Can someone clever please help with this Blood test of yesterday? It was slightly higher 3 months ago but my TSH was higher also so I didn’t worry too much. So now Levothyroxine has been increased and I’m over corrected at TSH of 0.25 and Free T4 of 30.
Was hoping that my previous TSH of 5.4 was responsible for higher Cholesterol ( I have also been excluding red meat, some fats and alcohol from my diet ) but to me, it looks still a bit high. I will decrease my Levothyroxine again from 125mcgs a day back down to 100/125 alternate days. Am a bit annoyed about the lipids, so am I right to be concerned and what more can I do?
Written by
luley
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
It's not TSH that has an effect on cholesterol levels, it's T3. Have you had your FT3 tested? Just testing a TSH and FT4 will not tell you the level of your FT3.
What was the range for that FT4 result? Do you have Hashi's? I somehow doubt that a dose of 125 mcg levo would take your FT4 that high.
Cholesterol has little to do with your diet. It's made in the liver and the liver keeps levels stable by making less when you eat more, and more when you eat less. But, when T3 is low, the body cannot process cholesterol correctly, and it tends to build up in the blood. But don't worry about it. High cholesterol does not cause heart attacks or strokes. Low cholesterol is far more dangerous.
As someone with hypothyroidism you will be susceptible to raised cholesterol if your hypothyroidism is not well managed. As greygoose says it’s the FT3 that needs to be checked at the same time as FT4 and TSH. If your actual thyroid hormone levels are out of whack this leads to other health problems.
TSH is thyroid stimulating hormone it is made in the pituitary. It is not a thyroid hormone so don’t be too hung up on it - once treated, frequently the TSH goes low or below range before a patient will get enough thyroid replacement hormones to feel well.
Doctors have been told TSH directly correlates to thyroid hormone status. There are some people who happen to fit this very crude diagnostic and management model but MORE frequently than doctors realise, it doesn’t. So generally doctors just under medicate their patients to ‘fit’ their blood work and then treat the comorbidites that develop as a result. Yes really 😱
The whole medical landscape for thyroid disorders is terrible. We have to become Patient Experts in order to advocate for ourselves.
Back in the day doctors used to know that elevated cholesterol could indicate hypothyroidism, or inadequately managed hypothyroidism. It is actually in the UK NICE guidelines, I feel inadequately crossed referenced for doctors to discover it.
Just one other thing - which should be the thing you focus on - how are you feeling? Don’t forget most doctors treat the lab work, try to steer them back to symptoms. Feeling well, most of the time, is your body telling you everything is fine and symptoms are there to tell you when things are ‘off’. Doctors increasingly ignore symptoms and treat lab work (how mad is that?). Blood tests sand alike are only to give an insight as to what might or might not be a problem….
Thanks SO much. I have not had any other thyroid tests done (T3) and I have now been told I need a review due to abnormalities on the other tests. As you might see, I am in Asia, so it is all a bit different here. Due to see GP this week. A friend who is local says she thinks it could be a B12 deficiency. Now I've looked at the symptom list for this, I fear it may well be. I seem to be a metabolic nightmare. Thanks for your detailed and helpful comments.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Cholesterol and hypothyroidism 
CHOLESTEROL AND STATINS
Cholesterol and Statins
low TSH higher cholesterol 
Cholesterol and thyroid test results
