Is test results normal

[France92]

I've just had my Thyroid checked unfortunately the only appointment was at 12ock at my local hospital my Dr's couldn't do one for weeks in the morning. Is it normal? I know about my liver I've just had a urgent op and also a gallbladder attack after it 🤦‍♀️

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Was last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test

Just testing TSH and Ft4 is completely inadequate

How much levothyroxine are you currently taking

Bloods should be retested 6-8 weeks after each dose change or brand change in levothyroxine

 

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 tested 

Also both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested at least once 

Very important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 at least once year minimum

Recommended that all thyroid blood tests early morning, ideally just before 9am and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test 

This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip)

Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or all relevant vitamins

List of private testing options and money off codes

thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...

Medichecks Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins

medichecks.com/products/adv...

Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes antibodies, cortisol and vitamins

bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...

If you can get GP to test vitamins then cheapest option for just TSH, FT4 and FT3 and includes BOTH TPO and TG antibodies -£29 

randoxhealth.com/at-home/Th...

Monitor My Health also now offer thyroid and vitamin testing, plus cholesterol and HBA1C for £65 

(Doesn’t include thyroid antibodies) 

monitormyhealth.org.uk/full...

10% off code here 

thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...

Only do private testing early Monday or Tuesday morning. 

[France92 in reply to SlowDragon]

I'm not on any treatment my Thyroid went overactive last year and I did all test recommended on here. I'm just on propranolol for the tachycardia and aniexty. They are just keeping an eye on it.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to France92]

Suggest you get FULL thyroid including thyroid antibodies and vitamin levels tested

Propranolol will affect thyroid results

How much propranolol are you currently taking

what vitamin supplements are you currently taking

[France92 in reply to SlowDragon]

I did all the tests you suggested last September all ok? I'm taking vit D B complex Vit C probiotics. I'm taking 10mg of propranolol twice a day. The last test I did was Cortisol which showed Low levels privately still trying to find how I can raise it.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to France92]

Propranolol will possibly lower cortisol.

It blocks adrenaline and lowers Ft3

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to France92]

Four Months ago ferritin only 42

Getting TSH, Ft4 and Ft3 tested together and full iron panel test for anaemia likely next steps

cks.nice.org.uk/topics/anae...

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 

Medichecks iron panel test 

medichecks.com/products/iro...

Look at increasing iron rich foods in diet 

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

List of iron rich foods

dailyiron.net

Links about iron and ferritin

irondisorders.org/too-littl...

davidg170.sg-host.com/wp-co...

Great in-depth article on low ferritin 

oatext.com/iron-deficiency-...

drhedberg.com/ferritin-hypo...

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.

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Effective supplement 

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Thyroid disease is as much about optimising vitamins as thyroid hormones

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

restartmed.com/hypothyroidi...

Post discussing just how long it can take to raise low ferritin 

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Iron and thyroid link

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Excellent article on iron and thyroid 

cambridge.org/core/journals...

Posts discussing why important to do full iron panel test

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Chicken livers if iron is good, but ferritin low

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Shellfish and Mussels are excellent source of iron 

healthline.com/nutrition/he...

Heme iron v non heme

hsph.harvard.edu/nutritions...

Ferritin over 100 to alleviate symptoms 

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Great research article discussing similar…..ferritin over 100 often necessary 

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

Low Iron implicated in hypothyroidism 

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Ferritin range on Medichecks 

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

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. ‘

[France92 in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanx I asked my gp to do mu iron and she just did the ferritin. I'm on a ultra low fat diet till I have my gallbladder out so no red meat or chocolate at all. I have to look into private testing .

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

France92

I've just had my Thyroid checked unfortunately the only appointment was at 12ock at my local hospital my Dr's couldn't do one for weeks in the morning. Is it normal?

The time of your test will have given you a slightly lower TSH than a 9am test, it wont make a difference to your FT4 level.

Assuming you took last dose of Levo 24 hours before test, which avoids a false low or false high result, then your FT4 is rather low at 39% through range, which means that your FT3 is alao likely to be low too.

The aim of a treated hypo patient generally is for TSH to be 1 or lower with FT4 and FT3 in the upper part of their ranges if that is where you feel well.

How do you feel?

[France92 in reply to SeasideSusie]

I'm not on any treatment for Thyroid. I'm tired exhausted thinking hair and lost quite alot of weight. I have just had a full hysterectomy 3 weeks ago to.

[Trina64 in reply to France92]

I am sorry you are going through all this hormonal upheaval. I had a hysterectomy several years ago and a few years later was diagnosed with hypothyroidism. I suspect I had hypothyroidism long before the hysterectomy and probably even as a child, but it was never caught. Maybe I wouldn't gave needed the hysterectomy if my thyroid had been treated, but I will never know now.

Are you on HRT? I take estrogen only and can't imagine life without it. I am now trying to optimize my thyroid replacement. It is a long hard road and I just want to feel more my normal. I have many symptoms, but the ones that bother me most are fatigue, brain fog, and a bit of anxiety for no reason from time to time. I always kept a very clean house and was a very active person....not so much at the moment.

Be good to yourself! You have a lot going on and definitely reasons to not feel very well. Don't let a doctor tell you otherwise.

[France92 in reply to Trina64]

Ah thankyou I was on hrt but had to stop suddenly because of the op and waiting to find out if its cancer or pre-cancerous cells. So now my hormones are all over the place as I had a total hysterectomy within 6 weeks of the biopsy. Hopefully I will be able to take just oestrogen depending on the results. I've always suffered like you with my hormones started after having my son 30 years ago .

[Trina64 in reply to France92]

I really an sorry you are going through this. I know exactly how you feel. I increased my levothyroxine 2 1/2 weeks ago and I feel a tad better, but definitely not myself. I actually caught myself laughing for a bit yesterday. I am only on 50mcg now. I also take 5mcg of T3. So, I still have a 3 1/2 weeks until I test again. It seems like forever when you just want to feel better. I hate when people who don't have hormonal upheaval like to tell me that 6 weeks to test isn't that long.

I am on a fairly hefty dose of estrogen. It was prescribed by a gynecologist. It keeps my mood somewhat even and keeps me from having nightsweats, but it doesn't do anything for the fatigue and brain fog. I was on testosterone, but I didn't find it did much and I was feeling a bit angry on it, so I stopped using it.

I am 59 and I had my hysterectomy at 41. I did quite well until about 51 and then everything fell apart. I have tried many combination of thyroid and estrogen. I am hoping I am getting closer to the right one. I work full time and I don't feel like I do my best work.