Hi, Just curious about this please! You're already looking after me on here & taking vit d, folic acid& iron for low in range, iron-eod due to no capacity at mo, & got my monthly b12 jabs bk for funct def,no thyroid meds.Due to another pressing issue, had to discuss that instead of thyroid, which got brief mention, but was advised thyroid results can vary & mine is fine.
Tsh 2.44(early morn/fast) lowest its been for while
Ft4 14.9(12-22)
Ft3 4 5(3.1-6.8)
You've kindly explained this is not OK & intend to return to discuss, but would just be interested to know how quickly it changes, and is this a sign it is struggling or just a normal thing please.
My results over years do indeed vary, so I couldn't argue, but I'm just unsure as to how much or quickly,daily, weekly etc?
Many thanks...
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Jo5454
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It's true that test results can fluctuate. In some cases it might be from day to day, in other cases it might be from minute to minute or hour to hour. TSH, for example, has a circadian rhythm.
But the way your doctor talked about variation in results it suggests to me that he was trying to explain away a large fluctuation. I'm talking about small variations.
Another very useful piece of information is this one, which shows you the TSH in a population with a healthy thyroid and no known thyroid disease :
It's well worth reading the blurb in the above link. The most common TSH in the healthy population in that link is given as 1.25.
It is worth pointing out that people with thyroid disease who are on appropriate levels of thyroid hormones usually have a lower TSH than healthy people. So your TSH is too high by the standards of many members of this forum. To lower your TSH you would need more Levothyroxine.
Most of us need to raise dose fairly slowly particularly when their results get close to optimal. I would ask your doctor to raise your dose of Levo by 12.5 mcg per day. This might involve taking different amounts of Levo on different days. For example, I take 50mcg Levo on Monday and Thursday, but I take 100mcg on the other days of the week. Some people don't like that variation and make their Levo the same dose every day of the week, I presume by cutting their tablets if necessary, something I am not good at doing evenly. I also take T3, but in the case of T3 it is essential to always take the same amount every day.
Thanks very much humanbean, will read those links & thank you for sharing how you do things.I'm not actually taking any thyroid medication.
Been drawing basic charts for thyroid, b12, etc to see if patterns arise as from yr to year for e.g. ft4 went from 16.4 to 11 to 16.9,but dropped to 12.2 (9-19.1) nhs or 14.9 (12-22)pinprick recently.
Previous Dr denied thyroid an issue when tsh 6ish, then oddly offered medication when it dropped lower.
I'd then found out I'd got a very low iodine 18 (100-200) & thyroid meds had lactose in & I have a milk intolerance so he said to take iodine.
Tsh rose a bit & after supplementing a year & only getting Iodine to 40 & getting worsened stomach rightly or wrongly stopped iodine, plus I then discovered b12 def so focused on that.
Anyway, new Dr now, and due to ft4 dropping with recent advice on here thought I'd consider if thyroid a poss prob, but doesn't seem like he thinks it is.
I feel exhausted and ache all over, brainfog, but unsure whether it's due to b12, ferritin levels at 35 or a combination of allsorts! So trying to get better levels & no doubt have to be patient in meantime.
Click on "Read the list of available tests" and on page 3 of the pdf you'll see
Urine Iodine Test:
Specimen requirements: Urine
Cost: £76
Order Code: END25
Turnaround time: 5 - 10 days
Urine iodine is one of the best measures of iodine status. This test is not performed as a loading test, but can be used to establish existing levels or to monitor iodine supplementation.
Perhaps better to eat fish 2-3 times a week. Cod, shrimp, tuna
Eggs and prunes too
Dairy intolerance suggests autoimmune thyroid disease more likely
Thank you SlowDragon, that's all incredibly useful to know & will work my way through the links u kindly sent.I'm not on any thyroid treatment as Dr thinks these rests fine? He said results can vary and I was just wondering how much they do vary day to day so I can re-discuss that next time! Am tr
Really appreciate all of that info, particularly about bodyweight. I'm 48 kilos. Often wonder in general medication if low bodyweights need as much as higher ones. Most things I take seem to knock me for 6! Trying to get all these other levels right, but just getting rather impatient at feeling so tired & achey!
Thank you, tested antibodies, they are never over-range as of yet.Had a coeliac test many years ago, was fine. Did a private gliadin test included with other tests, thar was borderline, so follow a gluten free diet. Not sure I noticed a difference in how I felt, but maybe it's helping in another way?
No, not a vegetarian, & regularly eat meat,poultry & fish, both white and oily. Do need to get back onto chicken livers thpugh, was eating once or twice week. Try to get iron from non-haem as much as possible too as well as include nuts daily.
Iron profile showed need fir iron, but saturation top of range, thus no capacity. Have read though that if supplementing iron saturation can elevate initially, then drop, so am risking taking iron as okayed by Dr & will do another Iron profile in a month or so.
I got diagnosed with 2 polyps in nostrils last wk ( biggest Dr has ever seen,not the greatest of boasts to have:)) so imagine I'll need a scan as don't think the endoscopy rod will get past em to view further. Wonder if that would cover thyroid area? Or even be as good as ultrasound? I'll see what I can find out. If not, I'll look into ultrasounds in my area.
Am on a mission to try to sort as many health issues as I can on my 50th year! Tried to sort foot issue at same appt, apparently feet are a chiropodist job, out cometh purse again!
When your previous doctor offered thyroid hormones when your TSH dropped did you turn them down?
If this was due to them containing lactose there are some brands of levo that don't. There are other members on the forum that don't tolerate lactose (myself included)
With you having an iodine deficiency, are you a vegetarian or vegan? Just curious as I had a deficiency also. This was due to following a plant based vegan diet.
I've yet to have another iodine test to check my levels but levothyroxine contains iodine. I would go back to your GP and ask about getting levothyroxine prescribed.
Well because I was wary of taking the tablets due to containing lactose I researched iodine, tested & found I was very deficient.
So when I discussed, he just said take the iodine and try that instead.
Thank you, yes.recently kind ones on here supplied me with a list of lactose free.
I'm unsure what my exact problem with milk is. Basically, was in poor health, had sinus polyps investigated, told chronic sinus issues & improve my immune health.
So did food intolerance blood tests at York test & showed I have milk intolerance. So am milk free, but no not vegetarian.
If I try to reintroduce milk within days I have a temperature, sinus infections,etc.
Having said that I lasr wk was diagnosed with 2 of largest nasal polyps Dr has ever seen & need op & still in poor health, but addressing b12,iron, etc.
Am going to ask for a lactose test next I think, as I guess if that returns as ok, I can at least take meds with lactose in and assume its another part of milk which is the problem?
Can I ask if you had tests for lactose please or found it out by elimination somehow?
As I've eaten a plant based diet for many years and not eaten any dairy products for a long time, when I started Levothyroxine the brand contained lactose and I couldn't tolerate it at all. It caused me to be very bloated like I was heavily pregnant, excessive wind (very embarrassing!) and loose bowels. Thankfully this all stopped when I changed to a different brand lactose free. I've not had any testing done in connection with dairy issues but have had a test for iodine and I was also deficient.
If you haven't got any recent blood test results I would get them done privately so you have an idea of what your levels are currently including antibodies to see if your problem is autoimmune; follow the protocol suggested on the forum 9am testing etc. GP's generally do not do the full testing necessary for monitoring a thyroid problem. Hope yours is more helpful than most?
Ah, I see. Glad you were able to find a way around it and narrowed it down to lactose. Must admit my stomach issues are much better when I stopped having milk.Thank you, yes, I had nhs Thyroid tests in March, then did pinprick ones privately in July.
Tsh bit higher on private as could do earlier.
Thank you and hope you find your iodine has raised when you next test and you're feeling better for being on medication.
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& taking vit d, folic acid& iron for low in range, iron-eod due to no capacity at mo, & got my monthly b12 jabs bk for funct def,no thyroid meds.Due to another pressing issue, had to discuss that instead of thyroid, which got brief mention, but was advised thyroid results can vary & mine is fine.
Can anyone help me to interpret my thyroid function blood test results please? Came back as normal - no action.
My wife has Thyroid issues and I'm really desperate to help her as much as I can
Help Please! First Medichecks bloods results- I wish I'd done them a year ago as I've nothing to compare with! 
Advice on my results please.
Advice on thyroid results please, and ferritin levels.
