Thyroid function test result: Following my total... - Thyroid UK

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Thyroid function test result

Aniela profile image
6 Replies

Following my total thyroidectomy in January, I'd like your opinion on my second set of thyroid function test. This is as a result of my Levo reduction from 150 mcg to 125 mcg:

TSH 2.4

Free T4 18.7

The blood test was done first thing in the morning and 24 hrs after taking my last Levo. Thank you.

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Aniela
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6 Replies
SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering

Aniela

Please add the reference ranges. We can see the TSH is too high for someone on thyroid hormone replacement (most people feel best when it's around 1 or below but it's very individual), but we can't interpret your FT4 result without the range. Ranges vary from lab to lab so we need your lab's range.

Aniela profile image
Aniela in reply to SeasideSusie

Thanks for your response, As requested my reference ranges.

My TSH level 2.4 (Range 0.27 - 4.20mlU/L)Free T4 level 18.7 (Range 12.00 - 22.00pmol/L)

SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering in reply to Aniela

Aniela

TSH: 2.4 (0.27 - 4.20)

FT4: 18.7 (12.00 - 22.00)

So your FT4 is 67% through it's range which is pretty good. However, your TSH is telling us that it's rather high considering your FT4 level.

Did you eat or drink anything other than water before the test as certain foods and drink can affect TSH.

Do you take a biotin supplement, or B Complex or any supplement containing biotin? If so did you leave it off for 3-7 days before the test? Biotin can give false results.

And finally - how do you feel? Do you feel well with these results?

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

Just testing TSH and Ft4 is completely inadequate Essential to test TSH, Ft4 and Ft3 together to see how well you convert Ft4 to Ft3

With Hashimoto’s we are frequently poor converters

As you have Hashimoto’s, very important to regularly retest vitamin levels too

Are you on strictly gluten free diet?

Bloods should be retested 6-8 weeks after each dose change or brand change in levothyroxine

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested.

Very important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 at least once year minimum

Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests early morning, ideally before 9am last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test

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 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...

If you can get GP to test vitamins

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

pennyannie profile image
pennyannie

Hello Aniela :

The thyroid is a major gland and likened to the body's engine, and responsible for full body synchronisation including your physical, mental, emotional, psychological and spiritual wellbeing, your inner central heating system and your metabolism.

A fully functioning working thyroid would be supporting you daily with trace elements of T1. T2 and calcitonin plus a measure of T3 at around 10 mcg plus a measure of T4 at around 100 mcg.

T4 is a storage hormone and needs to be converted by your body into T3 the active hormone that runs the body and which is i to be around 4 times more powerful than T4 with the average person needing to find/convert around 50 T3 daily just to function.

It is essential that you are dosed on your T3 and 4 blood tests results and we generally feel at our best when our T4 is in the top quadrant of its range as this should in theory convert to good level of T3 at around a 1/4 ratio T3/T4.

Your own ability to convert T4 into T3 can be compromised by low levels of ferritin, folate, B12 and vitamin D so these should be monitored and maintained at optimal levels, and conversion can also be compromised by inflammation, any physiological stress ( emotional or physical ) dieting, depression and ageing, so a little harder to measure and control.

If you go into the Thyroid UK website, who are the charity who support this forum you can read further around all things thyroid and what you can do for yourself to help restore better health and well being.

Brightness14 profile image
Brightness14

I personally never felt well on Levo after my TT in 2015 and knew nothing at all about the thyroid. After about six months I found this site and never really looked back. Please take the expert advice on here to feel well again, I did. I have been taking thyroid s NDT for about six years now and feel well. I have a once a year private blood test. Before I had my thyroid removed it was working well, what a shock afterward. I had never been overweight in my life before going on Levo, I had gone from walking, swimming, and yoga to not being able to get up off the floor.

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