Your thryoid function results show an unusual pattern. There may be several reasons for this, such as taking thyroid medication or treatment or the sample was taken when you were unwell. If the result is unexpected, we recommend you discuss these results with your GP.
TRIODOTHYRONINE
13/02/2023
4.8 pmol/L
FT3 levels normal (normal range 3.1 - 6.8 pmol/L)
THYROXINE
13/02/2023
22.7 pmol/L
FT4 levels high (normal range 12 - 22 pmol/L)
THYROID STIMULATING HORMONE
13/02/2023
0.48 mu/L
TSH levels normal (normal range 0.27 - 4.2 mU/L)
Overall comment
29/12/2022
Your thyroid hormone levels are all normal (known as euthyroid). There is no indication of thyroid gland disorder. This interpretation is based on the assumption you do not have a pre-existing thyroid condition and/or receiving thyroid treatment.
TRIODOTHYRONINE
29/12/2022
3.9 pmol/L
FT3 levels normal (normal range 3.1 - 6.8 pmol/L)
THYROXINE
29/12/2022
21.5 pmol/L
FT4 levels normal (normal range 12 - 22 pmol/L)
THYROID STIMULATING HORMONE
29/12/2022
1.42 mu/L
TSH levels normal (normal range 0.27 - 4.2 mU/L)
Overall comment
17/11/2022
We are unable to provide interpretation of results for people diagnosed with a thyroid condition or on thyroid medication. This is because the monitoring of thyroid disorders needs to look at thyroid results together with how you are feeling such as ongoing symptoms. Your usual healthcare provider is best placed to assess your treatment and should be consulted before any changes to your medication.
TRIODOTHYRONINE
17/11/2022
4 pmol/L
FT3 levels normal (normal range 3.1 - 6.8 pmol/L)
THYROXINE
17/11/2022
21.8 pmol/L
FT4 levels normal (normal range 12 - 22 pmol/L)
THYROID STIMULATING HORMONE
17/11/2022
6.12 mu/L
TSH levels high (normal range 0.27 - 4.2 mU/L)
Overall comment
07/10/2022
We are unable to provide interpretation of results for people diagnosed with a thyroid condition or on thyroid medication. This is because the monitoring of thyroid disorders needs to look at thyroid results together with how you are feeling such as ongoing symptoms. Your usual healthcare provider is best placed to assess your treatment and should be consulted before any changes to your medication.
TRIODOTHYRONINE
07/10/2022
4 pmol/L
FT3 levels normal (normal range 3.1 - 6.8 pmol/L)
THYROXINE
07/10/2022
20.5 pmol/L
FT4 levels normal (normal range 12 - 22 pmol/L)
THYROID STIMULATING HORMONE
07/10/2022
3.03 mu/L
TSH levels normal (normal range 0.27 - 4.2 mU/L)
Overall comment
15/08/2022
Your thryoid function results show an unusual pattern. There may be several reasons for this, such as taking thyroid medication or treatment or the sample was taken when you were unwell. If the result is unexpected, we recommend you discuss these results with your GP.
TRIODOTHYRONINE
15/08/2022
4.3 pmol/L
FT3 levels normal (normal range 3.1 - 6.8 pmol/L)
THYROXINE
15/08/2022
22.5 pmol/L
FT4 levels high (normal range 12 - 22 pmol/L)
THYROID STIMULATING HORMONE
15/08/2022
1.81 mu/L
TSH levels normal (normal range 0.27 - 4.2 mU/L)
ABOUT THIS TEST
What are the thyroid tests and why are they important?
The thyroid tests are used to evaluate the function of the thyroid gland; to help diagnose thyroid gland disorders. The thyroid hormones regulate the body’s metabolism and how it grows, functions and uses energy
The thyroid gland is located at the front of the neck. It secretes two hormones known as thyroxine (T4) and tri-iodothyronine (T3) . The release of T4 and T3 into the blood is controlled by a third hormone called thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), this hormone is responsible for keeping FT4 and FT3 at the right levels. Collectively, these three hormones are referred to as ‘thyroid function tests’ (TFTs).
There are two main conditions the effect the thyroid
Hypothyroidism (know as underactive thyroid) is when the thyroid glands fails to produce sufficient hormones for health. This can be treated by thyroid hormone replacement.
Hyperthyroidism (known as overactive thyroid) is when the thyroid gland produces too much thyroid hormone. This can be treated by hospital specialist depending on the cause.
Please note: these tests are available for people aged over 18 only. Please collect and post your sample to us Monday-Thursday, to avoid delays over the weekend. In a small number of cases, it may not always be possible to provide a result, please see our terms and conditions for details.
Who is this test for?
People who may benefit from having a thyroid function test include:
Individuals who are concerned that they may have a thyroid problem and those who wish to monitor a previously diagnosed condition.
Early signs and symptoms of thyroid dysfunction may often be very non-specific. The common symptoms hypothyroidism may in
Written by
Pen1966
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i just read your previous posts and see you had thyroidectomy many years ago due to being hyperthyroid .
and i see you were referred for Thyroid Eye Disease (TED) last year ... interestingly i think ?this was around the same time as your TSH inexplicably went up to 5/6.
i know you've got some T3, but can we assume you haven't ever taken any of it ? ( just asking because if you have experimented with taking it sometimes ,that might explain some of the TSH variations)
The TSH 6 and ?TED diagnosis plus you previous history of hyper thyroid and thyroidectomy are making me wonder if you have some of the antibodies that cause graves hyperthyroidism :
There are 2 kinds of these antibodies that have opposing effects ~both kinds can be present at the same time and levels of each kind can vary which casues the effects to vary :
~ 'stimulating' TRab (also called TSI) ~ these act like TSH and stimulate the TSH receptors on the thyroid causing it to make too much T4/T3.. these are what cause the high T4/T3 levels in Graves HypErthyroidism .......They are also what cause TED.. because for some reason . certain bits of the eyes have TSH receptors the same as the thyroid does.. so when 'stimulating' TRab are present in the body they can also cause the eye issues of TED
~ 'blocking' TRab ~ these block the TSH receptors ( they 'fit onto them' just like TSH does and this blocks them up so 'real' TSH can't get in) ~ these cause HypOthyroidism ( in someone who ISN'T taking replacement thyroid hormone ) ........ The thyroid is then not able to be stimulated by the 'real ' TSH (because it can't get in), and without this stimulation from TSH , the thyroid makes less and less T4/T3 , and as a result of the low T4/T3 levels, the 'real' TSH level goes up quite high .. (often 'unexpectedly' high ) .
has any attempt been made to explain why your TSH wandered off up to 5/6 while your fT4 levels remained fairly stable near top of range , and fT3 level were also fairly stable ?
well it would of course be interesting to know if you had them , as it may shed light on the 'TED/ not TED' and may ? explain the high TSH, (not sure about that bit though ) .....but realistically it's pretty expensive to do TRab privately , and it's not GP territory to test them , it's usually done by endo as part of investigation into cause of hyperthyroidism .. which they won't be interested in paying for now because you're not hyper anymore and they can't find TED
Have you ever tried lowering your Levo dose to aim to run your fT4 level a bit lower than where it usually is ? ........ just thinking out loud , because 'a bit too much' fT4 can be responsible for feeling just as crap as 'not quite enough' .. and doesn't always bring obvious/ typical symptoms of over medication.
egh . i've been slightly overmedicated with levo and it caused really nasty ?kidney area pain , and all sorts of other weirdness ,... but my heart rate didn't go up noticeably not sure if it even went up 'at all'
might be worth a try if nothing else seems to be getting you anywhere....., highish levels of T4 don't help with conversion of T4 to T3 , conversion often gets 'worse' once fT4 level is very high / over range .. so lowering fT4 level to more like 'mid range' may not necessarily lower your fT3 levels.
if you try that , do bear in mind that the first 5 ish weeks are likely to feel very undermedicated.. you do need to allow plenty of time for the body to adjust to the lower levels before improvements are gradually seen , hopefully by about 6-8 weeks ( if lower dose was the right move ) things would have stabilised and you may begin to see slight improvement again , which would continue to improve over time. That's been my experience of lowering Levo a couple of times anyway .. obviously everyone is different.
One time i lowered it and it wasn't the right move ~ then it was very apparent by week 6/7 that the undermedication feelings were still getting worse by the week not better.
I now realise that 20 yrs ago when a lower dose had been suggested by the GP , i only gave it 3 /4 weeks before going back up due to feeling horribly undermedicated.. but i do now wonder if i might have had less problems and better T3 levels from Levo if i had waited much longer to see what happened over time with a slightly lower dose.
no, not worth you testing TPOab now , it won't change anything in practice whatever the result :
~ As well as being diagnostic for Hashimoto's , TPOab are also known to be present in the majority of cases of Graves , so you might have/ had some due to that ( if you did have graves).. A positive TPOab result from someone with graves just confirms they have/ had 'an autoimmune thyroid problem' , but not 'which one'
and you haven't got any / much thyroid left anymore ~so your need for thyroid replacement hormone is not ever going to be in doubt. therefore no need to 'prove it' with a raised TPOab result.
And even if you have got hashimoto's and TPOab COULD prove it .. so what ?? .... it's only known effect is to slowly destroy the thyroid , but that ship has already sailed.
and if you wanted to try any of the diets etc which aim to reduce effects of Thyroid autoimmunity on the rest of the body (like ? inflammation).. eg Auto Immune Protocol or Gluten Free etc etc .. to see it you felt better generally , you could just try them anyway.
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