Thyroid blood results

[Blackpanthe]

I had a total thyroidectomy in December last year due to a large goitre. No medication prescribed prior to the operation. Currently on 150 mg of Levo. Blood results after 4 weeks on medication TSH serum 0.05 T4 level 21. What does this mean. I had repeat blood done last week awaiting results.

[Jaydee1507 Administrator]

Welcome to the group.

Can you post the lab ranges - numbers in brackets after the result number? They vary from lab to lab.

When you get bloods done, book them at 9am or as close as possible, do the test fasting and take Levo AFTER the test. It is when TSH is highest and can make a difference to your levo dose.

Are you taking your Levo on an empty stomach an hour before food and coffee?

Your TSH result is below the range which your doctor may not like.

NHS is very limited test wise and always misses out FT3 which is what we need to feel well. Many people here pay for private bloods to get the correct results they need to know.

Get GP/Endo to check key vitamins - ferritin, folate, B12 & D3. We need all of these to be OPTIMAL for our thyroid hormone to work well.

[Blackpanthe in reply to Jaydee1507]

Hi Jaydee

Thanks for your reply.

I take my Levo first thing in the morning on an empty stomach and I do wait at least 30 minutes before eating. Bloods taken last week were at 8:30 before taking my Levo, so I’ll post the results when I get them. Thanks for the advice about the private tests.

[pennyannie]

Hello Blackpanther and welcome to the forum :

A fully functioning working thyroid would be supporting you on a daily basis with trace elements of T1, T2 and calcitonin plus a measure of T3 at around 10 mcg plus a measure of T4 at around 100 mcg.

Levothyroxine - Levo - is T4 and this is a storage hormone and needs to be converted within your body into T3 the active hormone that runs the body and said to be around 4 times as powerful than T4.

Too low a level of T3 for you and you will experience symptoms of hypothyroidism and since you now haven't a thyroid you can't go ' hyper ' but might possibly become over medicated and then you would experience the opposite end of the T3 measuring stick with too high a T3 for you.

If you go into Thyroid UK - the charity who support this forum - thyroiduk.org - you can read around ' all things thyroid ' and there is a list of both hyper and hypo symptoms, and yes, of course, it's not that simple as some symptoms can be experienced in both " camps " of extremes of symptoms being suffered.

It is essential that you are dosed and monitored on your Free T3 and Free T4 blood test readings and we generally feel at our best when the T4 is up in the top quadrant of its range at around 85% as this should then convert automatically in the body into a decent level of T3 at around 70% through it's range.

Your own ability to convert T4 into T3 can be compromised by non optimal levels of ferritin, folate, B12 and vitamin D , and down regulation of T4 into T3 can also occur due to inflammation, any physiological stress (emotional or physical ) depression, dieting and ageing.

Some people can get by on T4 - Levothyroxine only :

Other people find that after some time the T4 doesn't seem to work as well as it once did and find that by adding back in that little bit of T3 their own thyroid supported them with their hormonal balance is restored and their health and well being improved by taking a little T3 alongside their T4 :

Others can't tolerate T4 and need to take T3 only :

Whilst others find their health restored better taking Natural Desiccated Thyroid which contains all the same known hormones as that of the human gland and derived from pig thyroid, dried and ground down into tablets referred to as grains.

T4 - Levo is a storage hormone so you need to maintain the same dose for around 6 - 8 weeks before we can even run a blood test.

If you can get these core strength vitamins and minerals run, ferritin, folate, B12 and vitamin D it would help offer you considered opinion at this point in time.

When you arrange your thyroid blood test get an early as possible morning appointment and fast overnight just taking in after and take your daily T4 after the blood draw so we see what your body is holding onto-rather than what you just ingested.

P.S. There should be a leaflet with the T4 ( PIL ) as to how to take the Levothyroxine and it does need to be taken on an empty stomach with a full glass of water and you should around an hour before you eat or drink anything, for maximum effect.

It is very early days for you - so rest up and look after yourself.

I hope the surgery went well, the scar minimal and your recovery a smooth transition from being on automatic pilot to manually having to take thyroid hormone replacement and we are here, on this patient to patient forum to support you through back to optimal health so just start reading around and looking after yourself.

[Blackpanthe in reply to pennyannie]

Hi Pennyannie.

Thank you for your reply. I’ll read up on the information that you provided.

My bloods last week were taken at 8:30 before my Levo and on an empty stomach. I’ll post the results for comparison when I get them.

Are the vitamin blood tests that you mentioned available on the NHS? If not where can I get them done privately?

The surgery went well. The transition is proving challenging, but as you say it’s still early days.

Thank you

[pennyannie in reply to Blackpanthe]

Well that is another million $ question as some people seem to get all their tests through their GP surgery whilst other people like me end up having to pay for everything.

You can ask your doctor but if s/he can't oblige there are private companies listed on the Thyroid UK who can run all the appropriate tests for you.

I choose a company that offers me a nurse home visit service( at an extra cost ) so to draw the blood for me and it's the least stressful way as I live in a rural area and need to drive miles to anywhere.

Once with the results forum members simply post and results and ranges and everything is explained as to what your next step back to better heath is.

I now only run a yearly full thyroid panel, more to see where my vitamins and minerals sit, as I need to supplement these, than where my T3 is as I know my brain is engaged ( most days ) and I'm back in the room !!

It is a bit like a jigsaw without much of a picture, but slowly the pieces come together and your thyroid picture starts to take shape as you recover and restore you health and well being.

You may well need to be your own best advocate so just start reading up a bit on this forum, likely get confused and think it's all gone over your head - but bits do resonate and the jigsaw does have corner pieces to build up and out from so don't worry, things will fall into place.

[Blackpanthe in reply to pennyannie]

Thanks Pennyannie

[pennyannie]

If you want to look back at your profile where all you have written is stored - just tap on the icon top right - More and go to your profile.

If you want to check out another persons profile just press in the icon alongside their name in their reply.

If you want to contact anyone you must make sure you press the Reply button underneath their comment to you and their name comes up when you start the reply.

We can all read everything that is written so you don't need to keep repeating information.

If you want to talk to someone on a one to one - that's called a Private Message and you need to press the Chat icon above - which looks like a paper plan.

Think that's all I know about getting around on this forum !!