Seeking advice - underactive thyroid

[Klpanda080907]

so my doctors have queried that I may have an under active thyroid and have recently been tested for the antibodies, can someone explain if my result is in range or if not, can you explain it to me - normal ranges etc. Serum thyroid peroxidase antibody concentration (XabCy) 21 kU/L [0 - 75] what is the kU/L?

[pennyannie]

Hello Klpanda and welcome to the forum :

Do you have any other results and ranges there to share with forum members ?

The one you list states - serum peroxidase antibody - usually abbreviated as a TPO antibody were measured and came in at 21 in a range of 0-75 -

showing the result in the range and so not a problem.

The k/ul is the measure of the cell concentration in the analysis of your blood and represents 1000 cells per cubic metre.

[Klpanda080907 in reply to pennyannie]

Thank you

Test results

[pennyannie in reply to Klpanda080907]

Ok - so your TSH is above the reference range at 8.80 and generally speaking the NHS require 2 blood tests - run a couple of months apart -showing 2 tests with a TSH over 10 - before they prescribed any thyroid hormone replacement - likely T4 - Levothyroxine.

The antibodies were run to check that you do not have a thyroid auto immune disease - as if you had positive TPO antibodies - your doctor may have been able to start prescribing T4 sooner, but just be aware that antibodies do fluctuate :

Your T4 reading is in the range at around 55% and not ' seen ' as a problem :

Your T3 measure has not been run but generally speaking T3 is around a quarter of the T4 reading and it is too low a T3 for you that causes all the symptoms of hypothyroidism.

It's known that symptoms of hypothyroidism are experienced once the TSH rises over 3 -

the TSH rises as a signal to the body to produce / find more thyroid hormones and when you start taking T4 the TSH will go back down into range and hopefully your symptoms alleviated.

What symptoms are you dealing with ?

If you go into Thyroid Uk - thyroiduk.org - the charity who supports this patient to patient forum you will find a ilist of symptoms - maybe tick off those symptoms applicable and represent to your doctor armed with some additional information - and with a bit of luck - you may get treatment sooner.

[Klpanda080907 in reply to pennyannie]

Thanks again for the information, it all helps massively and gives me a better understanding/insight of it all. So originally, I went to the doctor with a problem of being unable to lose weight despite doing everything I possibly could and still gaining, I’ve had some women’s issues too - ongoing, which my doctor said would have mostly like been a case of hypothyroidism if any other symptoms persist. He then asked if I had any other symptoms, so heavy periods, muscle aches/pains, extreme fatigue and always being cold particularly in my hands and feet and having tingling sensations in my fingers and weirdly my lip on the left side, spreading into my cheek and nose, but then sometimes I’d be the complete opposite and I’d be constantly sweating and too hot despite taking off layers and having fans on at work and things, I started to develop a lot of excess body hair, particularly on my face, chest and back which was something I’d been very self conscious of. I’ve had a lot of ongoing issues for years and have been to the doctors numerous times to discuss until I saw my recent doctor who has said all my previous symptoms are starting to link, where he came up with the idea of hypothyroidism, was referred to endocrinology at the hospital and was told I had to be checked for thyroid antibodies too to rule anything out, so overall I’ve had about 4 /5 blood tests and every result as shown a gradual increase in TSH.

[pennyannie in reply to Klpanda080907]

Ok - so it would be a good idea to put your thyroid health ' journey ' in your bio - on your Profile page so - in future we can look back and see how. why and what has been ' going on " and answer any further questions with a better understanding of your thyroid journey.

Just press the Profile icon top right and edit your Profile page.

To read anybody else'sProfile page and all they have ever written on forum simply press the icon alongside any comments they may have made alongside their name.

You can edit anything you have written and posted by pressing the More button below.

Well I think I would ask for copies of these other blood tests that have been run -

for endocrinology I'm guessing there will be a complete thyroid panel to include -

A TSH - Free T3 and FreeT4 and hopefully antibodies, inflammation, and ferritin, folate, B12 and vitamin D :

When metabolism is running too fast as in hyperthyroid or too slow as in hypothyroid the body struggles to extract key nutrients through food no matter how clean and well you eat -

and many symptoms suffered are caused by non optimal levels of nutrients and unfortunately the NHS ranges for these core strength vitamins and minerals are too wide to be sensible - so we can also advise on your core strength vitamins and minerals if you have any further results and ranges to hand.

So how have things been left - are you to have follow up blood test in a month or two ?

[DippyDame]

Thyroid treatment is not based on antibody levels. Treatment is based on symptoms and TSH, T4, and T3 levels.

If they suspect hypothyroidism then the NHS would normally test....

TSH and possibly FT4

However a full thyroid test includes...

TSH, FT4, FT3, vit D, vit B12, folate, ferritin and thyroid antibodies TPO and Tg

If TSH is high during a diagnostic test that may confirm an underactive thyroid gland but it is possible to test positive for thyroid antibodies without having thyroid disease.

Antibody tests check for Thyroid Autoimmune Disease/ Hashimotos which is a common cause of hypothyroidism/ underactive thyroid gland.

If Hashi's is confirmed it won't alter the treatment

They have tested only TPO and the count is in range - 21 kU/L [0 - 75]- so they will likely exclude Hashimoto's disease in diagnosis. But, we really need to have both TPO and Tg antibodies tested for confirmation.

White blood cells are measured in thousands per cubic milliliter (K/uL) of blood. For example, WBC of 4.8 K/uL is 4,800 cells. Yours is 21 K/ uL within the reference range (0 -75).....so considered acceptible.

It might help you to have some background information...

thyroiduk.org/if-you-are-hy...

Looking at time of posting...I hope you're not losing sleep worrying over this...if confirmed, treatment should be straight forward.

[Klpanda080907 in reply to DippyDame]

Thank you so much for the response, I have had recent testing of TSH too. Please see most recent results below x

Under active thyroid test results

[Bearo]

nice.org.uk/guidance/ng145/...

"1.5 Managing and monitoring subclinical hypothyroidism

Adults

1.5.3 Consider levothyroxine for adults with subclinical hypothyroidism who have a TSH of 10 mlU/litre or higher on 2 separate occasions 3 months apart. Follow the recommendations in section 1.4 on follow-up and monitoring of hypothyroidism.

1.5.4 Consider a 6-month trial of levothyroxine for adults under 65 with subclinical hypothyroidism who have:

a TSH above the reference range but lower than 10 mlU/litre on 2 separate occasions 3 months apart, andsymptoms of hypothyroidism.