TSH results

[Tpink123]

look at these results the last one 65.3 how that even possible

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Essential to also be testing Ft4 and Ft3 plus vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

Have these been done?

Were all tests done early morning and on same dose levothyroxine?

High TSH can sometimes be falsely high due to mouse antibodies

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

[Tpink123 in reply to SlowDragon]

morning thank you for your reply normally done in morning and on different dozes the recent one was done at night as I’m in hosptail

[greygoose]

Looks like mouse antibodies to me. TSH doesn't normally move that fast. It needs to be retested in a different lab with different testing procedures.

[Tpink123 in reply to greygoose]

Morning thank you for reply what is mouse antibodies?

[greygoose in reply to Tpink123]

They are antibodies found in blood that react with the testing process to give a false high TSH.

logicalbiological.com/hama-....

[pennyannie]

Hello Tpink :

Looking back I read you have Graves Disease and had a full thyroidectomy some 16 years ago:

Prior to joining the forum some 8 months ago -

were you ever able to tolerate the T4 tablets and felt relatively well post surgery ?

[Tpink123 in reply to pennyannie]

Morning thank you for reply never been offered them. Just seems to be out of control don’t sleep can’t concentrate and siuffing really bad cramps in legs. I wasn’t to bad after surgery just last 5 years been struggle for me

[pennyannie in reply to Tpink123]

Good morning to you - sorry - but I am confused - so after the thyroidectomy 16 years ago what medication were you prescribed - Levothyroxine - this is T4 ?

Looking back you were taking T4 tablets in doses ranging from 100 mcg T4 - 200 mcg a day - with often changes in dose - and appears you never really found a dose that suited you well - or perhaps gave an acceptable TSH reading to the doctor.

After a thyroidectomy it is essential to be dosed and monitored on your Free T3 and Free T4 readings - though fully understand that in primary care your doctor may only get TSH readings with an occasional T4 to monitor you on -

and precisely why many forum members now run their own private blood tests and advocate for themselves :

Was any medication changed around 5 years ago when you became aware of your health issues and struggling ?

Are you now hospitalised because of these thyroid issues ?

[Tpink123 in reply to pennyannie]

Only ever been on thyriodixine the dozed is ranged between 100 to 250mg I’ve now been prescribed the liquid thyroxine

I’m in hospital due to asthma attack my breathing and heart rate has been out of control

[pennyannie in reply to Tpink123]

Looking back it seems that you never tolerated the Levothyroxine for more than a few days at a time - and why the consultant has now suggested liquid T4 which sadly - you can't tolerate either.

There next option is to try T3 only - Liothyronine :

T3 is the active hormone that runs all the body's functions from your physical ability through to your mental, emotional, psychological and spiritual well being, your inner central heating system and your metabolism and around 4 times more powerful than T4 - Levothyroxine.

Essential to maintain core strength vitamins and minerals at optimal levels -

please ask to have ferritin, folate, B12 and vitamin D run -

and we can advise where these need to be -

as just being in a NHS range somewhere -

is not optimal and ' low but in range ' levels can compound your health issues further :

No thyroid hormone replacement works well until the core strength vitamins and minerals as detailed above are up and maintained at optimal levels :

[Tpink123 in reply to pennyannie]

Thank you I actually give up tbh I don’t think I’ll ever feel myself again. All my gp said it’s ok don’t worry about High TSH levels my consult has said the last time I went was I’m not taking my medication or not taking it correctly!! I’m so good at taking it every morning same time with no other medication on empty stomach. Really don’t know what to do where to go no one wants to help!!🥲

[pennyannie in reply to Tpink123]

I know - I think when things need some thought - outside the box - the first option is to blame the patient for non compliance - I get it :

The reality is there are others, on this forum, who also can't tolerate Levothyroxine and made to feel it's all their fault -

A fully functioning working thyroid would be supporting you on a daily basis with trace elements of T1. T2 and calcitonin + a measure of T3 at around 10 mcg + a measure of T4 at around 100 mcg :

T4 - is a pro-hormone that needs to be converted in the body into T3 which is the active hormone that runs the body and responsible for the full synchronisation of the body from one's physical ability through to one's mental, emotional, psychological and spiritual well being, one's inner central heating system and one's metabolism.

Some people can get by on T4 only :

Others find T4 seems to stop working as well as it once did - and find that by adding in a little T3 - likely at a similar dose to that their thyroid once supported them with - thyroidal hormonal balance is restored as is their health and well being.

Some can't tolerate T4 at all and need to take T3 only - Liothyronine.

Whilst others find their health restored taking Natural Desiccated Thyroid which contains all the same known hormones as that of the thyroid gland and derived from pig thyroids, dried and ground down into tablets. referred to grains.

Currently your primary care doctor can only prescribe T4 with anti depressants being the second line treatment - whereas years ago all the above treatment options were available from your doctor if T4 - the cheapest option - did not work well for you :

Now you need to be referred to a NHS endo for further consideration and it does appear that ICB/CCG financial constraints rather than medical need are at play in some areas of the country with health and well being having become something of a post code lottery .

Obviously if you can afford to go privately there is a very different landscape -

but you still need to know who to go to rather than waste money - and Thyroid UK - the charity who supports this forum holds a list of recommended sympathetic specialists. thyroiduk.org

[Tpink123 in reply to pennyannie]

Thank you so much it’s so nice ti talk to someone that understands not throbbing me off thank you

[pennyannie in reply to Tpink123]

First off let's try a get a full thyroid blood panel - to include your TSH, Free T3 and Free T4 along with the inflammation, antibodies, and ferritin, folate, B12 and vitamin D :

We will then be able to see exactly what is going on and be able to support you better -

This is where we all start off and here I am some 8 years later - giving back as I am indebted to this forum and Thyroid UK for helping me getting back to my ' me ' :

I'm with Graves and post RAI thyroid ablation 2005 :

I use Medichecks as years ago they were the only Private Blood test company to offer a nurse home visit to draw my blood - which suits me as it is the least stressful - though costs more -

but now there is also Blue Horizon offering a nurse home visit - and I just do a yearly MOT as I self medicate and need to supplement vitamins and minerals on a regular basis as wel as take NDT.

Instructions for blood test - arrange an early morning appointment by 9 AM if possible blood test - on a Monday/Tuesday so you have the results back by the weekend - and simply share the results and ranges on everything here - with forum members - in a new post - and you will be offered considered opinion.

Stop any vitamin and mineral supplements the week previously so we measure what your body is holding - rather than that just ingested -

leave around a 24 hour window from your last dose of T4 so we measure what your body is holding and working with and take your dose of T4 for that day - after the blood draw.

[Tpink123 in reply to pennyannie]

How much is the cost if don’t mind me asking and where is the location

[pennyannie in reply to Tpink123]

I arrange a nurse ' home visit ' at a surcharge to draw my blood at my home as I find this the least stressful way and when very unwell I couldn't drive anywhere anyway :

I now arrange a yearly private MOT as I manage my own thyroid health and need to supplement the vitamins and minerals on a regular basis and take NDT.

I use Medichecks as at the time they were the only company covering my area - now though between them and Blue Horizon I think the country pretty much covered.

So go into Thyroid UK website - thyroiduk.org and there is a page dedicated to Private Blood companies - and you will see all the options and what and where to go and I think there are discount codes to use via Thyroid UK.

Monitor My Health is a NHS lab and offers a finger prick blood test for a TSH, Free T3 and Free T4 for around £30. -

with the Medichecks advanced full thyroid panel coming in at around £89 - I think :

Personally I think you owe it to yourself to do the full thyroid panel at least once so you know where your ferritin, folate., B12 and vitamin D are sitting - as these results are crucial in the utilisation of good thyroid hormone conversion.

Ask your doctor first - you might be one of the lucky ones who can get the blood tests through their primary care provider - as some seem to have no problem whilst others can't get anything but a TSH.

Once you have back the results just start a new question and post them and the ranges back on this forum and you will receive a considered opinion.

P.S. Just seen below that SlowDragon has given you all the necessary information -

This is where we all need to start off and there is a way forward - though probably you now feel in information overload !!

[Beads]

The dodgy result, the one out of sync with the others, is March.

If you figure out what happened to cause it, if it’s not a true result (they should have cascaded the testing and done T4 at a minimum) share it with us, if there’s something we can do/eat, some vitamin we can take that will just increase our tested TSH, then maybe we’ll all do it, and maybe if the docs then start querying TSH results they’ll put less emphasis on that and more on the actual thyroid hormone levels.

[Tpink123 in reply to Beads]

Thank you for response my gp says not a concern

[tattybogle]

Tpink123

Please ask the doctors these questions and let us know their answers :

"Please explain why i am being told it's ok to ignore the high TSH... i'd like to understand"

"Do you think the TSH result is inaccurate due to some kind of test interference ? "

"Please tell me my fT4 results .... i'd like to know the result and the lab range"

" Have you tested my fT3 .. if so, what was that result"

[Tpink123 in reply to tattybogle]

Thank you so much

[SlowDragon Administrator]

get FULL thyroid and vitamin testing done ideally via GP or test yourself privately

Once you have results look at seeing thyroid specialist endocrinologist for T3 prescribed, or NDT

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)

Post all about what time of day to test

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Testing options and includes money off codes for private testing

thyroiduk.org/testing/

Medichecks Thyroid plus BOTH TPO and TG antibodies and vitamins

medichecks.com/products/adv...

Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes BOTH TPO and TG antibodies, cortisol and vitamins

bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...

Only do private testing early Monday or Tuesday morning.

Link about thyroid blood tests

thyroiduk.org/testing/thyro...

Link about Hashimoto’s

thyroiduk.org/hypothyroid-b...

Symptoms of hypothyroidism

thyroiduk.org/signs-and-sym...

Tips on how to do DIY finger prick test

support.medichecks.com/hc/e...

Medichecks and BH also offer private blood draw at clinic near you, or private nurse to your own home…..for an extra fee

come back with new post once you get results

Here’s link for how to request Thyroid U.K.list of private Doctors emailed to you, but within the email a link to download list of recommended thyroid specialist endocrinologists who will prescribe T3

Ideally choose an endocrinologist to see privately initially and who also does NHS consultations

thyroiduk.org/contact-us/ge...