I finally managed to get a copy of my thyroid blood test results but there is so little information on there that I’m unsure of what I should do next.
I’ve posted before but my situation is that I had a partial thyroidectomy back in July 2022 and I’ve been getting symptoms such as tiredness, aching, hair loss, loss of appetite , constant overheating and weight gain.
My results are “satisfactory “ and so the doctor doesn’t want me to go on any medication. I’ve never had any kind of thyroid replacement medication.
Any advice would be much appreciated 😊
Thanks everyone!
Toni x
Written by
NiaJayne
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Have you managed to get your key vitamins tested yet? Ferritin, folate, B12 & D3? Low levels of these can cause your TSH to be lower (edited!) than it should be if they were at OPTIMAL levels.
What supplements are you taking?
Your GP seems to just be looking at your TSH. I would recommend asking your GP to refer you to an Endocrinologist due to your below range FT4. That is if you can't find a more helpful and open minded GP at your practice to start you on treatment.
Thanks so much for answering. I take supplements for vitamin b12, iron and folic acid as I have been deficient before but I haven’t been tested in a long time.
I think I will try and get a second opinion at my GP practice as you said and if that fails, see what I can do about an endocrinologist.
Your FT4 should be approaching 75% through the ref range....yours is sitting at -10%
Your GP should prescribe a 50mcg starter dose of levothyroxine to be tested after 6/8 weeks ...thereafter increased by 25mcg every 6/8 weeks until you feel well.
You also need to optimise vit D, vit B12, folate and ferritin to support thyroid function and T4to T3 conversion
Your GP needs a refresher course on thyroid disease...don't accept the offhand treatment you've been offered. If push comes to shove complain to the Practice Manager...I doubt you'd be referred to an endo at this stage. GP would be expected to deal with this.
It’s so good to know I’m not just being dramatic or exaggerating how I’m feeling, your replies have made me feel so justified and supported for that I’m so grateful!
I only had follow ups and tests when I specifically asked for it. It’s been so hard to get the doctor to listen.
I’m going to put together all the information that everyone here has given me and then I’m going to ask for a second opinion at my GP surgery.
Thank you so much for all the advise and links, definitely going to be getting some private testing when I can as my GP has been less than helpful about it.
Your GP needs to go to Specsavers. There is a big clue on that print out - the ! next to your FT4 result and this should have alerted your GP to the fact that your FT4 is below range and needs addressing. Whoever wrote "Satisfactory" (and that would be the name you have blanked out) wants shooting.
Your GP needs to have a thyroidectomy and be left with those results and those symptoms, I'm sure he wouldn't dismiss them so readily then.
When you have your next blood test you need to aim for the highest possible TSH so follow the advice we always give:
* Book the first appointment of the morning, or with private tests at home no later than 9am. This is because TSH is highest early morning and lowers throughout the day.
In fact, 9am is the perfect time, see first graph here, it shows TSH is highest around midnight - 4am (when we can't get a blood draw), then lowers, next high is at 9am then lowers before it starts it's climb again about 9pm:
If we are looking for a diagnosis of hypothyroidism, or looking for an increase in dose or to avoid a reduction then we need TSH to be as high as possible.
* Nothing to eat or drink except water before the test - have your evening meal/supper as normal the night before but delay breakfast on the day of the test and drink water only until after the blood draw. Certain foods may lower TSH, caffeine containing drinks affect TSH.
[* If taking thyroid hormone replacement, last dose of Levo should be 24 hours before blood draw. If taking NDT or T3 then last dose should be 8-12 hours before blood draw, split dose and adjust timing the day before if necessary. This avoids measuring hormone levels at their peak after ingestion of hormone replacement. Take your thyroid meds after the blood draw. Taking your dose too close to the blood draw will give false high results, leaving any longer gap will give false low results.]
* If you take Biotin or a B Complex containing Biotin (B7), leave this off for 3-7 days before any blood test. This is because if Biotin is used in the testing procedure it can give false results (most labs use biotin). These are patient to patient tips which we don't discuss with phlebotomists or doctors.
I was so tempted not to blank my doctors name out 😂 didn’t want to risk getting in trouble but still…very tempting!
Thank you so much for your advice, I’m going to put everything together that everyone on here has said and then try and get a second opinion at the GP.
I’ll be sure to follow those instructions if they give me another blood test.
Are you still under the care of the surgeon's clinic that did your operation or have you solely been referred back to the GP?
I'm asking as I had a partial thyroidectomy in August last year and thankfully I'm still under the care of the endo surgery clinic.
They hoped that the remaining half of my thyroid would compensate but it didn't and my FT4 dropped even more below range than it originally was. So thankfully I was then prescribed levothyroxine.
Your GP sounds rather similar to mine (unfortunately!) so I was releived that the surgeon said I would stay under their care until my thyroid levels had stabilised.
I've found the endocrine surgery clinic really helpful. I've contacted them a few times between appointments and the endo surgery nurse always gets back to me.
If you still have contact details for your clinic it might be useful to get in touch with them? If you have an endo nurse they could even possibly contact your GP for you and request that you are now prescribed hormones?
I’m not under the thyroid surgeon or clinic anymore. I was only under them for a month and then I had another blood test and they said it was fine so they discharged me back to the GP.
I might still have the secretary details somewhere so I’ll give them a try.
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