Can anyone decipher these Thyroid blood test results please?

[Shpo]

I don't know what they mean but I need a repeat test and can't get through to Dr's.

You're low in folate, and your thyroid is underactive. Not sure how high the NHS want your TSH to be before they treat you, if you aren't on treatment already? How are you feeling?

I felt awful when my folate was low and mine wasn’t as low as that. Kept getting heart palpitations as well. They prescribed folic acid for a couple of months I think it was. You can buy it as pregnancy vitamins while you’re waiting from any pharmacy.

I feel awful.

I have heart palpitations all the time and I wake up and plan when I can nap. I'm just exhausted constantly.

These are my tests from may 2001 (top) and may 2002.

If you haven’t already I’d write your symptoms down to show the doctor. I’d also have a look at the NICE guidance to check at what point they will start treatment. Maybe you could call in to the surgery about getting an appointment. Or use the econsult if they use it at your surgery.

Have you had a test for coeliac? I have an underactive thyroid and low folate, and both are common in coeliac disease.

They shouldn’t just be looking at the numbers. They should be listening to your symptoms as well. Can you afford to see a specialist privately? Usually about £250 in my area.

Definitely go private. I'm waiting on treatment for an overactive thyroid, it was an urgent referral in August.

You are in dire need of folate and have been for ages.

If you have a healthy diet you shouldn't be short of folate so would start to wonder about coeliac causing you not to absorb it.

Your thyroid has varied up and down over time but it looks as if your GP is monitoring it as subclinical hypothyroidism as your Free T4 is always in normal range. NICE guidance recommends only treating if your TSH is >10, or if you are TTC/actually pregnant.

Nice guidance says -

1.5.4 Consider a 6-month trial of levothyroxine for adults under 65 with subclinical hypothyroidism who have:

a TSH above the reference range but lower than 10 mlU/litre on 2 separate occasions 3 months apart, and

symptoms of hypothyroidism.

So if your TSH is high again in 3 months they should start treatment. You might be able to persuade them to start it straight away though because of your previously high results.

I've had a gastric sleeve so that probably contributes though it was an issue before.

Folic acid supplements are recommended after gastric surgery.

Things like recurrent thrush, sinusitis are symptoms of hypothyroidism, as is bursitis and tendonitis. Being left-handed also increases a tendance to auto-immune disorders, too.

Were you not given any dietary advice after your gastric sleeve? It will radically affect your absorption of vitamins and minerals, for which you need lifelong supplementation plus annual checks.

There are recommendation in the leaflet below but they make it clear that some people will need more than a standard multivitamin.

www.sth.nhs.uk/clientfiles/File/PIL1716%20vitamins%20and%20minerals.pdf

With undetectable folate I would not be surprised if you were anaemic too and generally felt rubbish.

Well yes but 2 years down the line I just don't follow it. Completely my fault obviously.

I'm going to make some big changes. I need to.

Ah there is your answer. I'd be surprised if you weren't Vitamin D deficient as well, and likely some others.

I've also learnt the hard way I have to take care of my health, it's a big wake up call.

It really is :(

You should be having B12 shots, taking a good multivitamin and taking calcium if you’ve had a gastric sleeve.

I've got b12 shits. I'm going to start doing them again.

Shots!

I think you’ll feel a lot better if you have your B12 shots every 12 weeks. Also, if you start on levothyroxine, you need to be really careful about spacing out this, food, coffee and any iron supplements so nothing interferes with it.

I think they're going to say wait the 3 months for the next set of results before starting levo.

Is it possible to get it under control myself? I mean if I sort out my iron levels, take my b12 and supplements can I avoid the thyroid issues?

I know nothing about it so don't even know if my levels are bad.