I’ve had a lot of help on this forum in regards to making some sense of my thyroid blood test results and I was wondering if anyone is able to advise with these results too.
They are out of date as they are from December 2022 but they are the tests I was given when my hypothyroid symptoms started getting bad after my partial thyroidectomy in July 2022.
I know the results might have changed by now but I’m still feeling just as unwell as I did then.
I’m not sure if this is a silly question, but do these results link to my thyroid in anyway? I know ferritin is related but I’m unsure of anything else as I’ve had absolutely nothing explained to me by any doctors involved!
Also, do I need to get these tests done again?
Thanks again for your help x
Nia
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NiaJayne
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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
Test early morning and only water between waking and test
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. ‘
Avoid Teva brand initially, unless you know you’re lactose intolerant. Teva upsets many people
Even if we frequently don’t start on full replacement dose, most people need to increase levothyroxine dose slowly upwards in 25mcg steps (retesting 6-8 weeks after each increase) until eventually on, or near full replacement dose
Consider starting levothyroxine at a dosage of 1.6 micrograms per kilogram of body weight per day (rounded to the nearest 25 micrograms) for adults under 65 with primary hypothyroidism and no history of cardiovascular disease.
In the majority of patients 50-100 μg thyroxine can be used as the starting dose. Alterations in dose are achieved by using 25-50 μg increments and adequacy of the new dose can be confirmed by repeat measurement of TSH after 2-3 months.
The majority of patients will be clinically euthyroid with a ‘normal’ TSH and having thyroxine replacement in the range 75-150 μg/day (1.6ug/Kg on average).
The recommended approach is to titrate thyroxine therapy against the TSH concentration whilst assessing clinical well-being. The target is a serum TSH within the reference range.
……The primary target of thyroxine replacement therapy is to make the patient feel well and to achieve a serum TSH that is within the reference range. The corresponding FT4 will be within or slightly above its reference range.
The minimum period to achieve stable concentrations after a change in dose of thyroxine is two months and thyroid function tests should not normally be requested before this period has elapsed.
Thank you! I’m in the process of putting all of this information together so that I can request a second opinion from a different GP so I thought I would ask in case these results also needed addressing. I’m 30 😊
I replied to your second post and see we are no further forward :
You really do need to arrange a full thyroid panel to include a TSH, T3, T4, inflammation, antibodies and ferritin- which has probably fallen further through the range by now, folate, B12 and vitamin D.
You have lost part of your thyroid and your TSH and T4 are shouting out for help and support and your need to start taking some form of thyroid hormone replacement - and in the first instance it will be T4 - Levothyroxine.
Your ferritin reading is all but deficient and your T4 reading below the range :
When metabolism is slowed so much the core strength vitamins and ferritin, folate, B12 and vitamin D tend to nose dive through the ranges and you really do need to get these up and maintained at optimal for any thyroid hormone replacement to work well.
I understand with the weight gain you thought to restrict your food intake but this can and likely will impact you in a negative way - the body needs good fats and protein rich healthy foods to metabolise and build back and repair the body.
Please go and talk with a doctor - these results re not acceptable and you must be feeling quite unwell, let alone the psychological impact of the hair loss, which is likely due to low ferritin level.
Thank you! Yes I’m feeling pretty awful and have for a while now and honestly it’s just nice to know that when I post here, I won’t be fobbed off.
I’m in the process of putting all of this information together so that I can request a second opinion from a different GP so I thought I would ask in case these results also needed addressing. I’ve tried explaining this to my doctor but all he says is oh it’s normal, you’ll be fine when some time has passed.
Thanks so much for your advice and support and I’ll make sure to post again when I get a second opinion. 😊
You shouldn't need a second opinion for such obvious deficiencies.
Is there another doctor within your existing surgery ?
If you are wanting a referral to an endocrinologist I believe you can choose one of your own choice.
Thyroid UK - thyroiduk.org - the charity who support this forum - hold a patient to patient recommended list of thyroid specialists and endocrinologists so maybe after the weekend email admin @ thyroiduk.org for this and hopefully if looking for a face to face appointment there is someone on there within a doable distance.
Alternatively you could start a new post on here, asking for recommendations within your area - and you will hopefully receive replies - but these be by Private Message as we are not allowed to openly discuss any person by name.
The Private Message ( PM ) just means your replies will light up the Chat icon above - looks like a paper plane - and you just press when lit and taken to a different screen.
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