Blood test percentages over years.

[Agitator23]

This is an amazing forum. Thank you so much to the admin team and the people who've taken the time to reply to my previous posts. I'd be lost without you 🙏

One of the most important things that I've learnt on here is to work out the percentage through the range with respect to blood tests. With this in mind, I went back over the years on my NHS app and found any thyroid blood test results. It's been quite revealing. Sadly, as is often the case, only TSH was tested on most occasions.

Here is what I found using the online calculator for percentages:

2014 TSH 31.18%. F T4. 40%

2014 to 2021. TSH varies between 39.78% to 62.75%

(no fT4)

2023. TSH 39.69%. fT4 12%. fT3 36.22%

2023. TSH. 17.43%. fT4. 13.86%. fT3. 77.78%

2023. TSH. 30.28%. fT4. 19.8%. fT3. 66.67%

2024. TSH. 44.93% fT4. 9.34% fT3. 28.52%

(fT3 has only been tested on four occasions)

I'm really interested to know at the point where you were accepted or diagnosed as hypothyroid, what was your TSH level (preferably percentage through range) , your free T4 level and fT3 level (percentage if possible) at the same time.

My TSH appears to be falling as my free T4 is falling. Obviously this is wrong. I understand I don't have a lot of data but there is something anomalous here. Do you agree?

I don't think I will ever have a high enough TSH level (for NHS diagnosis) My free T4 percentage now stands at 9.34% having fallen from 40% (which I believe was already low for me but I don't have any earlier data for a baseline) and fT3 is 28.52%.

My symptoms are increasing and multiplying and I'm finding it very hard. Will I be diagnosed as hypothyroid if my TSH is normal but my free T4 falls outside of range one day (I hope...)?

I recently had a thyroid ultrasound scan that shows 'mild' thyroiditis but this has not been added to my NHS list of conditions. It's just been ignored.

I no longer have any faith in the NHS to help me with this. I would really really appreciate if you could let me know your TSH level, free T4 level and fT3 level at diagnosis for hypothyroidism. 🙏🙏

(Vitamins etc all looking good). I am undiagnosed and not on thyroid medication. Negative for antibodies.

[greygoose]

what was your TSH level (preferably percentage through range)

Actually, the percentage through the range isn't that helpful with the TSH. Myself, I prefer to see the result and the range, because although ranges can vary a lot, a TSH is always a TSH, and euthyroid is around 1. And lower than 1 it becomes unreliable because it can't go any lower than zero. If you see what I mean. So, my TSH was 11 when I was first diagnosed, which was high, but not the most important number. Can't remember the other numbers, I'm afraid, it was over 20 years ago.

My TSH appears to be falling as my free T4 is falling. Obviously this is wrong. I understand I don't have a lot of data but there is something anomalous here. Do you agree?

No, because it depends on your FT3. T3 has more impact on TSH than T4. If your conversion rate varies, so will your TSH. The three results have to be looked at in conjunction with each other. TSH can also vary a lot from test to test just by itself. And, you could of course also have a failing pituitary. Attaching too much importance to the TSH assumes that everyone always has a perfectly functioning pituitary, which just isn't true.

My symptoms are increasing and multiplying and I'm finding it very hard. Will I be diagnosed as hypothyroid if my TSH is normal but my free T4 falls outside of range one day

If that happens, you will have to read up on Central Hypo and impress your GP with your superior knowledge and insist on a referral to an endo that knows about pituitaries. The do exist.

I recently had a thyroid ultrasound scan that shows 'mild' thyroiditis but this has not been added to my NHS list of conditions. It's just been ignored.

Have you had both your TPO and Tg antibodies tested? It may be mild now but it won't stay that way. And, besides, even if they are both negative, you could still have Hashi's because a certain percentage of Hashi's sufferers never have over-range antibodies.

But even so, that doesn't explain your TSH - or lack of it. That is probably something to do with your pituitary. And no GP would ever know about that!

[Agitator23 in reply to greygoose]

Hi Greygoose

Thank you for your reply. I'm really confused about my TSH! Here are my results for TSH with the figures rather than percentage. (Followed by % fT4 and fT3 where available))

2007. 2.52.

2012. 2.6

2014. 1.8. 40%

2014. 2.2

2016. 1.7

2019. 1.66

2021. 3.13

2023. 1.83. 12%. 36.22%

2023. 1.15. 13.86%. 77.78%

2023. 1.74. 19.8%. 66.67%

2024. 2.04. 9.34%. 28.52%

There's so much fluctuation!

Having another blood test soon. Am I hypothyroid? Does ultrasound thyroiditis mean hypothyroidism?

[greygoose in reply to Agitator23]

Well, that's not really serious fluctuation. Only once does it go over 3. So, no, you're not hypo. Yet.

But, the results over 2 suggesting that your thyroid does struggle at times.

What is more concerning is that doesn't keep up with your FreeT4/T3 levels.

2024. 2.04. 9.34%. 28.52%

One would expect the TSH to be higher with those Free results. BUT as you have Hashi's, there's no knowing how long they've been that low so perhaps the TSH hasn't had time to catch up. It is rather slow.

Then again...

2023. 1.83. 12%. 36.22%

2023. 1.15. 13.86%. 77.78%

2023. 1.74. 19.8%. 66.67%

With those high FT3 results, one would expect the TSH to be much lower. And that is an obvious upward trend, so the TSH should have had time to catch up.

Having Hashi's and a possible pituitary problem does complicate things. And doctors aren't very good at complicated - or just can't be bothered!

Does ultrasound thyroiditis mean hypothyroidism?

The ultrasound has discovered that you have 'mild thyroiditis'. That means the early stages of Hashi's. With full-blown Hashi's you will become hypothyroid, but you're not at that stage yet.

I'm afraid you just have to keep on monitoring and see how things progress.

[Agitator23]

Thank you. That's really clarified a lot of things. I'm going to keep monitoring my blood test results but know now my TSH levels will never give a clear picture of what's happening in my case. I always have to be the odd one out!

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Are you

Always testing early morning, ideally before 9am, only drinking water between waking and test

What vitamin supplements are you taking

Please add actual vitamin D, folate, B12 and ferritin results