Blood Test results

[Guest guest]

TSH should be around 1.0 and free T3 is outside the bottom of

the range. It should be in the upper third of the reference range, he must be

feeling awful. Doesn't his GP know that TSH is not a thyroid hormone and that

T3 is the active thyroid hormone that every cell in the body and brain need to

make them function and doesn't he even appreciate that his level of T3 is

outside of the ref. range?

This GP should test to see if he has antibodies to his thyroid (TPO

and TgAb) and start him on a trial of levothyroxine immediately. If he doesn't

know anything about thyroid disease, he should refer your husband to an

endocrinologist who specialises in this field immediately. I would write a letter

to this GP asking him to do this.

Luv - Sheila

Usual advice from GP that my husband's TSH is normal despite his weight gain

and extreme tiredness. No underlying conditions and all blood tests in the

normal range, Had T$ and 3 done privately and these are the results. Your

advice would be appreciated.

TSH 2.054 µU/ml 0.38 - 4.31

FT3 3.28 pmol/l - 3.50 - 6.50

FT4 16.63 pmol/l 11.50 - 22.70

[Guest guest]

Thank you Sheila. We had thought we would just buy some levothyroxine on the internet and he could try this. GP not helpful at all-the TSH is normal so it does not matter that the T3 is below range-it's the TSH that counts! We cannot get the antibody blood test done where we got the other tests from. Do you know where we could get these done privately please?Thank you so much for your advice and time it is much appreciated. HelenFrom: Sheila <sheila@...>thyroid treatment Sent: Friday, 11 November 2011, 8:44Subject: RE: blood test results

TSH should be around 1.0 and free T3 is outside the bottom of

the range. It should be in the upper third of the reference range, he must be

feeling awful. Doesn't his GP know that TSH is not a thyroid hormone and that

T3 is the active thyroid hormone that every cell in the body and brain need to

make them function and doesn't he even appreciate that his level of T3 is

outside of the ref. range? This GP should test to see if he has antibodies to his thyroid (TPO

and TgAb) and start him on a trial of levothyroxine immediately. If he doesn't

know anything about thyroid disease, he should refer your husband to an

endocrinologist who specialises in this field immediately. I would write a letter

to this GP asking him to do this. Luv - Sheila

Usual advice from GP that my husband's TSH is normal despite his weight gain

and extreme tiredness. No underlying conditions and all blood tests in the

normal range, Had T$ and 3 done privately and these are the results. Your

advice would be appreciated.

TSH 2.054 µU/ml 0.38 - 4.31

FT3 3.28 pmol/l - 3.50 - 6.50

FT4 16.63 pmol/l 11.50 - 22.70

[Guest guest]

As his free T3 is outside the bottom of the reference range, if

this was me, I would be opting to buy Cytomel and not levothyroxine Helen.

Check our FILES SECTION and scroll down to the FOLDER entitled 'Internet

Pharmacies' and you can see where you can buy without the requirement of a

prescription. I would not worry too much about testing for antibodies at the

moment, if the NHS are refusing to give your husband a diagnosis, because

whatever the cause of his hypothyroidism, the treatment remains the same. He

sounds as if he needs to get on with the thyroid hormone replacement. He should

take Selenium 200mcgs daily, vitamin C 2/3000mgs at least, a good vitamin B

complex.

Luv - Sheila

Thank you Sheila. We had thought we would just buy some

levothyroxine on the internet and he could try this. GP not helpful at all-the

TSH is normal so it does not matter that the T3 is below range-it's the TSH

that counts!

We cannot get the antibody blood test done where we got the other

tests from. Do you know where we could get these

done privately please?

Thank you so much for your advice and time it is much appreciated.

Helen

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[Guest guest]

Hello Chrissie

It looks like your message was posted twice. I'll delete the duplicate one

Moderator

>

> After four weeks on 10mcg T3 I rang for my blood test results,expecting TSH

FT4 and FT4 which my GP asked for.First I was told the TSH 2.0,then that my T4

and T3 hadn`t arrived yet and to call on Monday. I then discovered my GP is now

on 2 weeks paternity leave,so decided to call the lab mysel at my husband`s

[Guest guest]

Well done Chrissie for standing your ground and demanding that

this laboratory technician READ THE FORM. Actually, this is extremely worrying

that laboratories are not looking properly at the blood tests our doctors are

requesting. This could be really serious for certain blood tests.

I will be away next week in Manchester at the GMC but will look

forward to reading your results when I return, unless they get lost under the

huge pile of messages I am likely to come back to. The other members here are

quite brilliant and will be able to help with their interpretation and give you

an idea of what you might need.

Luv - Sheila

Any way he has agreed to do them and I have to ring him on Monday afternoon.Ill

post them then

However as I cannot see my GP for two weeks and cannot face a battle with

another doctor, this blood test would have been a complete waste of time if I

hadn`t called the lab but waited two weeks to see GP. However I shall tell the

GP what happened. he could not have made it any clearer what he wanted. I know

the blood test results will become more or less irrelevant but the GP needs the

crutch and I need his support.

[Guest guest]

Hi everyone

Can someone help me interpret these blood tests please?

TSH 2.0 - up from 1.3 in Sept (0.2-5.5)

FT4 11.9 - down from 18.3 in September (11.5-22.7)

FT3 4.2 - down from 4.8 in September(<7.1)

I was on 75mcg thyroxine,now on 10mcg T3 and 25mcg thyroxine for the last month.

It looks to me as though it is undermedication? All comments gratefully received

Chrissie

[Guest guest]

Yes Chrissie, that does look like undermedication. You would expect the free

t4 to drop, but the t3 you are now on is a baby baby dose...

The amount of T3 used for prescriptions, according to the British National

Forumulary - start at 10 or 20 in a split dose as go up as far as 60 if

needed......

Has your doctor suggested this doseage?

> TSH 2.0 - up from 1.3 in Sept (0.2-5.5)

> FT4 11.9 - down from 18.3 in September (11.5-22.7)

> FT3 4.2 - down from 4.8 in September(<7.1)

>

[Guest guest]

WOW - bit of a tall order Chrissie as it is practically

impossible for me to catch up with all the questions posted whilst I was away

at the GMC - however, thanks for posting the message number.

" TSH 2.0 - up

from 1.3 in Sept (0.2-5.5)

FT4 11.9 - down from 18.3 in September (11.5-22.7)

FT3 4.2 - down from 4.8 in September(<7.1)

I was on 75mcg thyroxine,now on 10mcg T3 and 25mcg thyroxine for the last

month.

It looks to me as though it is undermedication? All comments gratefully

received "

It's

no wonder you blood test results showed such low numbers, the amount of thyroid

hormone replacement is about the teeniest you could get and will not be doing

you any good whatsoever. Your free T4 is right at the very bottom of the

reference range so there is none to convert to the active thyroid hormone T3

which every cell in your body and brain need to make them function, and the

10mcgs of T3 is obviously doing little to nothing for you. I am assuming that

you started taking T3 because the T4 was doing nothing for you and you wanted

to see a bit of action and get things moving, but most folk start T3 on 20mcgs,

taking 10mcgs first thing and the other 10mcgs in the middle of the afternoon,

around 2.00/3.00p.m. to keep 'the engine running'. Then after 2 to 3 weeks, it

is normal to increase by another 10mcgs of T3, and if no adverse reactions,

increase by another 10mcgs in another 2 to 3 weeks and see how you get on.

You

need to take a high dose of vitamin C, 200mcgs Selenium, zinc, B-Complex, and

if you are suffering with low adrenal reserve, before even starting on the T3, you

should start to boost your adrenals with some form of adrenal supplement such

as Nutri Adrenal Extra for 7 days, and then start the addition of T3.

You

have probably told me already but I cannot remember, are you self-treating or

being prescribed this. From the 10mcgs T3, I should imagine your GP is

prescribing this because Cytomel (that you usually have to buy for yourself

comes as 25mcgs).

Luv -

Sheila

Sheila

You commented on my post 93299,but you might like to comment on post 93425

which was posted while you were in Manchester- great result by the way!

Chrissie

_,___

[Guest guest]

Hi Sheila,Thank you so much for your reply & advice. I really appreciate it :-) I'm putting my replies below (in red). This seems to have gotten lost so I'm resending it. I hope that's ok:On 27 November 2011 11:42, Sheila <sheila@...> wrote:If your doctor wants to start prescribing thyroid hormone replacement, he is likely to start you on 25 or 50mcgs levothyroxine. Thyroxine works for the majority of folk, at least for a few years, and then sometimes you need to add some form of T3, but for now, you should go along with any prescription for thyroxine and see how that works.Ok, thanks. I thought my T3 was low & I hear people on the LDN site saying not to take T4 only thyroid meds. Did the LDN work for you. ME and fibromyalgia Both can be treated successfully with the thyroid hormone T3. Both are caused through a lack of the active thyroid hormone T3.It only took me 25 years to hear this :-) This is what I heard on the LDN group which is why I got these tests done. I got M.E. in 1986 and, as you say, my blood tests have always mostly been normal. I hadn't heard of any other type of thyroid tests until recently & it took a long time to get them done here (Ireland). I started LDN in August and in the past while I'm definitely feeling stronger. Wouldn't be able to walk up to the top of my road but gees, I can walk around the house & my husband brought me into town & I managed to walk around a store, slowly but still :-) So I honestly think it's working. Of course with M.E., it may have happened anyway!!! But my gut is telling me it's the LDN.What was your oestrogen result and did they test progesterone/testosterone?The results I gave are the only ones I got. A very kind lady on a thyroid site gave me the name of a professor here in Ireland. When I got an appt. with him he said he knew by looking at me that I need oestrogen. When I posted my results to him (I didn't have the Free T3 result at that time), he said again that I needed Oestrogen. So I thought maybe the DHEA was the test which indicated this. I'm 52 so I thought I would naturally have less Oestrogen, being almost at the end of the menopause?I have highlighted only those results that need looking into> Reverse T3 ug/L.....(0.09 - 0.35) 0.26 ......399.4 pmol/L (399.4 I think?), can you help here?Do I need to write to her personally? > Free T3 pmol/L .....(3.50 - 6.50) 3.70 FAR too low. Your fT3 should be in the upper third of the reference range.So, do you mean when I my doctor prescribes, he should prescribe one that includes T3? > Ferritin ...................(10 - 322) 68.50 - ferritin levels should be oround 90 to 130, so you would benefit from supplementing with some form of elemental iron, such as Ferrous Fumerate, Ferrous Glutamate, 2 to 3 Sachets of Spatone.My ferritin was 'almost completely depleted' about 24 years ago & my then doctor panicked big time. I had the equivalent of 12 iron injections to bring it up!! Also I'm not good at absorbing things as I have a lot of trouble with my tummy :-( You should also be taking high doses of vitamin C i.e. 3/4000mgs daily. Do not take any form of iron or calciuim 4 hours near to taking any form of thyroid hormone replacement.Ok, I can get Vitamin C, thank you.> B12 .......................(240 - 911) 470.00 B12 levels should be near to the top of the range, so you might benefit with 1000mcgs sublingual B12 daily.I get B12 injections every so often, one a day for 7 days but it just gradually dwindles down. I still have some vials here in the fridge so I can get somebody to give me the injections. I feel I need them again :-)> Cortisol ..................(193 - 690) 444.00 Was this an early morning blood test?Yes! I had expected it to be low as I can normally barely get out of bed ( & that's on a good day). Also I can't get to sleep at night so I thought I had adrenal issues as well as thyroid problems. I had started to improve though from being on the LDN for 2 months, was not as weak! I've never had the 24-hour saliva test done that I see mentioned and don't know if it can be done here. > DHEAS umol/L .......(0.89 - 5.75) 1.60 - this is low and you could benefit with 25mgs DHEA daily. DHEA takes quite a while to build up and you may not feel any benefit for up to 3 months, but you should continue to take it.Ok, thanks :-) I take it I need to ask my doctor to prescribe it? > Vitamin D ????? - was this not tested?Yes it was but I don't have the result yet. My G.P. says it takes 2/3 weeks so I should have it in the next day or so. > Cholesterol ......................(0.1 - 5.2) 7.23* [was 9.30] 281. Are you taking anything to lower your cholesterol? No but I'm not worried to be honest. It has gone down from 9.30 to 7.23. As you can imagine I'm not active. I'm 'kind of' on the Paleo and I think if I could just get myself sorted someway, it'll be okay. As my G.P. says, it's not the worst of my problems. But yes, it is high. Luv - SheilaThank you so much for all that information, Sheila. As you can imagine, I'm pretty much at the end of my tether. I'll be getting another appt. with the professor soon & I felt I'd like to have as much information as possible as I definitely don't want to be prescribed something that isn't going to do the job. I know my brother & daughter-in-law are on Eltroxin, which appears to be the usual prescription, though they were diagnosed from their TSH. Also I was told about 24 years ago that I have a goitre. My average temperature was 96.8 (36.04) degrees with a variation of at least 1 full degree (i.e. lowest: 96.4, highest: 97.4). I can't get my BP up, it normally ranges from 80/50 to 80/60 which doesn't make for easy living :-(.Love, Noreen

[Guest guest]

reposting Noreen's comments (in red) below - I have removed

information that doesn't need a response or comment:

What was your oestrogen

result and did they test progesterone/testosterone?

The results I gave are the only ones I got. A very kind

lady on a thyroid site gave me the name of a professor here in Ireland.

When I got an appt. with him he said he knew by looking at me that I need

oestrogen. When I posted my results to him (I didn't have the Free T3

result at that time), he said again that I needed Oestrogen. So I thought

maybe the DHEA was the test which indicated this. I'm 52 so I thought I

would naturally have less Oestrogen, being almost at the end of the menopause?

Have you yet managed to get your oestrogen results. If this was

tested, your GP will have them in your medical notes, together with the

reference range, so give him a ring and ask for the results.

I have highlighted only

those results that need looking into

> Reverse T3 ug/L.....(0.09 - 0.35) 0.26 ......399.4 pmol/L (399.4 I think?) , can you help

here?

Do I need to write to her

personally?

If has not seen your

message, I will pass it on to her privately and she will let you know

> Free T3 pmol/L .....(3.50 - 6.50) 3.70 FAR too low. Your fT3 should be in the upper third of the reference

range.

So, do you mean when I my

doctor prescribes, he should prescribe one that includes T3?

It would be preferable, but

it is very doubtful a NHS doctor would start you straight off on T3, believing

that everybody can convert the mainly inactive thyroid hormone T4 into T3.

However, it could be that T4 might well work very well for you, so give it a

try.

> Ferritin ...................(10 - 322) 68.50 -

ferritin levels should be oround 90 to 130, so

you would benefit from supplementing with some form of elemental iron, such as

Ferrous Fumerate, Ferrous Glutamate, 2 to 3 Sachets of Spatone.

My ferritin was 'almost completely depleted' about 24 years ago

& my then doctor panicked big time. I had the equivalent of 12 iron

injections to bring it up!! Also I'm not good at absorbing things as I

have a lot of trouble with my tummy :-(

That could be a problem for

anybody taking iron, and also vitamin C. What is the " tummy trouble "

you are experiencing?

> Cortisol ..................(193 - 690)

444.00<193%20-%20690%20%20%20444.00> Was this an early morning blood test?

Yes! I had expected it to

be low as I can normally barely get out of bed ( & that's on a good day).

Also I can't get to sleep at night so I thought I had adrenal issues as

well as thyroid problems. I had started to improve though from being on

the LDN for 2 months, was not as weak! I've never had the 24-hour saliva

test done that I see mentioned and don't know if it can be done here.

You can get the 24 hour

salivary adrenal stress test done privately through Genova Diagnostics. they

send you out a kit comprising of four little test tubes and four straws. You

place one straw in one test tube and you proceed to spit down the straw until

the test tube is almost full. You can stimulate more saliva flow by placing

your finger and thumb under your chin where you can feel two little glands

either side of your wind pipe and massage them. Check out our FILES section on

this forum web site. Go to the Home Page, and click FILES in the Menu. Then

open the FOLDER Discounts on Supplements and Tests and open the document

entitled 'Genova Diagnostics' and follow the instructions for ordering the test

- you need to write 'Thyroid Patient Advocacy' when they ask who your medical

practitioner is. The results should be back with you within about 10 days.

> DHEAS umol/L .......(0.89 - 5.75) 1.60 - this is low and you could benefit with 25mgs DHEA

daily. DHEA takes quite a while to build up and you may not feel any benefit

for up to 3 months, but you should continue to take it.

Ok, thanks :-) I take it

I need to ask my doctor to prescribe it?

Again, I very much doubt

your doctor will prescribe DHEA for you. However, you can buy this easily without

prescription over the Internet. You need 25mgs daily. Biovea in the UK is a

good source to buy this from and they are a very reputable pharmacy.

> Vitamin D ?????

- was this not tested?

Yes it was but I don't have the

result yet. My G.P. says it takes 2/3 weeks so I should have it in the

next day or so.

Do you yet have this result?

> Cholesterol ......................(0.1 - 5.2) 7.23* [was 9.30] 281. Are you taking anything

to lower your cholesterol?

No but I'm not worried to be

honest. It has gone down from 9.30 to 7.23. As you can imagine I'm

not active. I'm 'kind of' on the Paleo and I think if I could just get

myself sorted someway, it'll be okay. As my G.P. says, it's not the worst

of my problems. But yes, it is high

Keep an eye on your cholesterol,

remember that high levels of cholesterol can cause a furring up or your blood

vessels leaving little room for a good blood flow. You can use natural products

such as Niacin (vitamin B3) 350mcgs and CoEnzymeQ10 300mgs. Again, you can buy

these privately. .

Thank you so much for all that information,

Sheila. As you can imagine, I'm pretty much at the end of my tether.

I'll be getting another appt. with the professor soon & I felt I'd

like to have as much information as possible as I definitely don't want to be

prescribed something that isn't going to do the job. I know my brother

& daughter-in-law are on Eltroxin, which appears to be the usual

prescription, though they were diagnosed from their TSH. Also I was told

about 24 years ago that I have a goitre. I can't get my BP up, it normally

ranges from 80/50 to 80/60 which doesn't make for easy living :-(.

Do tell the professor about

your family history of thyroid and/or autoimmune disease - this can run down

the family line.

Luv - Sheila

,___