I came to this forum to find out more about what's going with me as my doctors don't seem to listen or be too concerned. This is my first post here and I hope someone here can give some insight and perhaps some direction.
My thyroid was removed about a year ago after finding a very large goiter on it. I realized at that time that I had Hashimoto syndrome. I have been on medication since that time since my body can no longer produce what's needed. In spite of having numerous physiological complaints during my last doctor's visit, my doctor dismissed a majority of concerns and didn't even want me to come back for another visit until six months had passed. I had to fight for him to see me sooner and he was very reluctant to do so. I feel like no one is taking me seriously.
My latest blood results (taken just days ago) leave me wondering what to expect. In a nutshell, I have very low TSH, normal T4 and normal T3, but high thyroperoxidase antibodies. Here are the results:
The information I find online seems to apply to people who have a thyroid that may not be functioning correctly. I don't know how to interpret my results considering that I don't have a thyroid. I'm hoping someone can shed some light on this and maybe help me come up with questions I can ask my doctor. Thanks in advance for reading.
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fosgate3
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Welcome to the forum fosgate3 and I'm so sorry you've been dismissed by your GP/? Endo - I'm afraid you'll find it's sadly and totally unacceptably common - but, you've come to the right place to get some answers: this is an amazing forum, with very knowledgeable members and I'm certain there will be at least one on later who will be able to give you some guidance and support to find the best way forward for you. 🙂
In the meantime, although I can't give any interpretation of your results or the expertise of those more knowledgeable members, I just wanted to reply - so that you know you're not alone in the wee small hours with your worries - and give you some pointers so that those more experienced members and admin can help you:
* It really helps if you can fill in your Bio with at least all test results (the history, too, along with what replacement medication, dosage, etc. you're on), along with the ranges in brackets just like you've done on this post so, that it's all there in one place and you don't have to keep repeating on future posts.
* re the TSH reading, although its never been a good measure of thyroid function as it's just a chemical messenger not a thyroid hormone (not that the majority of GP's and even some so called 'experts' seem to understand that! lol), as you're on Thyroid replacement it's now particularly meaningless and I'm going to give you a link to a post I saw repeated recently (a couple of days ago, I think) about the shoe size analogy, which I think you will find informative - here it is:
along with a link in the replies, about the spectrum of thyroid autoimmunity, which I found really useful having been diagnosed with an autoimmune thyroid disorder (Graves' Disease but, probably transient/a precursor to Hashimoto's as, like you, I also had high TPO antibodies) nearly 30 years ago but, was subsequently over/mistreated for after my GP who diagnosed it left the practice and I've never been right or treated for an autoimmune disorder since. 😢 You'll find that article here:
I think (hope!) that's enough to be going on for now but, please feel free to ask me anything else and I'll try to help as best I can (I'm not a great sleeper and am likely to be around for a while longer). 👍
With you posting in the early hours, just thought I'd also welcome you to the forum 😊
The members and forum admin are very knowledgeable of many things thyroid and will be able to offer you guidance and support.
Sadly your experience with your GP is very familiar to many of us here. As you start reading posts on the forum you'll find that you're not alone as others (myself included) have had their symptoms dismissed.
For others to make suggestions to help you, can you state what symptoms you're having. Also are you taking any replacement hormones? Do you have any other current blood test results that you could add to your post such as B12, folate, vit D and ferritin?
PRJ20 has given you some great information for you to start with 😊
Hello what are you currently taking. Most GP's don't understand the Thyroid but you have joined a brilliant site for help. Only joining this site have I became well again after having my thyroid removed.
TSH / fT4 / fT3 are interpreted in just the same way for 'thyroidless' people taking Levo , as they are for people taking Levo who still have some remaining thyroid.
once we are taking Levothyroxine , the fT4 blood tests are measuring the amount of T4 we get from that dose of levo ( plus any T4 we get from our own thyroid if it's still present )
the fT3 tests are measuring how much T3 we are able to make from that amount of T4 (plus any T3 we get from our thyroid if it's still present)
And the TSH test is measuring the pituitary 's response to the amounts of T4 and T3 we have.( regardless of where they come from)
Whether the T4 is coming from the thyroid itself .. or from Levothyroxine , or a bit from both doesn't make a difference to how we interpret these tests.
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