tsh results

[debs09]

hi had results back today . TSH 0.10 free t4 27.1.. should i being feeling so called normal with thease results.. i have got to a stage now where i not sure what that is anymore...

[lynmynott Partner Thyroid UK]

Hi, I can't remember whether you are being treated with levo or natural. If levo, then you may need to try some T3 or to ask for a trial of natural. For some people levo just doesn't work.

[Barbara]

Hi Debs

Sorry to hear that you're still struggling!

Your levels look reasonably ok for someone who is on thyroxine after thyroid cancer, i.e. you are on a higher dose than someone who hasn't had cancer. Do you have the reference ranges for your tests as that helps to give a better picture. For instance one range might be 9 to 19 for T4 which would make your result extremely high whereas another range might be 12 to 24 so yours would be only just over. Do you have your thyroid tested shortly after taking thyroxine? It peaks in the blood for a while after taking it so can give a falsely elevated reading.

You mentioned in June that your TSH level was 3, if that was a fairly recent test and you've had an increase in meds since then that could account for you not feeling better by now. I felt dire with a TSH of 3! It can take quite some time for thyroxine to 'kick in' for lots of us, certainly weeks and often months. Your body has been used to your own thyroid hormones and now it has to adjust to the synthetic meds as well as getting over surgery, all quite a shock to the system.

When do you take your thyroxine in relation to food, drink, supplements etc? i.e. do you swallow it with water, before or after food etc. Lots of things can affect absorption of thyroxine, some baddies include calcium, iron, coffee, soya and antacids but even just ahving thyroxine close to a meal can significantly affect how much you absorb.

I don't know if you've heard of Butterfly.org but Kate Farnell founded this after having thyroid cancer herself: butterfly.org.uk/ She runs a helpline too and is lovely to talk to - details on the webpage.