Results seem bad

[dayoff]

I have just been given my results from my last bloods with the GP. Taken first thing, before meds, food etc.

TSH 4.2

T4 15

T3 1.1

I had gone privately for T3 as no luck from the GP. I got slow release T3 and I do feel a lot better hence the reason it's taken me 6 weeks to chase up my results! These results tell me I'm not where I should be. I see on here people seem to have much lower TSH & T4.

I probably have forgotten how I should feel to be honest so this improvement has been welcome. God knows where I was before T3.

I remember in the past trying to up Levo but not tolerating it very well. It has been some time since I tried but im wondering if I should go back to the private clinic and just up T3 or go back to the scary GP to up Levo. He's one of those anti thyroid patient doctors! You know - 'but your results are fine' so my symptoms must be imagined. I've found most GP's to be like this over the last 20 years so i'm yet to find a helpful one. Hence the reason I am keener to up T3 rather than fight for more levo but that might be the wrong path. Any advice appreciated

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

dayoff

Can you please add the reference ranges for your results as these vary from lab to lab .

Was your FT3 test done from the same blood draw as the TSH and FT4 tests? They can be done at different times, fhey must all be done from the same blood draw.

Were these results from before you added T3?

How much Levo were you taking at the time of fhe test amd what dose of Levo and T3 are you taking now?

[dayoff in reply to SeasideSusie]

Hi, yes same blood draw. I have absolutely no idea what the lab reference ranges are. Trying to get that result was like asking for a loan of a kidney! A very put out receptionist. Yes I had been on t3 for at least 3-4 weeks by then. I take 75mg of levo and 0.5mg of slow release T3

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to dayoff]

dayoff

I have absolutely no idea what the lab reference ranges are. Trying to get that result was like asking for a loan of a kidney!

These results tell me I'm not where I should be. I see on here people seem to have much lower TSH & T4.

We must have reference ranges to be able to interpret your results because they vary widely, for example my NHS lab uses the FT4 range of 7-17, other FT4 ranges we see here are 9-19, 11-23, 12-22 plus others. So you can see that your result of 14 would be 70% through the range that my lab uses but only 20% through the range of 12-22. We cannot guess what the range is nor can you compare your result and say others have lower T4 if you don't know the reference range your lab uses.

Are you in the UK? If so then you are legally entitled to your results regardless of whether or not the receptionist is put out. If your surgery has online access to results then register for it, if not then you need to ask for a print out, never verbal or hand written results as mistakes can be made and important information missing, always get a print out.

The only thing we can tell from your results is that your TSH is too high, it should always be below 2 and often needs to be 1 or below for a treated hypo patient. This is an indication that you are undermedicated, especially as you were taking T3 at the time of the test because taking T3 tends to lower TSH and often suppresses it.

I'm not sure how you've managed to get slow release T3 if you're in the UK, no UK T3 is slow release.

Come back with reference ranges so that we can be of further help to you.

[dayoff in reply to SeasideSusie]

I am so amazed (and annoyed) that after 20 years of feeling crap i am still sitting here trying to understand where I should be. Why is it so difficult to get GP's to give a toss? I asked for a Vit D test and didn't get it! Considering hypothyroidism leads to Type 2, Osteoporosis, heart disease, dementia etc you'd think the NHS would see some benefits in actually getting people to the optimum levels. Anyway, sorry unhelpful rant over. I don't know the ranges but I will try to find out when I yet again, fight with the doctor to try and persuade him i need more. I do so much to help myself with diet. I rarely drink and never much when I do. I keep my weight in the correct BMI and I try to exercise albeit light stuff like swimming and walking. He has no excuse to dismiss my symptoms as anything other than thyroid. With regards the tests, i am in Scotland and this was an NHS test. I thought the same about TSH. However, I only learned on here that I should have been going first thing in the morning before my meds. I had NEVER done that so no doubt i've always been well over where I should be. The T3 I get from a private clinic where it is prescribed to me by a Doctor via the London Pharmacy. I pay £60 for 2 month supply of 0.5mcg T3. I am almost 100% sure that result was total T3.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to dayoff]

Yes, I think Scotland does Total T3 which isn't very helpful as it measures the total of both free and bound T3, it's the free T3 that tells us what's available to the cells and is the more useful test.

[dayoff in reply to SeasideSusie]

It was a real fight trying to get that test. The first time the lab refused to do it. I have paid for a private blood test now so will organise that to get better results. Thanks

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to dayoff]

only ever test 6-8 weeks after being on constant unchanging dose levothyroxine and T3

Was unaware anyone in U.K. prescribed slow release T3

Is T3 really slow release ?

5mcg is extremely small dose ….what would the point be to have this slow release

If it’s just standard T3 …..day before test it’s recommended to split as 3 smaller doses and last 1/3rd of daily dose approx 8-12 hours before test

If only on 5mcg ….cut 5mcg tablet in half and take last 2.5mcg 8-12 hours before test

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

bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...

If you can get GP to test vitamins 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...

monitormyhealth.org.uk/

NHS easy postal kit vitamin D test £29 via

vitamindtest.org.uk

Only do private testing early Monday or Tuesday morning. 

Watch out for postal strikes, probably want to pay for guaranteed 24 hours delivery 

[helvella Administrator]

That T3 result suggests that it could be a Total T3 test.

If it is Free T3, then it is certainly very low.

Please double-check and confirm which it is.