latest thyroid results - help interpreting please

[PamelaD00ve]

Hi all. I previously posted and had some great advice.

Quick recap on my situation: symptoms of underactive thyroid, private test showed underactive thyroid, had a nhs test that said i was borderline. I've now had a repeat nhs test, plus antibodies test.

I've been asked to book a phone appointment with gp to discuss and have collected the results (see below). TSH is out of normal range, t4 is just within range, but I can't fathom the antibody results. Any ideas what this means?

I'm hoping gp wants a call to discuss medication but I'm not sure my results are 'bad' enough. Do these results suggest hypothyroidism?

thanks.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

PamelaD00ve

If you look at the range for the antibodies it shows <5.5 and this means that if the result is less than 5.5 it is negative (no autoimmune thyroid disease /Hashimoto's). Your result is <1 which means it's low and negative for Hashi's. So your hypothyroidism is not autoimmune.

If your antibody result was positive (above 5.5) then along with an above range TSH you would get a diagnosis and prescription for Levothyroxine. Your GP may not be willing to diagnose and prescribe as your TSH has not yet gone over 10 which is the usual limit here in the UK. If this happens then I would emphasise that your FT4 is right at the bottom of the range, if it was 8.9 rather than 9 then it would be below range and the guidelines suggest with an over range TSH with below range FT4 then the patient should be offered a trial of Levo so push for it if necessary, emphasising any symptoms that you may be experiencing.

[PamelaD00ve in reply to SeasideSusie]

OK, thanks for taking time to explain. I hope the gp will be open to trialling me on levothyroxine.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Just testing TSH and Ft4 is completely inadequate

Request GP test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 levels

What’s your diet like

Are you vegetarian or vegan?

Gluten free or dairy free?

ALWAYS Test thyroid levels early morning, ideally before 9am

Was this test done early morning

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

NHS refuses to test TG thyroid antibodies unless TPO antibodies are high. Significant minority of Hashimoto’s patients only have high TG antibodies

You would need to test TG antibodies privately

20% of autoimmune thyroid patients never have high thyroid antibodies and ultrasound scan of thyroid can get diagnosis if both antibodies are negative

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

About 90% of primary hypothyroidism is autoimmune thyroid disease, usually diagnosed by high thyroid antibodies

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.

Low vitamin levels are extremely common when hypothyroid, especially with autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto’s or Ord’s thyroiditis)

In U.K. medics hardly ever refer to autoimmune thyroid disease as Hashimoto’s (or Ord’s thyroiditis)

Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests early morning, ideally before 9am

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

bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...

Link about thyroid blood tests

thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...

Link about Hashimoto’s

thyroiduk.org/hypothyroid-b...

Symptoms of hypothyroidism

thyroiduk.org/wp-content/up...