Abnormal TSH

[KittyCooper]

I have just had a thyroid blood test, first one for two years, currently taking 40mcg T3 & 50 mcg Thyroxine. GP has just phoned in a panic, my TSH is apparently 99! Yes you read it correctly 99 🤦🏽‍♀️ Being retested on Monday, I have no idea what has gone on 🤷🏻‍♀️

[SlowDragon Administrator]

First question is how do you feel ?

2nd - the next blood test on Monday should be sent to different testing lab to see if first test was an anomaly

Is the T3 prescribed by NHS, private or self sourced?

Are you currently taking any biotin supplements

Biotin can falsely affect test results

What vitamin supplements are you currently taking

It’s also possible to get false test results due to mouse antibodies!

🐭

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/232...

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

Request GP include testing of Ft4, Ft3 and Vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

[KittyCooper in reply to SlowDragon]

I have been feeling quite tired and my skin is extremely itchy! T3 is prescribed by GP, no Biotin, only take multivitamins and always have

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to KittyCooper]

KittyCooper

only take multivitamins and always have

Check the ingredients of your multivitamin, they usually contain B vitamins and biotin is a B vitamin - B7.

We don't recommend multivitamins here, there are so many reasons not to take them, cheap and least absorbable ingredients, certain ingredients compete and shouldn't be taken together, they usually contain things we should be tested for first and only taken if low or deficient - eg iron, calcium, Vit D, iodine.

Iodine should not be taken by Hypo patients unless tested and found to be deficient and then should only be taken under the guidance of an experienced practioner. Iodine solution used to be used to treat overactive thyroid before the current radio iodine treatment, taking iodine can cause hypothyroidism and make existing hypothyroidism worse.

[KittyCooper in reply to SlowDragon]

Oops think I pressed send by mistake! Brain fog 🤦🏽‍♀️ How would anything mouse get in there? 😧

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to KittyCooper]

We’ve had one or two members have mouse antibodies issue

[KittyCooper in reply to SlowDragon]

I’ve never heard of it! How? 😧

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to KittyCooper]

No idea……. diogenes may be able to explain

[tattybogle in reply to KittyCooper]

HAMA (human-anti-mouse-antibodies) ( yes really) i assume that .. there are mice somewhere( everywhere) in our environment .. and some people make antibodies to mice .and some don't.... similar to how some people are allergic to cats and some aren't.

And (for reasons that go over my head) .. some lab tests use <something to do with mice > somewhere in the test process .. and if you happen to have some HAMA they interfere with results for tests that use that process.

.... sort of .....

When they suspect HAMA is causing an abnormal result, they can send blood to be tested using a different process that doesn't use <something to do with mice> in the process. then they get a true result.

[diogenes Remembering]

Two possibilities! The first test may have gone wrong owing to either sample breakdown or technical measurement error. However, it is also possible you may have developed anti bodies which interefere strongly with the test and give spurious high values. If the first explanation dose not hold, then it is advisable to test TSH on a different measurement platform. And I hope you haven't taken biotin in a vitamin supplement, as the biotin also intereferes strongly.

[Sparklingsunshine in reply to diogenes]

Hi

I know biotin interferes with thyroid tests but it does it make TSH higher or lower than it actually is? Hope you don't mind the question.

[diogenes Remembering in reply to Sparklingsunshine]

Usually higher results.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

If only taking multivitamins likely vitamin levels aren’t optimal either

Multivitamins are never recommended for thyroid patients

Should stop any vitamin supplements that contain biotin, ideally 5-7 days before all blood tests