Any thryoid experts? Are these thyroid test results okay?

[zippy539]

I went to docs with loads of symptoms of hypothyroid plus family history of auto-immune ( alopeica and coeliac in maternal aunts and DS has Type 1 Diabetes). Test results came back as within normal range - TSH = 3.1 (range .2-4.5) Free T4 = 12 (range 9-21).

I've got to go back to GP cos my liver results were a bit elevated (gulp!) so should I say anything re future monitoring etc? I don't want to be flogging a dead horse if thyroid isn't the issue but I'd love an answer to why I'm feeling like crap (knackered, sinus infections, dry skin/hair, chronic plantar facilitis, breaking nails, weight not shifting, memory problems, intermittent blurry vision, heavy periods).

tsh should really be below 2 and your t4 is low in range but you will struggle to get a gp to prescribe as you are 'in range'. you could ask for a test for thyroid antibodies and regular thyroid blood tests?
also ask for a b12 test, vit d test and ferritin test as those could be low and cause similar symptoms
also you could look at healthy eating to try to get your body back in balance
there seem to be a lot of people with celiacs plus autoimmune disorders
(no medical background)

Agree absolutely with PP. Also know that with results like yours I was very unwell indeed.

Wow, okay - thanks san and rockin - appreciate that. I don't have any stomach problems so I'm thinking probably not coeliac but was wondering about Hashimotos because of the auto-immune link. But I'm a bit confused about Hashimotos cos I think you swing between hypo and hyper - is that right? So I would be having hyper symptoms as well as hypo ones?

Will ask for the b12 etc tests - thanks for that advice. I'm not the most assertive person in the world so asking the doctor for any kind of additional testing brings me out in a rash but I feel so rotten that I'll grasp the nettle!

If I don't do anything will those levels get worse or do they stay where they are (or get better with healthy eating etc). (Already reasonably healthy and don't drink booze - gave it up four months ago because I was feeling so bleurgh).

Thanks loads for any guidance - feeling a bit bewildered at the minute.

Hi, I felt very similar and had similar blood results a year past november, i was told my results were normal by GP - by march i could hardly function, had my tests repeated and they were really bad (tsh 70, free t4 2) so i was then officially hypothyroid and started treatment. i would get your results repeated especially if you start to feel any worse.

Whoa yes you thyroid results are not right.BUT some of the other things you have said ping out at me as I have psoriatic arthritis and nails get attacked and plantar fasciatis is very common in it,along with your memory problems and blurry vision.

Have you ever had psoriasis no matter how little or how long ago?

Thanks pash - sorry you had to get so bad! I hope you're getting the right treatment now (from what I've read it's not always so easy as just popping a pill!). That seems like a really speedy 'decline' in Tsh. Eek.

mrspott - no, never has psoriasis as far as I know. The plantar fasciatis is a nightmare - I'm spending a fortune on physio and I'm still hobbling around. It's been going on for a good couple of years. Sorry about your psoriatic arthritis - that must be really difficult to live with.

My results were similar to yours and symptoms are exactly the same. Chronic plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendonitis for 3 years. Just seen a private thyroid specialist who confirmed that this is definitely a symptom of hypothyroid.

Sadly though I think you would need to go privately as the NHS refused to treat me as my blood tests were "normal"

itwillbe - thanks for response and sorry to hear that. Is the specialist going to treat you at those kinds of levels?

Thanks zippy, yes the decline was surprisingly fast, felt so much better after i started levothyroxine, though i am not settled yet on a long term dose as diagnosis was only 9 months ago but getting there and my plantar fasciitis is finally getting better. dr told me they weren't connected.. hmm.

In my experience they won't start treatment till tsh is over 5, if free t4 is still within normal range but tsh is elevated they call this sub clinical hypothyroidism and can start treatment.

best of luck!

zippy I'm now being treated but only because I'm paying privately. I couldn't imagine how ill you have to become before the NHS blood test hi light a problem . I got close to the upper 'normal' ranges and was very ill. You need to really educate yourself and push for treatment. Good luck !

Thanks pash and itwillbe . I just got the official letter from the GP saying that my thyroid results are 'absolutely normal'. Oh dear. Dreading going back to argue the toss but think I'm def going to ask for the antibody test for Hashi's as a starter. Can you get blood tests privately - I know absolutely nothing about private medicine?

One of the GPs in my local practice agreed with the private GP I saw that TSH should be under 2. Around 1 is good. Over 2.5 suggests your thyroid isn't working and your t4 is also on the low side. I had results like yours for years and went back and forth to the GP feeling ghastly but it took until day when they tested yet again and my TSH was 22 for me to be put on medication. Ask for an antibody test now. If mine had been done years ago they might have taken me more seriously when I said my thryroid was out of order (my Mum has the same thing so I knew what it felt like). You can get natural thyroxine privately, I did that initially but it sent me hyper, so I left it for a while -but in hindsight too long as I was really rough by the time I was given thyroxine by my GP. I am also almost certainly coeliac , get tested for that too, you may not be symptomatic but you could be damaging your gut. Also I had raised liver enzymes for years and years and only when I started on thyroxine did they go back to normal, I have no idea why, but my GP clearly thought I could be a secret drinker (have a glass of wine about twice a year!!) and/or depressed. My best friend was told she could have MS before they realised it was a thyroid problem.

you can get a fairly cheap thyroid finger prick test. if you go on thyroid uk forum they have a discount code too

Your GP should not refuse to test TPO and TgAB antibodies if you have a family history of thyroid disease and you have symptoms. However, if you need them, the two major players in private testing are Genova Diagnostics and Blue Horizon. The thyroid websites (ThyroidUK or Thyroid Patient Advocacy) have discount deals with both. I got a Genova test after I was diagnosed with CFS by the NHS and discharged. This highlighted my untreated thyroid problem and I then used those private results and accompanying report as a lever to get the same testing done on the NHS.

Raised LFT results are another indicator of hypothyroidism. I wish I'd known this when I was being quizzed about my drinking habits!

Thanks all - you are being incredibly helpful. I swing between thinking I'm making a fuss about nothing, then I read what you are all saying about the levels and realise that I should be doing something before things get any worse.

I'm paranoid about the liver results as I have been partial to a glass or three of wine in the past. But at the time the test was taken I hadn't had so much as a sherry trifle for over three months. I guess there's a chance it could be fatty liver disease from being a bit overweight but hadn't thought of raised LFT results as potentially being connected to thryoid.

SirVix (brilliant name btw) - I had no idea you could be coeliac with no symptoms - crickey - this is a whole new world of potential auto-immune madness!!! Actually I cut gluten out recently and feel a LOT better for it but if I'm going to have the test I think I have to reintroduce it again, don't I.

Yes you do need to eat gluten again to get tested. There is a gene test you can have without eating gluten, but to establish whether or not you are coeliac you would need to be eating gluten daily over a couple of months I think, and then get the blood test done. I have a coeliac friend with two dds who are coeliac and four not. One did initally have a negative blood test so it seems it isn't totally accurate. The biopsy is more accurate but could possibly still miss an area of damage I imagine? Anyway bloods would be a good start. I wish I hadn't stopped eating gluten as now even a tiny amount makes me so ill that I can't face eating it for months to get tested.