I’m taking 75mg levothyroxine daily and I’ve just had my yearly blood test which is:
Level 3.01MU/L. 0.35-4.94
my cholesterol is 7.6 which my nurse said is high.
Is my thyroid reading ok or is my cholesterol high because it’s not?
I’ve read that an underactive thyroid can result in a high cholesterol reading.
Don’t understand the result so looking forward to some advice please.
Thank you 😊
Welcome to the forum
TSH over 2 shows you need dose increase in levothyroxine
75mcg is only one step up from starter dose
Request 25mcg dose increase in levothyroxine up to 100mcg
Which brand of levothyroxine are you currently taking
Bloods should be retested 6-8 weeks after any dose change or brand change in levothyroxine
When were vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 levels last tested
What vitamin supplements are you currently taking
High cholesterol is directly linked to being under medicated for thyroid. Cholesterol levels will drop as dose levothyroxine is increased
nhs.uk/conditions/statins/c...
If you have an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism), treatment may be delayed until this problem is treated. This is because having an underactive thyroid can lead to an increased cholesterol level, and treating hypothyroidism may cause your cholesterol level to decrease, without the need for statins. Statins are also more likely to cause muscle damage in people with an underactive thyroid.
how long have you been left on just 75mcg levothyroxine
Approx how much do you weigh in kilo
pathlabs.rlbuht.nhs.uk/tft_...
Guiding Treatment with Thyroxine:
In the majority of patients 50-100 μg thyroxine can be used as the starting dose. Alterations in dose are achieved by using 25-50 μg increments and adequacy of the new dose can be confirmed by repeat measurement of TSH after 2-3 months.
The majority of patients will be clinically euthyroid with a ‘normal’ TSH and having thyroxine replacement in the range 75-150 μg/day (1.6ug/Kg on average).
The recommended approach is to titrate thyroxine therapy against the TSH concentration whilst assessing clinical well-being. The target is a serum TSH within the reference range.
……The primary target of thyroxine replacement therapy is to make the patient feel well and to achieve a serum TSH that is within the reference range. The corresponding FT4 will be within or slightly above its reference range.
The minimum period to achieve stable concentrations after a change in dose of thyroxine is two months and thyroid function tests should not normally be requested before this period has elapsed.
Comprehensive list of references for needing LOW TSH on levothyroxine
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu....
TSH should be under 2 as an absolute maximum when on levothyroxine
gponline.com/endocrinology-...
NHS England Liothyronine guidelines July 2019
sps.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploa...
Page 9
Test for Deficiency of any of the following: Vitamin B12, Folate, Vitamin D, Iron
See page 13
1. Where symptoms of hypothyroidism persist despite optimal dosage with levothyroxine. (TSH 0.4-1.5mU/L)
Graph showing median TSH in healthy population is 1-1.5
I guess you talk about your total cholesterol. You should ask the nurse at least what is your HDL, and what is your LDL. It could well be that your LDL is within a range and your HDL is very high in which case your lipid profile would be VERY favourable. Please, check it, otherwise you will be put on statins with all the accompanying problems by some ignorant "helpers".
Lab results (understating high TSH)
Connection Between Hypothyroidism and High Cholesterol?
Updated TSH, Ferritin, Cholesterol
High cholesterol...
