TSH Level

[Forumjunkie]

hiya( again 😏)

Got a call from the receptionist on Wednesday my TSH level is 5 and I have been advised to stop my Carbimazole 5mg immediately, she was unable to offer any other advise other than I’m to continue having my bloods every 4 weeks . Am I correct does the level of 5 now bring me into the range of “ underactive “ thyroid therefore taking carbizamole is treating my overactive thyroid ?

I received an e mail back in January from the consultant I have seen twice ( once over the telephone and once face to face ) she just randomly said I wonder if HRT may help ? That was literally the email! I replied asking if the email sent was in error , if not could she explain as I’m confused, I’m yet to hear back!

I was recently at the hospital for an eye appointment ( I have Adies syndrome ) the consultant asked me about my health, I explained I had an over active thyroid abd Graves’ disease, he replied with “ same thing “ I didn’t realise everyone with an over active thyroid also had Grqves ! I’m now totally confused more than ever, if I have gone into underactive thyroid do I have Grqves ?

9th Feb

Serum free T4 level 16.6 pmol/L [11.0 - 23.0]

Serum TSH level 3.3 mU/L 10.27 - 4.51

12 March

• Coded entry - Serum free T4 level (XaERr) 16.6 pmol/L [11 - 23]

• Coded entry - Serum TSH level (XaELV) 5 miu/L [0.27 - 4.51

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

Assuming your FT4 was exactly the same on 9th February and 12th March, this appears to be a good demonstration of delayed recovery of TSH levels.

In the view of so many doctors, TSH reflects everything they need to know.

In this case, they missed that. Further, 16.6 was probably already a bit too low for you. And your FT4 has likely dropped further.

But clearly, in terms of FT4, it doesn't here! (And, as usual, no FT3 to fill out the picture.)

[SlowDragon Administrator]

So retest again in another 6 weeks after stopping Carbimazole

Test early morning

Your previous tests did confirm Graves antibodies

Previous post

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Low vitamin D and B12

Have you had folate and ferritin levels tested

What vitamin supplements are you taking

Have you had TPO and TG antibodies tested for autoimmune hypothyroid (hashimoto’s)

It’s possible to have hashimoto’s and Graves together

[Forumjunkie in reply to SlowDragon]

thankyou for your helpful reply

[Forumjunkie in reply to SlowDragon]

thankyou, I do not take any supplements. As for folate and ferritin tests, no to my knowledge.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Forumjunkie]

Please reread your previous post

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

with all thyroid disease maintaining good vitamin levels essential

I suggested you work on improving low vitamin D and B12

Vitamin B12 270 (197-771 ng/L)

Vitamin D 52nmol

Both these were far too low 5 months ago and very likely lower now you are hypothyroid

Request/politely insist GP test B12, folate, ferritin and vitamin D now

or test privately

[Forumjunkie in reply to SlowDragon]

Thankyou

[pennyannie]

Hey there again :

Not everyone with an over active thyroid has Graves Disease - and why antibody readings are run to identify which antibody is over range and positive and the medical evidence of the diagnosis.

I believe you had a positive TRab Graves antibody reading confirmed in a previous post.

You still have Graves Disease - as this is an Auto Immune disease for which there is no cure -

but it would seem your AT drug is now blocking too much of your own thyroid hormone production and why you have been advised to stop the Carbimazole -

this is probably because your immune system response has now calmed down and this first phase, and hopefully only phase of Graves Disease is over :

Your TSH has now risen to 5 and this is the marker the NHS use to assess thyroid status and once off the AT drug your TSH will likely resume normal function and drop lower to around 1.2/1.5 once your own new, daily, thyroid hormone production comes back on stream.

Your metabolism has been running faster and slower than your ' normal ' and when this happens we tend to struggle extracting key nutrients through food, no matter how well and clean we eat, and low vitamins and minerals can compound your ill health further than necessary -

so suggest you ask your doctor to run your ferritin, folate, B12 and vitamin D as these need to be maintained at optimal levels and some NHS ranges too wide to even be sensible - so we can advise on these if you care to share.

[Forumjunkie in reply to pennyannie]

Thankyou very much 😊