As per great advice on here, I'm taking vitamin D3 spray and also did my own results to include T3 and to baseline before I start on any medication. At 8:30am before eating.
My TSH did indeed go up to over 10 as was suggested may happen.
FT4 similar but I was previously told -ve for antibodies, as only TPO tested but the other antibodies they tested are positive so not so good ....
This test included cortisol which is also high, but I guess could be stress of trying to do the blood test, or work? I don't take any steroid/asthma medication.
Magnesium H 1.02 0.7 - 1.0 mmol/L
Cortisol (Random) 627 6am - 10am 166 - 507 nmol/L
4pm - 8pm 73.8 - 291
TSH H 14.20. 0.27 - 4.20 mU/L (8.9 GP)
T4 Total 103.0 66 - 181 nmol/L
Free T4 15.1 12.0 - 22.0 pmol/L (14.5 GP)
Free T3 5.04 3.1 - 6.8 pmol/
Anti-TPO 11 <34 IU/mL (9 GP)
Anti-Thyroglobulin Abs H 645 <115
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Thankyou slowdragon, I didn't retest vits, as only D3 was low so I'm taking the D3/K spray at moment instead of multivit. B was actually over range and Fe ok.I was going to ask whether to share the results, as they can get a bit tetchy but I'll do that, if they don't like self test results i'd happy do another GP test to save my fingers .....
Thanks, helps explain why I feel so odd with only marginally off numbers from the GP tests. Shows why it's so important to understand the tests you don't get from your gp as well as the exact numbers for the ones you do!
When I got the prescription from the chemist it was 25mg as warned with a recommendation to retest in 3 months and increase dose if needed. Now I've got my self test results, I realise my slight hope of not needing medication is firmly on my 'who are you kidding' list now. I was also worried about having to travel last weekend - starting new meds whilst away, with travel insurance and all, but those plans were thankfully put on hold end of last week due to Omicron so I was able to do the self test when it arrived.
The brand was wockhardt and I checked it doesn't have that mannitol filler mentioned on here as I'm fine with Lactose. I didn't realise quite how difficult brand and dosage could be until reading around here. I didn't know you could feel worse on low dose, just thought it might do nothing. i think she was uncertain because tsh < 10 but didn't want to leave me untreated for 3 months because of my tiredness, these latest results will hopefully make it easier.
Standard starter dose of levothyroxine is 50mcg Bloods should be retested 6-8 weeks after each dose change and dose is increased slowly upwards in 25mcg steps until TSH is ALWAYS under 2
You can say you have read NICE guidelines and advice from Thyroid U.K. support group (don’t mention online forum )
guidelines on dose levothyroxine by weight
Even if we frequently don’t start on full replacement dose, most people need to increase levothyroxine dose slowly upwards in 25mcg steps (retesting 6-8 weeks after each increase) until eventually on, or near full replacement dose
Consider starting levothyroxine at a dosage of 1.6 micrograms per kilogram of body weight per day (rounded to the nearest 25 micrograms) for adults under 65 with primary hypothyroidism and no history of cardiovascular disease.
Traditionally we have tended to start patients on a low dose of levothyroxine and titrate it up over a period of months. RCT evidence suggests that for the majority of patients this is not necessary and may waste resources.
For patients aged >60y or with ischaemic heart disease, start levothyroxine at 25–50μg daily and titrate up every 3 to 6 weeks as tolerated.
For ALL other patients start at full replacement dose. For most this will equate to 1.6 μg/kg/day (approximately 100μg for a 60kg woman and 125μg for a 75kg man).
If you are starting treatment for subclinical hypothyroidism, this article advises starting at a dose close to the full treatment dose on the basis that it is difficult to assess symptom response unless a therapeutic dose has been trialled.
Thank you SlowDragon, yes I was a bit confused whether I was sub or not as my T4 is still in range but low, but now know my antibodies are positive and I have those symptoms in the paper you linked to and badly swollen up eyes. I was surprised tbh when TPO was negative but I guess it's Ords now, guess the treatment the same so they don't put much emphasis on the antibodies but it's do useful to help with understanding. This has all really convinced me I need to start treatment and on dose of 50 especially with my weight gain 🙄
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