My tsh is 6.06 and T4 is 11 but my doctor says I am normal!!! I feel anything but normal. I have made an appointment with a private Endo next week but can anyone tell me what my chances are of getting medication?
Help!!: My tsh is 6.06 and T4 is 11 but my doctor... - Thyroid UK
Help!!
Are you - as of yet - not diagnosed with thyroid condition? If you currently take replacement hormone how much do you take?
Is this the only thyroid test you had? What is the FT4 range. Ranges vary between labs. It is very low by most ranges we see. If may just be in range, which is why dr says not necessary to medicate.
For full thyroid test you need TSH, FT4 & FT3. Thyroid antibodies TG & TPO. Also important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin & B12.
Ensure you have a complete set of test prior to private appointment so you have all the information you need. Private blood test options are available.
When you test. For consistent results test 1st thing in morning before eating except water & avoid supplements with biotin a week before draw. (Delay any levo dose, until after draw). Was this how the last test was done?
Not yet diagnosed or medicated. Tpo 0.68, ft4 is 11, tsh is 6.06. my nhs doctor says I'm not bad enough to be medicated despite being symptomatic and won't test me again for a year. This is why I have made a private appointment to get a second opinion.
Each result will have a lab reference interval for a expected healthy range
EG
FT4 11 (8 - xx) or
FT4 11 (12 - xx)
TPO 0.68 will have a (0 - 34) or >34 as an example of the lab limit.
Dependant on the range, one might shown a result within range the other below.
Above range TSH with within range FT4 is sub clinical and treatment wouldn’t not be offered until FT4 below range or TSH above 10. If 1st test with TSH above range GP should be retesting in 6 - 8 weeks.
If TPO positive some GP will offer treatment early on as decline of thyroid inevitable. Many do not show positive TPO levels but may be TGab positive.
Thyroid levels should be retested 6-8 weeks after first abnormal test results…..not waiting a year
There are two antibodies linked to autoimmune thyroid disease
TPO and TG (thyroglobulin)
NHS only tests TG antibodies if TPO are high
Significant minority of autoimmune thyroid patients only have high TG antibodies
You will need to test privately to check
Also 20% of autoimmune thyroid patients never have raised thyroid antibodies. An ultrasound scan of thyroid can be helpful if both antibodies are negative
Is there any autoimmune disease in your close family
Yes my mum and sister have hashimotos. I did have my tsh done back in September and it was 4.2 and my ft4 was 11 then.
Were both tests done early morning?
Have you had vitamin levels tested
What vitamin supplements are you currently taking
What’s your diet like …..are you gluten free, vegetarian, vegan or on dairy free diet
No both afternoon. I take Q10, multivitamin, Vit D,5htp, pregnenolone, milk thistle and dandelion. My diet is ok I don't eat much as any thing over 1000 cals causes weight gain. Not any special diet.
So if had tested early morning TSH would have been higher
Test before 9am ideally
How much vitamin D are you currently taking
Was this the first abnormal test with TSH over 5
Always test thyroid levels as early as possible in morning to get highest TSH
You need 2nd thyroid test 6-8 weeks after this
See flow chart on top of page 2
gp-update.co.uk/Latest-Upda...
About 90% of primary hypothyroidism is autoimmune thyroid disease, also called Hashimoto’s, usually diagnosed by high thyroid antibodies
Just testing TSH and Ft4 is inadequate
you need thyroid antibodies tested,
TSH, Ft4 and Ft3 tested together
Plus vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 tested
Low vitamin levels are extremely common when hypothyroid, especially with autoimmune thyroid disease
Autoimmune thyroid disease with goitre is Hashimoto’s
Autoimmune thyroid disease without goitre is Ord’s thyroiditis.
Both are autoimmune and generally called Hashimoto’s.
In U.K. medics never call it Hashimoto’s, just autoimmune thyroid disease (and they usually ignore the autoimmune aspect)
Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning
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 all relevant vitamins
List of private testing options
thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...
Medichecks Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins
medichecks.com/products/adv...
Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes antibodies, cortisol and vitamins
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...
NHS easy postal kit vitamin D test £29 via
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...
Suggest you reschedule consultation until got full thyroid and vitamin testing otherwise first appointment is waste of time and money
The consultation won't cost me it's on my work health insurance. I would rather get my blood tests through the consultant as I won't have to pay. And yes it was my first test above 5. As stated above it was 4.2 in September.
Approx how old are you….thyroid often plays up around menopause
Are you in the U.K.
Most endocrinologists are diabetes specialists
Email Thyroid U.K. for list of recommended thyroid specialist endocrinologists and doctors
tukadmin@thyroiduk.org
48. On HRT that doesn't really work! This Endo seems good she is a professer and thyroid is listed as one of her specialisms.
Hi
I was diagnosed finally in June 2020. That was my second over range TSH result, mine were never that high, think it was 7.2 or something but I'd had two slightly below range FT4 results and I was symptomatic.
I'd long suspectect thyroid issues as I have fibromyalgia which has a lot of similarities and my previous TSH results were always high normal. I don't have autoimmune thyroid disease. Think mine might be menopause related. Hope you get sorted and start to feel better.