Good morning everyone in 2022 I had x2 thyroid test done 3 months apart saying I was borderline, I then in 2023 went to see the doctor and I explained how unwell I felt and I do have anxiety and depression disorder so I put it down to that, in august 2023 I had full blood test done and my antibodies and ESR came back abnormal, I went to see a face to face doctor at my surgery as that’s what they ask me to do , I was asked symptoms I’m having and she told me that she needs to send off advise from a endocrinologist I think it’s called, so for months I was left I kept calling to ask if anything has been done, I then was told to start taking levothyroxine 25mg I looked on my nhs notes that the doctor had put Hashimoto's thyroiditis I went again in November to re have just my thyroid checked my TSh was above high but my t4 was still normal range of 11.6
i on Friday went and had my thyroid checked again and this time my TSH in in normal range 2.99 but my t4 even though it’s in normal range has gone down to 11.1,
all I want to know is is it hashimotos also do you ever actually get a diagnosis, I do have a doctors appointment tomorrow as I put in a complaint about how I feel like I been treated but I just don’t even know what questions to ask, any help would really be appreciated
thankyou
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Simply put, based on the info in your post, you have a diagnosis of the autoimmune disease Hashimotos, which means your thyroid is underactive and not making enough thyroid hormone.
You are on a starter dose of Levothyroxine, which is the standard treatment many/all of us start on. Incidentally, 25 mcgs daily is a low starter dose, and more typically you could/should have been started on 50 mcgs daily.
But that’s ok for now, as you should only stay on that starter dose for 6-8 weeks and then increase to 50 mcg daily. And then in all likelihood you will increase another 25 mcgs.
You will learn a lot from this forum. And sometimes it’s an overwhelming amount of information.
Others will come along to reply.
Let us know if you have any other specific questions in the meantime.
Thankyou since I have been on levothyroxine and had my last blood test for thyroid on Friday so in November my TSH was 5.67 (above high range) and T4 was 11.6 ,
Anxiety and depression are hypo symptoms. So, you've probably had Hashi's for quite some time. It develops slowly, and as the thyroid is slowly destroyed, the adrenals take up the slack, so you tend not to notice anything to bad for quite some time. And, when we do notice something wrong, we tend to put it down to 'something else': age, menopause, health anxiety, over-work, etc.
But the time your symptoms drive you to see your doctor, the thyroid is probably in a pretty bad state as the disease continues its work. So you might very well find that once you get on your optimal dose, you don't have anxiety or depression any more.
TSH in in normal range 2.99 but my t4 even though it’s in normal range has gone down to 11.1,
Can you give us that range, please? We always need to have the range when discussing results because they vary from lab to lab. But, yes, it does look low. And the TSH is still too high. But this is understandable because you are on a very low dose - did the doctor increase it after this blood test? Your TSH should come down to 1 or under - a lot of people even need it under-range.
And, it's not unusual for the FT4 level to drop when on a low dose like yours, so I wouldn't worry about it - it's low because your TSH has dropped and is no-longer stimulating the thyroid to make as much hormone as before, and your dose is too low to compensate. But, it will sort itself out eventually.
Also, with Hashi's (and you do have Hashi's with high antibodies), levels of all three - TSH/FT4/FT3 - do tend to fluctuate even on the same dose.
I just don’t even know what questions to ask
First question you have to ask - and ask the receptionist, not the doctor - is can you please have a print-out of your results: the latest test and the test from when you were diagnosed. It is your legal right to have one, and you need to keep your own records. Note the dose you were on and how you felt every time you have a blood test. These notes will be invaluable with time.
As for your doctor, if he doesn't suggest an increase in dose, then you need to ask for one. And, ask him to test your nutrient levels: vit D, vit B12, folate and ferritin. These all need to be optimal for your body to correctly use the hormone you're giving it.
And I haven’t had a diagnosis I have really been told anything I put in a complaint and am seeing a doctor tomorrow, I haven’t had my levothyroxine changed since I was first put on them back in on the 14th November
I looked on my nhs notes that the doctor had put Hashimoto's thyroiditis
That's your diagnosis. That's what you have. And the doctor probably didn't tell you anything about it because she doesn't know anything about it. Doctors are unbelievably ignorant about thyroid - especially Hashi's.
But at least she said you have Hashi's because many doctors don't think that's worth mentioning, they just say you're hypo.
The difference between them isn't enough to worry about. Blood tests are only a rough guide at best, and not 100% accurate. But your latest test does show you absolutely need an increase in dose.
You also need to know what your FT3 is doing, and how well you are converting that T4 to T3. So, as the NHS will rarely test it, at some point it would be a good idea if you could do a private test to get all three hormones tested. Also nutrients if your GP won't test them.
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