Thyroid Results

[rachelvmears]

Hi, I have a long list of symptoms. The ones that affect my daily life are horrific fatigue, anxiety/panic/on edge for no reason at all(this isn’t like me), dizziness, brain fog, confusion, memory problems, irritability, mood swings & air hunger. There’s more but they’re the main ones.

I’m only 22. I’ve had to leave uni due to my symptoms as I just feel so unwell everyday. I have my own business & I’m just doing the bare minimum to keep it going as I have 0 energy all the time. I’ve thought it was my thyroid for a long time as my Dad has Hashimoto’s. I recently had my thyroid tested & the results were:

TSH: 4.02 (range: 0.27 - 4.2)

T4: 13.7 (range: 12 - 22)

T3: 4.7 (range: 3.1 - 6.8)

I did have antibodies tested nearly 2 years ago & they were fine (I am aware that doesn’t mean to say I won’t develop antibodies at some point in the future).

I have also had high prolactin in 2021 with a level of 1157 (range: 102 - 496). That has now come down to 640. I never had a brain scan however I had a cannulated prolactin test that came back normal which ruled out a pituitary tumour.

I’m just wondering if my latest thyroid results could cause me to have symptoms & feel so unwell everyday. I just desperate to get to the bottom of my problems because it’s ruining my life, if anyone has any advice then that’d be very much appreciated.

Thank you

[PurpleNails Administrator]

do you remember the time that test was taken ? TSH is highest early in morning and drop throughout day. So if taken in afternoon it may have dropped into range.

Higher the TSH more the thyroid is struggling.

I think you need to have a recent TPO & TG antibodies tested. If these are positive you can argue for treatment before levels are clinically abnormal.

TSH already high & FT4 low.

Testing folate, ferritin, b12 & vitamin important & if not optimal work on improving.

[rachelvmears in reply to PurpleNails]

Hi, yes the test was done at 9am. I’ll look into getting another antibody test very soon. I haven’t had folate tested however my ferritin was normal and my active b12 is in the “borderline low” area. Thank you for your reply

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to rachelvmears]

Request GP test thyroid antibodies and vitamin D

Please add actual B12 and ferritin results and ranges

Are you vegetarian or vegan

On gluten free or dairy free diet

Assuming you have high thyroid antibodies you also need coeliac blood test

[rachelvmears in reply to SlowDragon]

I had vitamin d tested before and was “insufficient” so I supplement that now.

Active b12 was 153pmol/L. There’s a few ranges.

Below 36.86 is low.

36.86 - 188 is borderline low.

Above 188 is normal.

Ferritin was 88ug/L. (range: 13 - 150).

Nope, I’m not vegetarian or vegan & not on a gluten or dairy free diet.

Thank you for your help, will look into getting antibodies retested

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to rachelvmears]

how much vitamin D are you taking

Test at least once year ….ideally twice year

NHS easy postal kit vitamin D test £29 via

vitamindtest.org.uk

[rachelvmears in reply to SlowDragon]

I have a spray, it’s 3000IU. Last test I had, the result was in range but I haven’t tested it for over a year and a half so will get that tested asap too.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to rachelvmears]

is it by Better You ….the green one or the red one?

Green - one spray = 3000iu

Red - one spray = 1000iu

[rachelvmears in reply to SlowDragon]

Yeah it’s the betteryou green one, 3000IU

[SlowDragon Administrator]

ESSENTIAL to test BOTH TPO and TG thyroid antibodies

NHS only tests TG antibodies if TPO antibodies are raised

Significant minority of Hashimoto’s patients only have high TG antibodies

If new NHS TPO antibodies test is negative….test both via Medichecks or Blue horizon

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

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

 

Paul Robson on atrophied thyroid - especially if no TPO antibodies 

 paulrobinsonthyroid.com/cou...

high prolactin strong indicator of Hashimoto’s

[Hidden]

hello Rachel,

Bless you, I’m so sorry you’re not feeling well. It is ghastly! I was diagnosed around your age. Your TSH is definitely indicative of thyroid dysfunction and as PN says your FT4 is already low. As SD states high prolactin is often indicative of poor thyroid function so there are a lot of clues lining up here. IMHO this is your thyroid making you feel so rotten, I felt exactly how you feel - you are not alone, there is a reason you feel so bad and you can work to correct it 🙂 I’d recommend finding a TUK practitioner who will be able to support you properly xx

[rachelvmears in reply to Hidden]

hi, it’s awful isn’t it!! I’m literally desperate to get to the bottom of it all & start living a normal life again. I’ve thought it must be my thyroid for a long time as my dad has Hashimoto’s & had the same symptoms as me before he was diagnosed. I’ll look into the TUK practitioners & see if I can find one near me, thank you for your reply xx

[Hidden in reply to rachelvmears]

It is awful. Hang in there, you are being so brave 🙂 a piece of advice I wish someone had told me - if you still feel rotten on T4 it doesn’t mean it isn’t your thyroid and it doesn’t mean that you are a lost cause. It just means you might need to add some T3 or to go on NDT (natural dessicated thyroid). TUK practitioner is a great place to start and should make sure you are optimally in range 🙂 I hope you feel better soon xxx

[rachelvmears in reply to Hidden]

😌 yess i know you can still feel dreadful just on T4 by itself, I’ll definitely bear that in mind. yeah fingers crossed I feel better soon! I hope you’re feeling ok? Xx

[Hidden in reply to rachelvmears]

oh good I’m so glad you are well informed, that can shave decades off your misery! Yes I am really getting well now after 17 years of feeling like you feel using NDT 🙂 took a long time for me to get my hands on the right information, but made it in the end. I’m about 60% better and still improving, but likely my adrenals have been affected by being so ill for so long so it’s taking me longer than it should take you. Good luck, sending you healing vibes! X

[rachelvmears in reply to Hidden]

bless you, i hope you get to the bottom of the adrenal issues & feel 100% very soon! thank you xxx

[bookish]

With those symptoms, B12 and/or folate deficiencies seem more likely. Try to get GP to test serum B12 and folate from the same blood draw. There is no definitive test for a B12 deficiency - you can be low, normal or even high and still not be replete at cellular level. Have a look at your red blood indices (from FBC, like MCV, MCH, RDW, Hb) which may give you more pointers. Any B12D or Pernicious Anaemia in the family? Go hand in hand with thyroid disorders and some overlap of symptoms. Please don't supplement B12 or folate before getting all your testing done, and don't let GP prescribe folic acid only, as if you haven't ruled out a B12D (which is actually quite hard to do) it could make everything worse.

[rachelvmears in reply to bookish]

hi. I recently had active b12 tested and it was classed as “borderline low”. Yes, my great aunty had pernicious anaemia. I will go back to my GP & hope they test folate as well as serum b12. Thank you.

[bookish in reply to rachelvmears]

Ok, that increases your chances considerably, as B12 metabolism is highly genetic. Hopefully your serum B12 will show low enough for them to do further testing and treat you, especially as you are not vegetarian so they can't blame it on diet, but you should mention the PA in the family and then they may also test intrinsic factor antibodies, (gastric) parietal cell antibodies, and if really lucky homocysteine and MMA (methylmalonic acid) and serum gastrin. You may need to persevere with this one (do not give up if GP says B12 is ok ) and it may be that your dad also has a B12 issue alongside the thyroid. Lots of problems with testing, and lots of people missed or misdiagnosed. We have 6 known generations of B12D or PA and every one of them had a thyroid problem too of some kind. Unfortunately knowledge/understanding of B12 metabolism isn't good, even my neurologist referred me as he didn't understand where my problem is, so I'm waiting for genetic testing. The PA forum on here is really good, as is the Pernicious Anaemia Society. Hang in there, as getting this resolved will make a vast difference. (Covid has increased numbers being diagnosed quite a bit as it and vaccines increase body's requirement for B12 and folate whilst simultaneously making it harder to get). Best wishes

[rachelvmears in reply to bookish]

yeah my dad has previously had low b12 alongside his Hashimoto’s. I will go back to my GP & hope they’ll do the test for pernicious anaemia. Thank you for your help 😌

[bookish in reply to rachelvmears]

My pleasure. You can do them privately if you have to, but hopefully won't be needed. Best of luck.