In December last year, I was told that I have thyroid issues, or that my thyroid was working too hard to produce, I’m honestly not even sure, I didn’t understand it when doctor was telling me. My issues were stress, anxiety and I was struggling with joint pain, in my hand, foot and knee. I was having palpitations.
I’ve just been able to access some notes on my nhs app, to see blood results.
My TSH in December was 8.4 and T4 was 14
In Feb 24 the TSH was 5.34 and T4 was 17.7
In May 24 my TSH was 3.02 but don’t seem to have results for the T4…
Can someone explain, in a dummies guide, what it all means?
I found this group today, after searching on Mumsnet. And the posts seem really helpful and informative.
I’m feeling stressed and cold, and down, and tired. Dreading winter and always being cold. My hands are always cold. Sometimes have what looks like Raynauds, white fingers… I still have palpitations but sometimes think this is just stress related and home circumstances being tough. I work full time and can work from home, where I’ll have heating on, water bottle, jumpers, dressing gowns.
Just want to know and understand better.
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CrazyStupidLove
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So are you now taking levothyroxine (replacement thyroid hormone)
If yes, how much are you taking
Bloods should be retested 6-8 weeks after each dose change or brand change in levothyroxine
Standard STARTER dose of levothyroxine is 50mcg
Even if we frequently start on only 50mcg, most people need to increase levothyroxine dose slowly upwards in 25mcg steps (retesting 6-8 weeks after each increase) until eventually on, or somewhere near full replacement dose (typically 1.6mcg levothyroxine per kilo of your weight per day)
You were in need of next dose increase in levothyroxine
Please any recent results and ranges for
Vitamin D
Folate
Ferritin
B12
which brand of levothyroxine is your 100mcg
Do you always get same brand
How long have you been on this dose
Request GP retest FULL thyroid, TSH, Ft4 and Ft3
Plus request they test thyroid antibodies if never been tested
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)
Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or all relevant vitamins
If symptoms of hypothyroidism persist despite normalisation of TSH, the dose of levothyroxine can be titrated further to place the TSH in the lower part of the reference range or even slightly below (i.e., TSH: 0.1–2.0 mU/L), but avoiding TSH < 0.1 mU/L. Use of alternate day dosing of different levothyroxine strengths may be needed to achieve this (e.g., 100 mcg for 4 days; 125 mcg for 3 days weekly).
No, I need to start. I have been neglecting and trying to take steps. I did buy vitamin D tablets to put in water and drink, but didn’t make a habit of drinking them.
I’m so sorry to hear you’re feeling low. I can completely relate - I have been diagnosed with ulcerative colitis and Hashimoto's in the past and also had regular Reynauds - fun fun!
All of this was 100% stress related but I reversed the UC and successfully manage all Hashi symptoms now - no more Reynauds either!
I would love to try to help - DM me if interested ☺️
You have hypothyroidism, your thyroid doesn't produce enough thyroid hormone and as a result you feel crap and cold.
You need to increase your levothyroxine medication until you feel better.
Doctors get all hooked up on blood results, but the bottom line is your levothyroxine should be increased every 6-8 weeks until you feel better, or at least no longer freezing cold. This is the first priority.
There maybe other issues too, like vitamin d and b12. But try and get a trial increase in your levo based on your symptoms.
The basics - your thyroid produces hormones that are in every cell in your body - even down to your eyebrows, nails etc. The TSH indicates roughly how hard your thyroid is working, but the two main results you need are T4 (stored thyroid hormones) and T3 (what is in your cells right now). So not having enough slows everything down, hence the cold feeling etc.
The whole system works slowly, so taking Levo will help slowly. It is not like an asprin for a headache. This is the most frustrating part of the whole thing, but is why dose increases are gradual over time to find the levels you as an individual need.
There is a huge amount of info on this site and I have learned about this stuff by reading here, as I knew very little. My GP also knows very little so I had to take charge of my own health, as many of us do here.
There are blood tests you can do at home that will give you a better picture of what is going on - you need to have a T3 result to find out if the Levo is working as well as it should for you. There is oodles of info on private blood tests here - and money off some of them sometimes!
You WILL feel better, it just takes time and a wee bit of knowledge. Browse the site when you have a moment. But the best thing about this site is the knowledge and the support it gives. Keep asking, you never know, the replay to you may be just what someone else is looking for.
I'm not medically qualified and my comments are suggestions as to the approaches / discussions you might consider taking with your GP.
Finally, you might consider getting a t3 test in addition to tsh and t4. This would let you see how well you are converting t4 (levothyroxine) to t3 - which is the active form of thyroid hormone. This would be a good guide as to which form or forms of thyroid medication you might benefit from. You might need to have this done privately if you can't persuade the GP to do the test.
Thank you all so much for your helpful comments and explanations. I think I’ve just been a bit in denial and not wanting to think I have something wrong. I definitely think it’s stress related.
I’m going to make a further GP appointment to get tests for the other T4 and T3 and others. I think my gp was helpful to begin with, but I’ve not been asked to go back, and not really been feeling much different. The warmer summer days were lovely. Anything under 17 degrees and I’m frozen 🥶
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New thyroid suffers don’t stand a chance with advice like this. 
GP says I have stress
New here and needing hope - plus question re blood tests preparation and Dr Peatfield
New here - Thyroid Advice
Cannot get my TSH in range - help needed please, should I switch to levo?
