Help with hyperthyroidism blood test results
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Hi. This is my 3rd time suffering with this disease in the past 7 years. Yet it would appear I'm none the wiser when it comes to understanding blood test results. Regular checks for me are always for TSH & T4. Always ask for these when I phone doctors surgery for my results as I don't like being fobbed off with the "bloods are normal". Have been taking Carbimazole 20mg per day to start but have halved dosage now.
Results for June 2015 - TSH <0.03, t4="" 38="" and="" for="" aug="" 2015="" -="" tsh="">0.03,><0.03, t4="" 26="" (t4="" level="" coming="" down="" nicely)="" but="" i="" just="" got results="" for="" oct="" and="" she="" gave="" me="" tsh="">0.03,><0.03 (no change there still) but said my free t4 was 4.8. i came off the phone and pondered thinking that was a big drop. then i thought "hang on she's given me the free t4 not the t4". so i called the surgery back to ask for the t4. (results at my practice are given out by the receptionist - which i don't actually think is the best method). i said i wanted my t4 result. she checked and said i was not tested for that, but my free thyroxine was 16. now i thought that free t4 and free thyroxine were one of the same thing?? any thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated.
(ps - concern made me ask for my doctor to phone me. have a telephone appointment for thursday evening) (no="" change="" there="" still)="" but="" said="" my="" free="" t4="" was="" 4.8.="" i="" came="" off="" the="" phone="" and="" pondered="" thinking="" that="" was="" a="" big="" drop.="" then="" i="" thought="" "hang="" on="" she's="" given="" me="" the="" free="" t4="" not="" the="" t4".="" so="" i="" called="" the="" surgery="" back="" to="" ask="" for="" the="" t4.="" (results="" at="" my practice are="" given="" out="" by="" the="" receptionist="" -="" which="" i="" don't="" actually="" think="" is="" the="" best="" method).="" i="" said="" i="" wanted="" my="" t4="" result.="" she="" checked="" and="" said="" i="" was="" not="" tested="" for="" that,="" but="" my="" free="" thyroxine="" was="" 16. ="" now="" i="" thought="" that="" free="" t4="" and="" free="" thyroxine="" were="" one="" of="" the="" same="" thing??="" any="" thoughts="" on="" this="" would="" be="" greatly="" appreciated.="" (ps="" -="" concern="" made="" me="" ask="" for my="" doctor="" to="" phone="" me.="" have="" a="" telephone="" appointment="" for="" thursday="">0.03 (no change there still) but said my free t4 was 4.8. i came off the phone and pondered thinking that was a big drop. then i thought "hang on she's given me the free t4 not the t4". so i called the surgery back to ask for the t4. (results at my practice are given out by the receptionist - which i don't actually think is the best method). i said i wanted my t4 result. she checked and said i was not tested for that, but my free thyroxine was 16. now i thought that free t4 and free thyroxine were one of the same thing?? any thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated.
(ps - concern made me ask for my doctor to phone me. have a telephone appointment for thursday evening)>
0 likes, 8 replies
linda187 Jackieh26
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Jackieh26 linda187
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linda187 Jackieh26
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Sue1247 Jackieh26
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Jackieh26 Sue1247
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Elise888 Jackieh26
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Your TSH is the messenger that tells the pituary gland how much thyroid hormone is in the system, but it's slower than royal mail, which is why when on meds your other numbers improve before it does.
I hope this makes sense or is even accurate...I'm a lay person and also being treated for my first bout of hyperthyroidism.
I'll let the more knowledagble peeps take it from here :-)
Jackieh26 Elise888
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shellyC19 Jackieh26
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My name is Shelly and I am a nurse in the USA. I suffer with HYPOthyroidism, from Hashimoto's disease.
However, I know both sides. I will try and explain:
Normal TSH in USA almost same as UK, is 034-5.60 or in that range. When your TSH is on the low end of the scale for example 0.03 it means you have TOO MUCH Thyroxine in your system.
Now TSH Thyroid Stimulating Hormone), is a fairly broad blood level test. It shows a snapshot of how your "Sensor" hormone works. It just acts like that. So if you were a car, it would be like when the light comes on and says your tires are low on air. It does not measure the TRUE health of the gland!
It is just like a quick idea of what is happening. So most doctors order in the USA T3, T4 & FT3 and FT4 tests and if needed TPOA antibodies.
Now NHS does not order from what I gather on here (reading the posts), the T3 level. Why I don't know maybe they are saving a bit of money, which is not good.
T4 is one of 4 hormones made by the thyroid gland. There are a T1 and T2 but we will focus on T4 and T3 in this conversation.
When they measure the level of T3 it shows a number and the true amount being made by the thyroid is FreeT3 (FT3), and that is the amount floating around in your blood that is useable in the body. Same for T4 and free T4.
When you are having HYPERthyroid - (Too much thyroxine), you will see a rise in the T4 level but it can be a bit different for the amount in the FT4. I know it is confusing! Sorry.
So in short, it is BEST to have all T3, T4, FT3 and FT4 and TSH. you can ask them to do it.
Any questions jsut ask. I hope it helps.
Shelly