the slow process of tapering off them. She didn't even refer to the medichecks blood tests but just said it was not a thyroid problem because all my blood tests were 'normal'. She said it was virtually impossible for me to start with a thyroid problem at my age (63) as it would have shown before now. Then she said my symptoms could possibly be caused by the antidepressants she put me on...... I was offered others to cross-taper.
My blood sugar was on the low side and my cholesterol was marked as an issue as it was high. I don't eat a lot of fatty stuff and I'm vegan (I take regular supplements B12/D/Folate and others). I have posted on here before but I just wanted to add this photo and see if anyone has any further advice. I understand I may just be depressed and anxious and the antidepressants causing me physical problems but I remember aching before them. I have just bought Kharrazian's 'Why do I still have thyroid symptoms' but the measurements of T3 etc seem to be in American sizes I'd appreciate any help with that. I'm scared because I have been on antidepressants for nearly a year and only put weight on. My depression and physical symptoms just seems to have worsened.
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She said it was virtually impossible for me to start with a thyroid problem at my age (63) as it would have shown before now.
Total rubbish. Although you can develop hypothyroidism at any age, it's well documented that it's common for middle aged and older people to develop it. I think your GP needs educating.
Several studies referring to those over 65 years show that thyroid illness is very much a disease of the elderly and that it often goes undiagnosed. Although the incidence of thyroid problems increases with age, it is sometimes difficult to diagnose as symptoms are not always as widespread or obvious as those in younger patients.
The risk of hypothyroidism is higher in people with a family history of thyroid disease and those aged over 60 years.
And there are lots more references out there.
I have just bought Kharrazian's 'Why do I still have thyroid symptoms' but the measurements of T3 etc seem to be in American sizes
I haven't seen that book, is it Total T3 or Free T3 that they mention? Only Free T3 is important, Total T3 isn't a particularly useful test. But it doesn't matter what theunit of measurement is, it's where in it's range that's important.
Unfortunately, at the moment, you wont get a diagnosis. In the UK TSH has to reach 10 for diagnosis to be made. However, if antibodies are raised at the same time as an over range (but not reached 10) TSH then that's autoimmune thyroid disease and an enlightened doctor should diagnose and start Levothyroxine.
Thank you. I think I was so glad she said my thyroid wasn't swollen because I was so scared it was - I just folded. I would have thought it was common sense things can start packing up as you get older. Yes, I thought it was 10. The way I feel it soon could be. I'm definitely feeling worse. I'm looking into herbal/natural ways to support the thyroid because I have to believe in something right now.... Thanks for your help as usual.
If you have an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism), treatment may be delayed until this problem is treated. This is because having an underactive thyroid can lead to an increased cholesterol level, and treating hypothyroidism may cause your cholesterol level to decrease, without the need for statins. Statins are also more likely to cause muscle damage in people with an underactive thyroid.
I'm looking into your advice now. I am considering changing GP surgeries to be honest. These antidepressants I am on are particularly hard to get off and it's going to take me a year!!! So even if they are causing all the fatigue and pain, I'm stuck now. Thanks for the links. They won't be wasted.
Just thought I'd add here that cholesterol levels have nothing to do with diet. And certainly nothing to do with fat, which is a different substance entirely, and doesn't turn into cholesterol when you eat it! lol
Cholesterol is made in the liver. And the liver does its best to keep levels stable, so if you eat a lot, the liver makes less. If you eat none at all, the liver makes more. However, when your T3 is low, the body cannot process and excrete cholesterol normally, so it builds up in the blood. It's a symptom that something is wrong in the body, it is not a disease. And, as FT3 levels rise, the cholesterol level drops.
Your FT3 doesn't look low now, but could have been in the recent past. In fact, your FT3 is higher in range - 58.65% - than your FT4 - 35%. This could be for one of two reasons:
* it could be due to low iodine levels, so worth getting that checked. When iodine is low, the thyroid often makes more T3 (3 atoms of iodine) than T4 (4 atoms of iodine) in order to econmise on iodine.
* sometimes, when the thyroid is failing, it tends to make more T3 than T4 to keep you alive, without your body having to rely on conversion for most of its T3.
Thanks for your input everyone. Just to update you. I took on board what a few people on here said and thanks. I asked for an Iodine test because I am vegan and what you said made sense and because I am trying to kickstart my thyroid as at TSH 4.4 and 4.7 its obviously sluggish despite what the GP said....so I'm taking LTyrosine and Selenium. Obviously the GP said no to the test and to be fair I can't keep paying for tests. This government thieved my pension! Now I can't get help on the NHS...... Anyway, so I have started taking kelp so if I have an Iodine problem hopefully this will address that.
The last week or so I have had so much muscle pain and stiffness I could hardly walk. I think there may be a reason for that. When the GP threw antidepressants at me last summer.....Mirtazapine.....I struggled to take them and they haven't made me feel much better - just helped put the weight back on. But now I am ballooning and ache so much it's unbelievable. I never ached before.... So I have started to withdraw and because they are basically poison I have to do it slowly. Very slowly. I am very annoyed to have this on top of all my other issues because it was the easiest option for the GP. As I am withdrawing, the aching is notched up loads and the depression and occasionally the anxiety. I have no clue if my thyroid is working and will hopefully retest in October/November when I'm on less of this antidepressant. (It will take over 6mths to get off safely). My GP would not even refer to the medichecks blood tests and would only work off the February NHS one of 3.7. If I find it was a thyroid issue bubbling up all along I will try and sue that GP!
I'm afraid that it's highly unlikely that anyone who replied to you on this thread will see this reply, except me. So, I would suggest that you copy and paste it into a new thread. Especially as you bring up a few new elements in this post.
I would just like to say that it is a really, really bad idea to take iodine without getting tested first to see if you need it. And, if you do need it, it's a really, really bad idea to self-treat with it. You need to be followed by an experienced practicioner. I know how difficult it can be to find one, but you could be making things ten times worse by taking kelp - which is very high in iodine. Iodine is antithyroid in excess, and used to be used to treat Graves patients before antithyroid drugs were invented. It can also trigger Hashi's, and even cancer.
I have no clue if my thyroid is working
I think it must be, because otherwise you would be dead. You cannot live without thyroid hormone. But, as you say, with a TSH of over 4, your thyroid is struggling to make enough hormone to keep you alive. Technically, you are hypo when your TSH gets to 3. But, you would never find an NHS doctor to admit that!
Thanks. It was important to me I got a reply today. I feel so lost. It's so difficult to get a GP appointment, then it's a locum usually who I struggle to understand on the phone because they have an accent. They have all just suggested antidepressants and I've tried these now for nearly a year and I feel worse than ever with more symptoms... I'll copy and paste and stop the kelp. I'll look into foods I can have with it in instead. Thanks again...
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I'd appreciate any help with that. I'm scared because I have been on antidepressants for nearly a year and only put weight on. My depression and physical symptoms just seems to have worsened.
Thyroid bloods "normal" not sure way to go now - loads of symptoms. Desperate!
Blood results 
Opportunity with Gynaecologist? 
Conflicting results from Endo and Medichecks.... confused, thoughts appreciated 
Endocrinologist appointment- very upsetting
