Blood results - it's been a while since I have posted. I had a follow up blood test (6 months after my last) regarding my thyroid.My latest results are
Serum TSH level - 8.9 mU/L (0.27 - 4.5).
T4 LEVEL 13.3 pmol/L (11.0 - 23.0)
Haven't spoke to the doctor yet but have read my notes and apparently these are satisfactory even after previous results that are out of range and says retest, which will prob be in another 6 months, so another 6 months of feeling rubbish.
I first went to doctors in Jan due to feeling extremely tired, dry skin, weight gain and irregular periods. Still having the same issues, can anyone advise me on what to say/ask doctor when I have my telephone appointment??
Any help will be great!!
Thanks
Ps my first test results are above (January)
Followed by private results (that the NHS don't accept either even tho it is a NHS approved lab)
Results from 6months ago.
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Emt81
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So you are horribly under replaced and need an increase, you are aiming to bring your TSH down to around 1 to start with and then se how well you convert.
Sounds like you have a total duffer of a GP so down to you to push for a 25mcg increase and a retest in 8 weeks
Have you been supplementing your vits and mins which were all terrible in your last post?
Serum TSH level - 8.9 mU/L (0.27 - 4.5).T4 LEVEL 13.3 pmol/L (11.0 - 23.0) these are my most recent results this week. I have been given no medication yet and this is my 4th blood test where my results have been out of range!
I have been taking supplements but my gp wouldn't retest these as according to him they were fine so not sure if these have improved at all.
Perhaps ask for a second opinion or raise it with the practice manager saying your symptoms are being ignored and you would like a 'trial' on levothyroxine, they like the word trial as it sounds temporary 😉
Even if we usually start on only 50mcg, dose levothyroxine is then 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)
Adults usually start with a dose between 50 micrograms and 100 micrograms taken once a day. This may be increased gradually over a few weeks to between 100 micrograms and 200 micrograms taken once a day.
Some people need a bit less than guidelines, some a bit more
Bloods should be retested 6-8 weeks after each dose change or brand change in levothyroxine
For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 tested
Also both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested at least once to see if your hypothyroidism is autoimmune
Very important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 at least once year minimum
Low vitamin levels are extremely common when hypothyroid, especially with autoimmune thyroid disease
Your high thyroid antibodies confirms cause is autoimmune thyroid disease
About 90% of primary hypothyroidism is autoimmune thyroid disease, usually diagnosed by high TPO and/or high TG thyroid antibodies
Autoimmune thyroid disease with goitre is Hashimoto’s
Autoimmune thyroid disease without goitre is Ord’s thyroiditis.
Both are autoimmune and generally called Hashimoto’s.
In U.K. medics hardly ever refer to autoimmune thyroid disease as Hashimoto’s (or Ord’s thyroiditis)
when you retest after 6-8 weeks on 50mcg Levothyroxine
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)
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
Ideally choose an endocrinologist to see privately initially and who also does NHS consultations so that might eventually transfer to getting T3 on NHS
Hi thanks for your reply, yes it was monitor my health but doctor laughed when I said it was NHS. I have had all the blood tests done it the morning and going off the latest results I have just had a message to return in 3 months time for repeat blood test. I just feel it is so hard to get help!
These are my latest results that I had from my blood test yesterday
Serum TSH level - 8.9 mU/L (0.27 - 4.5).
T4 LEVEL 13.3 pmol/L (11.0 - 23.0)
I am 43 next week so peri menopause may be a possibility, however my sister is currently in exact position as me regarding thyroid testing and getting nowhere her tsh level is high but t4 within range although on low side (is thyroid problem hereditary??)
Private doctors aren't an option at the moment due to cost.
Not that I'm aware of, but our family is complicated and my "dad's" side didn't want to know his children after a few years.
I will try with a different GP, however they are not very understanding and always tend to get fobbed off. Worst comes to worst it's only another 3 months.
Thanks for all your advice, I really appreciate it.
Poor gut function with Hashimoto’s can lead leaky gut (literally holes in gut wall) this can cause food intolerances.
Most common by far is gluten.
Dairy is second most common.
A trial of strictly gluten free diet is always worth doing
Only 5% of Hashimoto’s patients test positive for coeliac but a further 81% of Hashimoto’s patients who try gluten free diet find noticeable or significant improvement or find it’s essential
A strictly gluten free diet helps or is essential due to gluten intolerance (no test available) or due to leaky gut and gluten causing molecular mimicry (see Amy Myers link)
Changing to a strictly gluten free diet may help reduce symptoms, help gut heal and may slowly lower TPO antibodies
While still eating high gluten diet ask GP for coeliac blood test first as per NICE Guidelines
The predominance of Hashimoto thyroiditis represents an interesting finding, since it has been indirectly confirmed by an Italian study, showing that autoimmune thyroid disease is a risk factor for the evolution towards NCGS in a group of patients with minimal duodenal inflammation. On these bases, an autoimmune stigma in NCGS is strongly supported
In summary, whereas it is not yet clear whether a gluten free diet can prevent autoimmune diseases, it is worth mentioning that HT patients with or without CD benefit from a diet low in gluten as far as the progression and the potential disease complications are concerned
Despite the fact that 5-10% of patients have Celiac disease, in my experience and in the experience of many other physicians, at least 80% + of patients with Hashimoto's who go gluten-free notice a reduction in their symptoms almost immediately.
Similarly few months later consider trying dairy free too. Approx 50-60% find dairy free beneficial
With loads of vegan dairy alternatives these days it’s not as difficult as in the past
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