I have just checked my last thyroid results and my Free T4 is rising and TSH is low. My dose has been the same for 18 months and I haven't changed diet or been taking supplements.
26/04/22 Free T4 was 13.3 and TSH 6.2. My dose was increased from 75mcg to 100mcg.
Since then trend has been:
09/06/22 Free T4 18.2, TSH 0.29
24/07/23 Free T4 16.5, TSH 0.11
17/10/23 Free T4 20.6, TSH 0.06
In 17/10 I had taken recognition dose at 6.00 a.m. and bloods taken about 10.30 a.m. as I wasn't expecting these to be done with other bloods. Could this be the reason they are different. (Hb normal at 128 17/10/23). Folate, ferritin, B12, but D weren't tested.
I have been suffering from chronic fatigue, mouth ulcers which are slow to heal and wondering if I need my dose amending.
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HuskyBlue
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Can you add reference ranges for each test? They vary from lab to lab so are important to see where your result falls.
What time of day was each test taken? TSH varies throughout the day so its recommended to test at or earlier than 9am when TSH is lowest.
FT4 can be affected by the timing of your Levo dose prior to the blood test. Recommended timing is 24 hours for last dose of Levo before blood draw.
Its important to standardise how you take each blood test so that comparisons can be made.
The NHS only tests FT4 & TSH, sometimes only TSH. To understand if you are converting well we also need to see an FT3 result which many people buy private tests to see.
Its possible that you're slightly over replaced but we would need to see a full thyroid panel to include FT3, also vitamin results to know that.
See link for companies offering private blood tests & discount codes, some offer a blood draw service at an extra cost.thyroiduk.org/testing/priva...
There is also a new company offering walk in (includes free blood draw) & mail order blood tests in London, Kent, Sussex & Surrey areas. Check to see if there is a blood test company near you. onedaytests.com/products/ul...
Only do private tests on a Monday or Tuesday to avoid postal delays.
You may also have low/deficient vitamin levels caused by low stomach acid that hypo people get. With low vitamin levels our thyroid hormone cannot work well and they also cause symptoms themselves. Have you recently or could you ask your GP to test levels of ferritin, folate, B12 & D3? Private tests are available.
It's ideal if you can always get the same brand of levo at every prescription. You can do this by getting GP to write the brand you prefer in the first line of the prescription. Many people find that different brands are not interchangeable.
Always take Levo on an empty stomach an hour away from food or caffeine containing drinks & other meds. Many people find taking it at bedtime works well for them.
Do you know if you had positive thyroid antibodies? Many with autoimmune thyroid disease aka Hashimoto's benefit from a gluten free diet. A smaller percentage of those also need to remove dairy from their diet to feel well. These are intolerances and will not show up on any blood test.
Serum FT3 range 11.5 - 22.7Serum TSH range 0.06 - 5.0
I haven't had vitamins tested since 2022 when ferritin was 41 (range 10-291), B12 652 (range 170-730), but D was 83.1 (range 50-250). I think I was supplementing B12 and D3 which I'm not now.
I did have private tests done a few years ago which showed thyroid peroxidase antibodies were normal 24.9 and FT3 normal at 4.2.
I think I will get these redone to get a full picture.
I think you mean thats the FT4 range. Even so it would depend if you left 24 hours between last dose of Levo & blood draw.
Suggest you always do blood tests as per this protocol.
Recommended blood test protocol: Test at 9am (or as close as possible), fasting, last levo dose 24hrs before the blood draw, last T3 dose 8-12 hours before blood draw & no biotin containing supplements for 3-7 days (Biotin can interfere with thyroid blood results as it is used in the testing process)? Testing like this gives consistency in your results and will show stable blood levels of hormone and highest TSH which varies throughout the day. Taking Levo/T3 just prior to blood draw can show a falsely elevated result and your GP/Endo might change your dose incorrectly as a result.
Your ferritin was too low in 2022 so may be even lower now if not working on it with dietary measures increasing iron rich foods - chicken livers, pate, red meat etc
Suggest you get everything retested. members here need to supplement continuously to get and maintain OPTIMAL vitamin levels.
Ft4 on last test false high as you had taken levothyroxine before test
TSH higher 8-9am
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
About 90% of primary hypothyroidism is autoimmune thyroid disease, usually diagnosed by high thyroid antibodies
Autoimmune thyroid disease with goitre is Hashimoto’s
Autoimmune thyroid disease without goitre is Ord’s thyroiditis.
Both are autoimmune and generally called Hashimoto’s.
Have you had thyroid antibodies tested
Recommended that all thyroid blood tests early morning, ideally just before 9am, only drink water between waking and test and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test
This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip)
Testing options and includes money off codes for private testing
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