Low TSH, normal T3 and T4 - no medication

[hanflow]

Hi, I asked for help on this forum last year and was granted with so much advice so I thought I would try again. Sorry in advance that I don't have all the information but I'm struggling to get it from my GP.

I have been on carbimozale for 2 years with query Graves Disease. Last year my blood tests showed normal T3 and T4 but a low TSH so my medication was reduced from 10mg to 5mg. I'd been feeling unwell again so had a blood test in January this year which showed a high t4 so agreed to remove me from the medication.

I had a repeat blood test last week which has shown a TSH of 0.01 and then normal t3 and t4 (I don't have the specifics to hand or the normal range - it's really hard to get information from my GP). Because my T4 is normal the GP doesn't want to restart the medication but given my very low TSH, I thought this showed subclinical hyperthyroidism? Can anyone shed any light, please?

I have epilepsy and believe that this could be triggering my seizures which I'm obviously very keen to avoid. I only ever seem to have problems with it when my thyroid levels are out.

Sorry I'm giving next to now info so will update when I hear back from the GP.

Thanks in advance

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Please add actual results and ranges

TSH often remains low with Graves’ disease

Always test thyroid levels early morning, ideally before 9am for highest TSH

Important to regularly retest vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 too

List of private testing options and money off codes

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 by DIY fingerprick test

bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...

[hanflow in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you. I'll do what I can to get the results but I'm tempted to have a private test like you've suggested/linked to

[greygoose]

The TSH is the least important number. And, if it has been suppressed for a long time, it might never rise again, so should not be used for dosing anything. If your FT4 and FT3 are in-range, then you are not hyper.

Doubtful that the TSH itself would have any effect on the epilepsy. It's not a thyroid hormone. TSH is a messenger from the pituitary to the thyroid to tell it to make more thyroid hormone when levels are low. It also stimulates conversion of T4 to T3. But that's all it does, those are its only two jobs.

Don't ask the doctor for your results and ranges, ask the receptionist for a print-out. Doctors often prefer that we don't know too much about our disease because then we cannot challenge them.

[hanflow in reply to greygoose]

Hmm, that's interesting, thank you. I feel at a complete loss, to be honest and don't really know where to turn next. Since just before Christmas, I've had one illness after another and no-one seems to be in a position to help me as there doesn't seem to be an obvious answer. I sort of hoped it was my thyroid so I could at least do something about it. Thanks for your insight, I am grateful.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to hanflow]

It quite likely is the thyroid/low vitamin levels

Come back with new post once you get full thyroid and vitamin results

[greygoose in reply to hanflow]

Well, it still could be your thyroid. You say your FT4/3 are 'normal', but there's no such thing. When a doctor uses 'normal', all he means is that the results is somewhere in-range, but it could be that your results are too low in-range. But, without the numbers - results and ranges - it's impossible to tell. Just being 'in-range' does not make it 'normal' for you.