Hi Im hoping someone can help. The information you gave last time was very helpful but I still haven't recieved any help from the doctors as they didn't believe the test result were right.
They said something was going wrong at the lab but kept sending me back. So I recently paid to get a private test. I am seeing an endocrine specialist on friday but they were the ones saying the test was wrong. I have been having symptoms of low thyroid for a long time now.
I first got tested in December 2021. Only my T4 was low.
Here are the results of the test ive had :
Serum free T4 :
3/12/21 9.0 normal range 12.0-22.0
1/2/22 8.9 11.1-22.6
23/8/22 9.4 11.1-22.6
28/12/22 10.7 11.1-22.6
Thyroid peroxidase Auto-Abs
28/12/21 27.5 Normal range 0-34
TSH
3/12/21 3.06 Normal range 0.27-4.20
1/2/22 3.97
23/8/22 1.97
28/12/22 2.76
Serum free T3
23/8/22 3.9 Normal range 3.1-6.8
28/12/22 4.6
Here are some other abnormal results ive had:
Serum Cholesterol
23/8/22 7.51 Normal range 0-5.20
Serum Triglycerides
23/8/22 4.54 Normal range 0-2.26
Corrected serum Calcium
8/3/23 2.16 Normal range 2.20-2.60
Serum Calcuim
8/3/23 2.22 Normal range 2.20-2.60
Serum inorganic phosphate
8/3/23 0.87 Normal range 0.80-1.50
From the test results i had my T4 is low, my cholesterol is high and my calcium is low. My folate was low but is now ok.
I have added a picture of my private blood test results. Which shows im deficient in Vitamin D but also confirms that my T4 is low which the doctor didn't believe as my TSH and T3 are normal range.
I am very confused and frustrated.
Does anyone know if these test results are conected. Can low thyroid cause low Calcuim and vitamin D.
Thankyou Moviegeek 😊
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Moviegeek7
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With serum B12 result below 500, (Or active B12 below 70) recommended to be taking a separate B12 supplement and add a separate vitamin B Complex after a week
Then once your serum B12 is over 500 (or Active B12 level has reached 70), you may be able to reduce then stop the B12 and just carry on with the B Complex.
If Vegetarian or vegan likely to need ongoing separate B12 few times a week
IMPORTANT......If you are taking vitamin B complex, or any supplements containing biotin, remember to stop these 7 days before ALL BLOOD TESTS , as biotin can falsely affect test results
In week before blood test, when you stop vitamin B complex, you might want to consider taking a separate methyl folate supplement and continue separate B12
Vitamin D deficiency is frequent in Hashimoto's thyroiditis and treatment of patients with this condition with Vitamin D may slow down the course of development of hypothyroidism and also decrease cardiovascular risks in these patients. Vitamin D measurement and replacement may be critical in these patients.
Vitamin D insufficiency was associated with AITD and HT, especially overt hypothyroidism. Low serum vitamin D levels were independently associated with high serum TSH levels.
The thyroid hormone status would play a role in the maintenance of vitamin D sufficiency, and its immunomodulatory role would influence the presence of autoimmune thyroid disease. The positive correlation between free T4 and vitamin D concentrations suggests that adequate levothyroxine replacement in HT would be an essential factor in maintaining vitamin D at sufficient levels.
Our results indicated that patients with hypothyroidism suffered from hypovitaminosis D with hypocalcaemia that is significantly associated with the degree and severity of the hypothyroidism. That encourages the advisability of vit D supplementation and recommends the screening for Vitamin D deficiency and serum calcium levels for all hypothyroid patients.
High cholesterol directly linked too and will improve as your levothyroxine dose increases
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.
Serum ferritin level is the biochemical test, which most reliably correlates with relative total body iron stores. In all people, a serum ferritin level of less than 30 micrograms/L confirms the diagnosis of iron deficiency.
Never supplement iron without doing full iron panel test for anaemia first and retest 3-4 times a year if self supplementing. It’s possible to have low ferritin but high iron
Eating iron rich foods like liver or liver pate once a week plus other red meat, pumpkin seeds and dark chocolate, plus daily orange juice or other vitamin C rich drink can help improve iron absorption
This is interesting because I have noticed that many patients with Hashimoto’s disease and hypothyroidism, start to feel worse when their ferritin drops below 80 and usually there is hair loss when it drops below 50.
We have received further information the lab about ferritin reference ranges. They confirm that they are sex dependent up to the age of 60, then beyond the age of 60 the reference range is the same for both sexes:
Males 16-60: 30-400 ug/L
Female's: 16-60: 30-150
Both >60: 30-650
The lower limit of 30 ug/L is in accordance with the updated NICE guidance and the upper limits are in accordance with guidance from the Association of Clinical Biochemists. ‘
This is measure of inflammation. Needs retesting by GP again in 6-8 weeks
High inflammation increases ferritin levels, so your ferritin levels might actually be lower
Insist on endo/GP doing full iron panel test for anaemia
High cortisol is directly linked to being hypothyroid. Adrenals try to compensate for lack of thyroid hormones and cortisol should slowly reduce as you get started on levothyroxine
Request ultrasound scan of thyroid
20% of Hashimoto's patients never have raised antibodies
Thankyou SlowDragon For answering my question and sending so much information its really helpful.
I am seeing the endocrinologist tomorrow so I wanted to go as prepared as possible.
Is it possible for hypothyroidism to getting better by its self?
As when I last talked to the doctor she said seeing as it had gone up it looked like it was getting better. This was after telling me before all the other test had been tested wrong 😮💨😒.
I am 39 so it is possible I am premenopausal. I originally went to the Doctors thinking I was as I have been having night sweats for years.
I also have brain fog, fatigue, aching muscles and joints. I have to drag myself through the day. I first put this down to having 3 kids.
Ive had my iron levels checked earlier this month the results were all within normal range.
Your T3 is at the lower end of in range and T4 is out of range plus TSH was on the higher end. This mirrors the test I had which was actually below on T3 which finally got me over the hurdle. If you can afford to go private , go private is my advice
You need to get your doc to test your pituitary, make sure that’s working properly. I have no idea how they do this. But, it’s your pituitary that makes TSH, an under range T4 should have turned your pituitary full on making TSH, to stimulate the thyroid to make more T4.
Initially, your GP may perform some basic pituitary hormone function tests. The hormones that can be tested via a simple blood test include: cortisol, thyroid, prolactin, oestrogen, testosterone and growth hormone.
If the results returned were showing out of normal range and the GP agrees, a referral to an endocrinologist would be the next step for more thorough investigations.
Oh poor you, you’ve had under range FT4 for years, and now low FT3.
In normal thyroid physiology TSH has an inverse relationship with thyroid hormones. TSH is a pituitary hormone and the driver for the thyroid gland to produce more thyroid hormone. Central hypothyroidism is when a problem with the pituitary or its signalling means it does not produce TSH in response to low thyroid hormone.
Your GP is looking only at your TSH which is the usual (blinkered/uneducated) approach for a GP to diagnose hypothyroidism, and is failing to consider your low amounts of thyroid hormone. GP’s think central hypothyroidism is rare and may not have even heard of it but we see it in some members here.
Your antibodies are negative further suggesting a pituitary-thyroid signalling problem, and regardless of what your TSH is doing, you require adequate thyroid hormones to retain wellbeing. You need some Levothyroxine which is the standard thyroid hormone replacement med.
Thyroid tests can suffer interference altering results, but this has been eliminated by the consistency of your low results. Ask for a referral to an endo because you might need later pituitary investigations, and as your appointment could take so long, meanwhile you could ask that your GP seeks advice from an endo regarding replacement meds for you to start asap. You could even print off the link below for your GP which is NHS advice relating to central hypo.
It can be difficult to advocate for yourself when feeling rubbish but you have very blatant discrepancies in your thyroid results that once noted your GP should act upon.
SlowDragon has given you excellent advice re everything else.
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Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Please help me decipher results💋
Very Confused! Can Anyone Help Please?
Thyroid test results. Can anyone help?
Help with test results please!
