Thyroid issues

[Clarentine]

I'm in my 30s and a recent blood test showed a potentially underactive thyroid. My TSH levels was 9.5, when apparently the normal range is 0.4 to 4.00. My T4 levels however, were at the low end of normal. I have been advised to take another blood test in 3 months to monitor it. Do you think it is likely to come back down on its own? I'm not overweight, but do experience a lot of fatigue and low mood. Thank you in advance.

That’s “subclinical hypothyroidism” basically the high TSH shows your thyroid is having to work very hard to keep your T4 (just) within normal.

How do you feel? Any symptoms like feeling cold easily, tiredness, brain fog, weight gain, hair falls out easily?

Sorry just saw the fatigue and low mood.

Honestly AFAIK it is unlikely to go back to normal by itself and in your shoes I would want to go on thyroxine.

If it stays the same I don't think they will give me meds as apparently you don't need it if your T4 levels are normal unless your TSH level.is over 10. So I am hoping it resolves itself as I can't face fighting for treatment if I am a borderline case.

I don’t think it can come back down by itself but I’m not a medical person! You will probably need to take medication to lower it so I’d see your doctor to discuss it if the retest is the same or higher.
I am hypothyroid, I have hashimoto’s which is autoimmune & they might test you to check for that.
it takes a while for your levels to improve (get down to 1ish) but when they do you will feel less tired. I can physically tell when mine jump up and I have had to increase my meditation a few times.
hope it all works out

Without intervention mine came down from the 30s to just under what was considered treatable and it made it a huge PITA to pursue treatment. TSH fluctuates and the blood test is a snapshot of what it is at that moment.

Do you know if it’s been creeping up over time or is this an anomaly? The argument is that various health factors can make it rise temporarily. Have they tested for antibodies (not sure if they do that anymore)?

If you have a look at Thyroid UK you can find out if it’s worth asking for a trial of thyroxine.

ETA: What you say about how you can’t face fighting for treatment feels very familiar from a hypothyroid perspective! I felt very low and exhausted.

You have what’s called subclinical hypothyroidism

The NICE guidance says that if your TSH is between 4 and 10 on two separate occasions 3 months apart, and you have symptoms (which you do) then they should consider putting you on thyroxine for 6 months to see if it helps.

Here’s a link to the guidance - see section 1.5

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng145/chapter/Recommendations#managing-and-monitoring-subclinical-hypothyroidism www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng145/chapter/Recommendations#managing-and-monitoring-subclinical-hypothyroidism]]]]

So see what you next test says and if it’s still the same, you should point to this guidance and ask to trial thyroxine

Thank you all for your very kind and helpful responses. I won't keep the thread hanging. I will wait to retake the test and hopefully it will be back to normal. I will update the thread in 3 months to let you know the outcome. Thanks again 😊

Hi all, I wanted to update the thread. I was intending to wait the full 3 months, but I was feeling so exhausted I booked the blood test for Friday. I got the results back today and my TSH level has gone down from 9.5 to just above 7! And my free T4 has gone down slightly to 12.2, but is still within normal. The frustrating thing is that I feel worse now than I did when it was 9.5. I either wanted it to be normal or over 10 so it could be treated. Now I'm in this no man's land when it's far from optimum but not bad enough for treatment. I'm exhausted and won't fight. All I can think is that I came back from holiday (not abroad, but by the coast) and had the test the next day, when I was much more relaxed than usual, cos of no work and lying on the beach. But no matter how much I try to relax, I can't replicate that the rest of the time.

Did you change your diet?

@trainedopossum

@Clarentine suggest you get another test at the 3 month mark ( 3 months from your first test, not the second) and then go armed with the NICE guidance

Fast from midnight and get your test done as early in the morning when TSH is highest. That might help you get a diagnosis and treatment.

They have also tested for antibodies, but that part of the test hasn't come back yet. To be honest I think my thyroid issues may be more due to stress than an actual autoimmune disease. When I got the 9.5 reading, I was actually off work with stress, anxiety and depression. That's calmed down a bit now and have been back at work a while (apart from last week's holiday), so makes sense the reading has come down. I would have preferred it to have been in the normal range though, even if at the very top end.

Have you given birth recently ?
Make sure your blood tests are taken first thing in the morning.

Nope, not given birth.