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Thyroid results
I have just had my bloods all checked after feeling exhausted my GP did my blood sugar levels, Thyroid, ear swab, b12 and folate levels and few others such as full blood count.
My thyroid levels showed as
serum TSH 4.14 mlU/L 0.27-4.20 range and
serum free T4 13.1 pmol/L 12.00-22.00pmol/L
I am taking tegretol but only a small dose and have took it for 30 years and a few other epilepsy drugs.
My ear swab showed a fungal infection after a few years being treated with ciprofloxacin every few months and gentimycin for antibiotic resistant infection. I also have neurological problems including nerves affected all over body. I noticed that around time of my period I get electric shocks down arms and severe fatigue. My FSH level is 7.7 and I am 42 years old. My ferritin level is 24 and b12 333.
My thyroid levels showed as
serum TSH 4.14 mlU/L 0.27-4.20 range and
serum free T4 13.1 pmol/L 12.00-22.00pmol/L
I am taking tegretol but only a small dose and have took it for 30 years and a few other epilepsy drugs.
My ear swab showed a fungal infection after a few years being treated with ciprofloxacin every few months and gentimycin for antibiotic resistant infection. I also have neurological problems including nerves affected all over body. I noticed that around time of my period I get electric shocks down arms and severe fatigue. My FSH level is 7.7 and I am 42 years old. My ferritin level is 24 and b12 333.
Your TSH is at the high end of its range, and your Free T4 of 13.1 is only 11% of its range, which is way too low in the range for many people. In addition you should try to get tested for Free T3, since that is the thyroid hormone that is metabolized by all the cells of your body to produce energy. With those results, it would also be good to get tested for the possibility of having Hashimoto's Thyroiditis. The first test is Thyroid Peroxidase antibodies (TPO ab). If that is negative, then a Thyroglobulin antibodies should follow (TG ab).
A good thyroid doctor will treat a hypothyroid patient clinically, by testing and adjusting Free T4 and Free t3 as needed to relieve symptoms, without being influenced by resultant TSH levels. Symptom relief should be all important, not just test results, and especially not TSH results when taking thyroid med. I expect that since you are in the UK you will have difficulty getting the necessary tests and treatment. The reason being that the NHS dictates that thyroid med should not be prescribed unless the TSH is over 10, or if TSH exceeds the range and FT4 is below its range. By the time that occurs, the patient is usually very symptomatic. To get around this problem, a former UK member described her success as follows:
"What I have learned from my experience is that you have to go to the Dr's office and TELL THEM WHAT YOU WANT and to go backed up with knowledge. You have to tell them that you have done your reading and looked into your condition and care about the long-term treatment of your health and thyroid. If you fight for what you want, you will eventually find someone that is happy to go along with your wishes. But we all have to take charge of our own health, right?"
So for your reading and knowledge, I highly recommend reading at least the first two pages of the following link, and more if you want to get into the discussion and scientific evidence for all that is recommended.
http://www.thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/TUK_PDFs/diagnosis_and_treatment_of_hypothyroidism_issue_1.pdf
In the paper you will note additional tests that should be done. From you those should of course include Free T3, and Vitamin D. D should be at least 50 ng/mL. Your B12 is lower than optimal so you should supplement with about 1000 mcg daily to raise your level to the upper end of its range. In addition ferritin is very important, and your ferritin is way too low. It should be at least 100. So you need to get a good iron supplement and take about 65-75 mg of iron daily, along with Vitamin C to prevent any stomach distress from the iron.
But your main hurdle will be getting a doctor to agree to prescribe thyroid medication. The more you know and become a strong advocate for you own health, the better the chances are that you will get a doctor to treat you clinically, as described. If that becomes impossible, could you go private?
A good thyroid doctor will treat a hypothyroid patient clinically, by testing and adjusting Free T4 and Free t3 as needed to relieve symptoms, without being influenced by resultant TSH levels. Symptom relief should be all important, not just test results, and especially not TSH results when taking thyroid med. I expect that since you are in the UK you will have difficulty getting the necessary tests and treatment. The reason being that the NHS dictates that thyroid med should not be prescribed unless the TSH is over 10, or if TSH exceeds the range and FT4 is below its range. By the time that occurs, the patient is usually very symptomatic. To get around this problem, a former UK member described her success as follows:
"What I have learned from my experience is that you have to go to the Dr's office and TELL THEM WHAT YOU WANT and to go backed up with knowledge. You have to tell them that you have done your reading and looked into your condition and care about the long-term treatment of your health and thyroid. If you fight for what you want, you will eventually find someone that is happy to go along with your wishes. But we all have to take charge of our own health, right?"
So for your reading and knowledge, I highly recommend reading at least the first two pages of the following link, and more if you want to get into the discussion and scientific evidence for all that is recommended.
http://www.thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/TUK_PDFs/diagnosis_and_treatment_of_hypothyroidism_issue_1.pdf
In the paper you will note additional tests that should be done. From you those should of course include Free T3, and Vitamin D. D should be at least 50 ng/mL. Your B12 is lower than optimal so you should supplement with about 1000 mcg daily to raise your level to the upper end of its range. In addition ferritin is very important, and your ferritin is way too low. It should be at least 100. So you need to get a good iron supplement and take about 65-75 mg of iron daily, along with Vitamin C to prevent any stomach distress from the iron.
But your main hurdle will be getting a doctor to agree to prescribe thyroid medication. The more you know and become a strong advocate for you own health, the better the chances are that you will get a doctor to treat you clinically, as described. If that becomes impossible, could you go private?
3 Comments
gimel thank you for replying. My sister had problems with getting treatment for her thyroid a few years ago and had to go private so I may have to do that myself. I am currently taking vitamin c and b12 500mg but will increase that. I need to get some methycobalamin lozenges as last time my levels were 220 but active was deficient. My vit D I am not sure what levels were but know that it was very low so I try to keep these up. I will get some Iron and my folate levels are currently being treated by gp as levels were 2 so take 5mg a day. I will ask my neurologist in few weeks to check thyroid and I think I may have to go private to get anywhere.
I will have a read of the link and thanks again for your help.
I will have a read of the link and thanks again for your help.
I have just been for an appointment to see a GP at my surgery and I was there for a chronic ear infection and mentioned about my thyroid results and she refused to do any other test and said my levels can change. I see my neurologist next week and I will ask them to check my thyroid as they do better testing and know if epilepsy drugs affect my results.
It is very doubtful that the epilepsy drugs caused your low Free T4 and high TSH levels. If that were the case, I think you would have noticed your symptoms long before now, since you have been on those meds for such a long time.
With you having such a low Free T4 level there is little doubt that you are hypothyroid, but you need further testing for Free T3, as mentioned. Without a test it is hard to determine dosage for Vitamin D, but if it was very low it is likely you need about 5000 IU of De daily. You are also working on the B12, but did not mention supplementing for ferritin, which is very important. With a ferritin level of 24, you likely need 65-75 mg of iron daily, along with 500 mg of Vitamin C to prevent stomach distress from the iron.
From you doctor's refusal to do any other tests, and the comment about levels can change, I do not hold out much hope for you getting any help from her. So you are going to have to find another doctor or go private. Following quote is from another UK member with a similar problem. She was finally able to get the help she needed as follows.
"What I have learned from my experience is that you have to go to the Dr's office and TELL THEM WHAT YOU WANT and to go backed up with knowledge. You have to tell them that you have done your reading and looked into your condition and care about the long-term treatment of your health and thyroid. If you fight for what you want, you will eventually find someone that is happy to go along with your wishes. But we all have to take charge of our own health, right?"
If you decide to take this approach the link I previously gave you will give you lots of info, with which to push the doctor to treat clinically, by testing and adjusting Free T4 and Free T3 as needed to relieve symptoms, without being influenced by resultant TSH levels. Symptom relief should be all important, not just test results.
With you having such a low Free T4 level there is little doubt that you are hypothyroid, but you need further testing for Free T3, as mentioned. Without a test it is hard to determine dosage for Vitamin D, but if it was very low it is likely you need about 5000 IU of De daily. You are also working on the B12, but did not mention supplementing for ferritin, which is very important. With a ferritin level of 24, you likely need 65-75 mg of iron daily, along with 500 mg of Vitamin C to prevent stomach distress from the iron.
From you doctor's refusal to do any other tests, and the comment about levels can change, I do not hold out much hope for you getting any help from her. So you are going to have to find another doctor or go private. Following quote is from another UK member with a similar problem. She was finally able to get the help she needed as follows.
"What I have learned from my experience is that you have to go to the Dr's office and TELL THEM WHAT YOU WANT and to go backed up with knowledge. You have to tell them that you have done your reading and looked into your condition and care about the long-term treatment of your health and thyroid. If you fight for what you want, you will eventually find someone that is happy to go along with your wishes. But we all have to take charge of our own health, right?"
If you decide to take this approach the link I previously gave you will give you lots of info, with which to push the doctor to treat clinically, by testing and adjusting Free T4 and Free T3 as needed to relieve symptoms, without being influenced by resultant TSH levels. Symptom relief should be all important, not just test results.
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