afternoon everyone - I'm new to the forum as I have recently been diagnosed with subclinical hypothyroidism
I had a Bupa health check in August paid for by my employer and it was picked up then (along with ventricular ectopics that i'm now on medication for and a very slightly low folate level which i'm taking tablets for)
so in Aug 24 my results were TSH 6.66 and T4 13.7 - they suggested a retest in 3 months as sometimes it resolves itself
I had the retest at my GP 2 weeks ago - results TSH 6.02 and T4 12
When i called for the results I was told the doctor wants to see you. So i called for an appointment to discuss the results.
Instead of an appointment I got a message to say that I had underactive thyroid and that the test should be repeated in 3 years unless I have symptoms.
Is every 3 years reasonable? it seems quite a long time to go between tests.
is a reduction in T4 of 1.7 over 3 months normal - i'm not sure how much fluctuation is expected?
I read the info leaflet they gave and it looks like i do have some of the symptoms listed (I just assumed that they were start of menopause/age related)
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Sewingmad24
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Three years! That is madness. It shrieks typo or misheard dictation.
TSH can change significantly within a single day. Enough to switch between a result a GP would treat to one they wouldn't - or vice versa. And if already elevated, the variation does tend to be greater.
Was the GP aware of your BUPA tests? Because their decision appears to be based on following guidelines without the input of reason or intelligence.
They should be aware yes - Bupa sent all the results to the GP and requested that they perform a retest in 3 months. I then had a letter from the GP to schedule the retest that i had in Nov so they definitely had all the results from Bupa - whether or not they looked at them is another matter.
I have only been on Bisoprolol for about 2 months. so the first reading was before i started and the second was about 7 weeks in - symptom wise the only difference i noticed is that the palpitations have stopped - all of my current symptoms were there before the meds.
I think ill push for an actual appointment though to discuss my symptoms. at the very least if they don't consider medication now then I will ask for another retest in 3 months or so.
the other day on here ...someone blood results form,,, i was shocked to see 'if stable repeat 3 yrs' written in the lab advice... so not a typo .
can't remember whose it was now , or if it was stable subclinical or stable on levo, but some places clearly are advising GP's that 3 yr follow up is appropriate... which i agree is bonkers .
Ha ha I keep getting letters off my surgery asking me to come in for a review of my mental health condition. As far as I know I don’t have one and have never taken antidepressants. The only thing I can think of is 15 years ago I was offered counselling for getting upset at my Endocrinologist appointment because he said my levels were ok when they clearly were not. I then discharged myself from his clinic. I then had a letter from the surgery saying an appointment had been to see a counsellor. I of course cancelled it.
I know. I still have delusional written in my GP notes because I kept making appointments to ask for more investigations when I had undiagnosed Graves’ disease. I have asked the practice Manager to remove the remarks but they have refused because the doctor who made them no longer works there.
At this GP surgery we strive to make patient notes as confusing and inaccurate as possible to keep them coming back for more..... Secretly written somewhere in their training maybe. 🙄
I honestly despair! What with what’s going on in the news over the past couple of days with women, I won’t get political as it’s against the rules but I sometimes wonder if there is a conspiracy against women in particular to label us as mentally ill and not in charge of our facilities so we can’t possibly know our own minds! Perhaps if they just wait 3 years or longer we will just all go away or die off so they don’t have to be bothered with us …sigh!🙄
After two abnormal over range tests 3 months apart they should be offering you thyroid meds. Unfortunately some NHS GP's are very reluctant to do so until TSH reaches 10. Ridiculous but sadly true.
Have you ever had your thyroid antibodies tested to see if you have autoimmune thyroid issues, as having those elevated can sometimes mean they are more inclined to treat.
both my tests were in the morning - the first one was before I had ate/drank anything as part of the Bupa wellness test.
they also tested
folate; <2.0
B12; 76
Ferritin; 99
the second test I had the doctors I had drinks but no food - it was in the morning
I haven't ever had any other test for thyroid - i have had blood tests for B12/folate/iron quite a few times before as I'm always tired but they have always come back normal (Apart from sometime folate is a bit low - im taking folate tablets) Since then i have just put fatigue down to age and struggled through.
I don't take any other vitamins/supplements
I was looking at the symptom list and there are quite a few symptoms on the list that i have but just put up with as i thought its just a part of getting older/early menopause - such as irregular periods, weight gain even with dieting, really cold extremities (all the time - my hands are freezing as i write this) , dizziness usually when standing up but not always (though this could be heart related), wrist pain (how is that related to thyroid issues?) but i work at a desk so could be just that.
there are a few more but in lesser degrees but I wouldn't consider them a symptom - just expected wear and tear if you will.
Five percent of people will have results outside of the 95% reference intervals. Your TSH is only just outside. TSH increases very rapidly (exponentially) as thyroid hormone levels fall so a TSH of 6 is not much More important are signs and symptoms, the TSH test isn't very reliable. You didn't really have symptoms, at least not enough for you to notice and see a doctor. We will all be able to tick off some of the signs and symptoms linked to hypothyroidism, it's a matter of whether they affect your day to day life
Three years is a bit long, it's reasonable to retest either in one year OR if you develop symptoms. Only you can decide whether you already have symptoms of hypothyroidism, I wouldn't worry about these numbers as things didn't get worse over the three month period. Doctors tend to pay too much attention to minor changes in numbers, it's more important to see and examine the patient.
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