Tsh level of 3.5?

[Tsh2024]

I've just had a blood test and tsh level is 3.5. Is this ok ? Obviously GP says no action as within normal range. I feel I have quite alot of symptoms of hyperthyroidism but then they are vague and could also just be life as a busy mum of 2. I'm generally fit and well though, and often don't lack in energy. I'm about a stone overweight. I've read that the optimum is around 1. Can I do anything to improve thyroid function ? Is this something I need to be keeping an eye on? TIA.

No it's a normal result and means the thyroid is working ok

That is within the normal range in the UK (usually, ranges do differ), but a TSH over 3 would get you a diagnosis of hypothyroidism in a number of other countries. I have hypothyroidsm and would feel horrendous if I have a TSH of 3.5.

Did the GP check your FT4? Or thyroid antibodies? Did they check for vitamin deficiencies (which can give similar symptoms to hypothyroidism)?

I would recommend posting your query, with results of any of the above (include the reference ranges) and your symptoms, on the Thyroid UK forum on Health Unlocked. You will get much better and detailed advice than on MN about how to move forward:

https://healthunlocked.com/thyroiduk

Good luck.

Thankyou! No they haven't checked any of those things. My ferratin? was about 60 and the cut off is 50 I think? So I was surprised that that was quite low and figure that could also cause fatigue. Im just clueless really but I was aware of seeing threads about TSH and my friend whose on medication had one of 4 so I wondered if it was a sliding scale where the higher you get the worse you feel, or if some people just will have a naturally higher reading and it not cause any symptoms. Or of it's something that fluctuates. Was also aware of the difference in EU diagnosis.

It can fluctuate, due to short term illness for example, so GPs would normally want two out if range readings three months apart.

Ferritin of 60 is pretty good. Ideally you want to aim for mid range. You can get anaemia type symptoms with ferritin under 50, so it's unlikely that it's low ferritin causing your symptoms.

If your friend is on levothyroxine her TSH should be around 1. A TSH of 4 suggests she is under medicated, assuming she is still symptomatic. Many GPs just try to get the TSH "in range" but this is incorrect.

Totally normal range. For me, I absolutely knew when I had it. Extreme horrible symptoms. Horrible. What you are describing doesn’t sound like it and doctors have told me that normal is 0.5-5. I get that a lot of the symptoms - tirednes etc can make you feel like you have it but I would suggest you don’t. If your symptoms get worse then absolutely test again. Since you mentioned you have kids to look after it’s also unusual around our age so again unfortunately it doesn’t sound like it.

if you have a lot of energy I would suggest not. Sure. It’s just my experience but I couldn’t get out of bed and slept 16+ hours before diagnosis.
Weight gain? I ate nothing but a piece of toast and would gain a pound every day. Yes it progressed to a bad point but generally unwell was isn’t hypothyroidism.

@Westofeasttoday it sounds like you had really severe symptoms. OP could have antibodies and be on her way to hypothyroidism - in which case she shouldn't wait for things to get that bad before starting treatment.

Fwiw OP, I used a private company (I used Medichecks but others are available) to get a full thyroid panel when my GP was reluctant to prescribe levo even though my TSH was 5.2 and I felt terrible (eyebrows have never grown back, cheers GP). Turned out my antibodies were a very, very long way out of range. TSH is like trying to guess the weight of an iceberg by looking at the bit sticking out of the water, in the dark.

Unfortunately it’s within “range” but as you say 1 is optimal and 4 would be the limit.

Was that peroxidase antibodies? Mine are hugely out of range but TSH is 2.4.

Yeah, TPO was 156.

Are you symptomatic @Wurlywurly ?

That's a good question. I have many and various symptoms! Being investigated for autoimmune stuff at the moment, most likely Sjogrens. I have symptoms of both hyper and hypothyroidism!