blood results

[Guest guest]

Hi Carol, T3 only slightly over range . I'd ask him how reducing your dose and thus suffering from the symptoms of undermedcation is to your benefit? > thyroid treatment > From: carol_fullbrook@...> Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2010 12:02:50 +0000> Subject: blood results> > Can anyone help me please, my endo thinks i am hyper TSH 0.02mU/L normal 0.27 - 4.2 FT4 22.6 pmol/L normal 12-22 FT3 8.4pmol/L normal 3.1 -6.8.> > I feel fine, so what next, he is asking me to reduce my ERFA> > Thanks everyone> Carol> > > > ------------------------------------> > TPA is not medically qualified. Consult with a qualified medical practitioner before changing medication.> >

[Guest guest]

On Wed, 15 Dec 2010 12:02:50 -0000, you wrote:

>Can anyone help me please, my endo thinks i am hyper TSH 0.02mU/L normal 0.27 -

4.2 FT4 22.6 pmol/L normal 12-22 FT3 8.4pmol/L normal 3.1 -6.8.

>

>I feel fine, so what next, he is asking me to reduce my ERFA

Firstly how long before the blood draw was your last dose of ERFA?

With those labs you may feel well at the moment but you will find as

time goes on you need to keep increasing to feel well (been there,

done that)

When FT4 is above 50% of the range it's a marker that RT3 (reverse T3)

is building up and that will cause resistance to T3 meaning you need

more and more as time goes by http://thyroid-rt3.com talks all about

this

Nick

[Guest guest]

I can understand any doctor worrying that you are probably hyper

with thyroid function tests showing those results Carol. However, did you stop

the thyroid meds for at least 24 hours before the blood was drawn. Not doing so

gives a flawed reading and if you didn't, then I would inform your

endocrinologist that you had taken your Erfa the morning of your blood draw and

you know that T3 (the active thyroid hormone) peaks in the blood between 2 to 4

hours after taking it. Ask him if you can have another blood test done and you

will stop the Erfa 24 hours before the test to show him that your T3 will be

lower. However, he should understand that when anybody is taking any form of

T3, either synthetic or natural, that the free T3 level will be higher than

somebody who takes levothyroxine only.

However, with your very high level of free T4, have you considered

you may be suffering with reverse T3 (rT3) in which case, you don't need the T4

that is in Erfa and would need to go on T3 only and build this up until you

have sufficient to get the T3 into your cells. Any chance you could get the

reverse T3 tested through Genova Diagnostics to see if this is the case.

Having said all that - if you are feeling pretty good with no

symptoms, do NOT allow an endocrinologist or anybody else to persuade you to

reduce your Erfa. You take medication until your symptoms have disappeared and

you feel good, you do NOT take it to produce a bit of paper to show your levels

are within the 'normal' reference interval. Doctors hide behind such test

results and take no account of their patients symptoms and signs.

I have known many members who were persuaded by their doctor to

reduce their thyroid hormone replacement only for them to find all their

symptoms returning, some having great difficulty then to get back to how well

they felt before. Your doctor has to work in partnership with his patient and

vice versa…

Luv - Sheila

Can anyone help me please, my endo thinks i am

hyper TSH 0.02mU/L normal 0.27 - 4.2 FT4 22.6 pmol/L normal 12-22 FT3 8.4pmol/L

normal 3.1 -6.8.

I feel fine, so what next, he is asking me to reduce my ERFA

Thanks everyone

Carol

[Guest guest]

I took my ERFA the day before at 2pm and had the test at 2pm the next day. I

hate not taking one dose let alone reducing. Well i wont reduce and thats that.

Carol

>

> >Can anyone help me please, my endo thinks i am hyper TSH 0.02mU/L normal 0.27

- 4.2 FT4 22.6 pmol/L normal 12-22 FT3 8.4pmol/L normal 3.1 -6.8.

> >

> >I feel fine, so what next, he is asking me to reduce my ERFA

>

> Firstly how long before the blood draw was your last dose of ERFA?

>

> With those labs you may feel well at the moment but you will find as

> time goes on you need to keep increasing to feel well (been there,

> done that)

>

> When FT4 is above 50% of the range it's a marker that RT3 (reverse T3)

> is building up and that will cause resistance to T3 meaning you need

> more and more as time goes by http://thyroid-rt3.com talks all about

> this

>

> Nick

>

[Guest guest]

Hi

I have really nice endo. dont want to upset him. But i agree and will not be

reducing my erfa. not sure how long before blood test to reduce tho. so he stops

telling me i am hyper when clearly i am not.

Carol

>

>

> Hi Carol,

> T3 only slightly over range . I'd ask him how reducing your dose

and thus suffering from the symptoms of undermedcation is to your benefit?

>

>

> > thyroid treatment

> > From: carol_fullbrook@...

> > Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2010 12:02:50 +0000

> > Subject: blood results

> >

> > Can anyone help me please, my endo thinks i am hyper TSH 0.02mU/L normal

0.27 - 4.2 FT4 22.6 pmol/L normal 12-22 FT3 8.4pmol/L normal 3.1 -6.8.

> >

> > I feel fine, so what next, he is asking me to reduce my ERFA

> >

> > Thanks everyone

> > Carol

> >

> >

> >

> > ------------------------------------

> >

> > TPA is not medically qualified. Consult with a qualified medical

practitioner before changing medication.

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

Hi Carole, The problem is nice will not keep you well if he decides to reduce your dose- be firm and polite. > thyroid treatment > From: carol_fullbrook@...> Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2010 20:39:51 +0000> Subject: Re: blood results> > Hi > I have really nice endo. dont want to upset him. But i agree and will not be reducing my erfa. not sure how long before blood test to reduce tho. so he stops telling me i am hyper when clearly i am not.> Carol> > > > >> > > > > > > > > > > > > > ------------------------------------> > > > > > TPA is not medically qualified. Consult with a qualified medical practitioner before changing medication.> > > > > >

[Guest guest]

Hi all

I have been to the GP today for my B12 injection and as I was there I asked for

my blood test results from Friday as I am seeing the consultant surgeon on

Friday - I am about 8 weeks post partial thyroidectomy.

At first the receptionist said that it said I needed another blood test in 6

weeks and that she couldnt give me the results. I asked for a print out of the

results but was told I couldn't have them without speaking to a doctor. Suffice

to say that I have them and I did not speak to a doctor.

Am a bit worried as the Serum TSH level is below range and six weeks seems a

long time to wait for another blood test:

Serum TSH level 0.16 miu/L (0.35 - 5.5)

Serum free T4 Level 21.7 pmol/L (11.5 - 22.7)

Serum free Triiodothyronine 5.2 pmol/L (3.5 - 6.5)

Serum calcium level 2.15 mmol/L (2.2 - 2.6)

The calcium levels have been below range although only slightly since my op.

The glucose and blood count levels seem to be fine all within range and mostly

mid range.

No ferritin, folate or B12 etc tests done. Although I have b12 injections every

8 weeks, and the last test I had for this was more than fine.

I do not have the same appetite since the op, it is quite considerably reduced,

I have been a little hyperactive this week, but feel this may be because I am

feeling better and am starting to get my mojo back, so to speak, although my

heart rate seems a little fast at times when resting. I have noticed periods of

feeling and being very cold, despite the very warm weather at the weekend.

Hope you can give me some insight in what I need to know and ask on Friday.

Although I am not sure the consultant surgeon is the best person to talk all

this through with should I need to!

Many thanks

Debs

[Guest guest]

Hi-

Does anyone else have to pay for your copy of blood results from GP - mine want to charge me £10.- or is it just my money grabbing surgery?

Mind you we have to pay to make an appointment - 0845 number and you wait at least 10 minutes before getting through on automated system, even longer to speak to receptionist. Receptionist had the cheek to say that the NHS has turned into a business now!!!

Colleen

From: mawbles <mawby609@...>thyroid treatment Sent: Wed, 13 April, 2011 9:59:42Subject: blood results

Hi allI have been to the GP today for my B12 injection and as I was there I asked for my blood test results from Friday as I am seeing the consultant surgeon on Friday - I am about 8 weeks post partial thyroidectomy.At first the receptionist said that it said I needed another blood test in 6 weeks and that she couldnt give me the results. I asked for a print out of the results but was told I couldn't have them without speaking to a doctor. Suffice to say that I have them and I did not speak to a doctor.Am a bit worried as the Serum TSH level is below range and six weeks seems a long time to wait for another blood test:Serum TSH level 0.16 miu/L (0.35 - 5.5)Serum free T4 Level 21.7 pmol/L (11.5 - 22.7)Serum free Triiodothyronine 5.2 pmol/L (3.5 - 6.5)Serum calcium level 2.15 mmol/L (2.2 - 2.6)The calcium levels have been below range although only slightly since my op.The glucose and blood

count levels seem to be fine all within range and mostly mid range.No ferritin, folate or B12 etc tests done. Although I have b12 injections every 8 weeks, and the last test I had for this was more than fine.I do not have the same appetite since the op, it is quite considerably reduced, I have been a little hyperactive this week, but feel this may be because I am feeling better and am starting to get my mojo back, so to speak, although my heart rate seems a little fast at times when resting. I have noticed periods of feeling and being very cold, despite the very warm weather at the weekend.Hope you can give me some insight in what I need to know and ask on Friday. Although I am not sure the consultant surgeon is the best person to talk all this through with should I need to!Many thanksDebs

[Guest guest]

Hi Debs, TSH can take a long time to respond to changes in thyroid output- you still have some thyroid left -so there is also the possiblilty that this is still producing too much- though your FT4 and FT3 results look just fine. Remember it takes 25 days at least for any changes to settle, especially if you have had very high levels previously- it's early days yet. You may like to consider taking calcium and magnesium supplements- both these minerals work together- or asking for retesing when you ask for those tests to be done which were omitted. > thyroid treatment > From: mawby609@...> Date: Wed, 13 Apr 2011 08:59:42 +0000> Subject: blood results> > Hi all> > I have been to the GP today for my B12 injection and as I was there I asked for my blood test results from Friday as I am seeing the consultant surgeon on Friday - I am about 8 weeks post partial thyroidectomy.> > At first the receptionist said that it said I needed another blood test in 6 weeks and that she couldnt give me the results. I asked for a print out of the results but was told I couldn't have them without speaking to a doctor. Suffice to say that I have them and I did not speak to a doctor.> > Am a bit worried as the Serum TSH level is below range and six weeks seems a long time to wait for another blood test:> > Serum TSH level 0.16 miu/L (0.35 - 5.5)> Serum free T4 Level 21.7 pmol/L (11.5 - 22.7)> Serum free Triiodothyronine 5.2 pmol/L (3.5 - 6.5)> > Serum calcium level 2.15 mmol/L (2.2 - 2.6)> > The calcium levels have been below range although only slightly since my op.> > The glucose and blood count levels seem to be fine all within range and mostly mid range.> > No ferritin, folate or B12 etc tests done. Although I have b12 injections every 8 weeks, and the last test I had for this was more than fine.> > I do not have the same appetite since the op, it is quite considerably reduced, I have been a little hyperactive this week, but feel this may be because I am feeling better and am starting to get my mojo back, so to speak, although my heart rate seems a little fast at times when resting. I have noticed periods of feeling and being very cold, despite the very warm weather at the weekend.> > Hope you can give me some insight in what I need to know and ask on Friday. Although I am not sure the consultant surgeon is the best person to talk all this through with should I need to!> > Many thanks> Debs> > > > ------------------------------------> > TPA is not medically qualified. Consult with a qualified medical practitioner before changing medication.> >

[Guest guest]

Colleen,

Afraid the receptionist was almost right, each surgery is run pretty much as a

business these days. When the new NHS reforms come in, the doctors will be

even more responsible for the budgets, so I would imagine that £10 will seem

reasonable..... The 0845 number is a bit much though... i would complain to

your local PCT about that one!!!

.

>

> Hi-

> Does anyone else have to pay for your copy of blood results from GP - mine

want

> to charge me £10.-

[Guest guest]

> Serum calcium level 2.15 mmol/L (2.2 - 2.6)

your parathyroids are directly involved with calcium levels and they are very

tiny and very close to the thyroid ...it is possible they were damaged when you

had your operation ...i have read that it is not that uncommon for that to

occur. as you are seeing the surgeon in a couple of days it would be worth

asking him/her.

trish

> Serum calcium level 2.15 mmol/L (2.2 - 2.6)

>

> The calcium levels have been below range although only slightly since my op.

[Guest guest]

Thanks all for answering. I know the NHS have to make money but surely after all these years of paying in while working that should be enough. I cant help getting annoyed about their charges - we are not with BT but with cable phone wise so calls to 0845 are not cheap. I have to ring after midnight to get an appointment for the next day (automated system) but usually it is constantly engaged. You cant get through between 2 and 5 am either as the system is offline. So by 8am all appointments for that day are gone - wonderful system. Too many patients not enough appointments. When you are kept hanging on for nearly 20 minutes on automated system trying to book appointment or waiting for receptionist and then getting cut off as they wont take the

call - aarrggh!!

Everyone else I know gets their copies free from their docs but I dont want to change surgeries as I have been with them for 35 years. Spoke to Dept of Health and he gave me a page to print out about not charging for viewing records no older than 40 days - will try that with them and see! I had blood done 5 weeks ago - 3 weeks ago went for results they "lost" thyroid results and and liver tests were showing "something" - so he said re-do liver and just TSH as that is all I need! All they say is results are "OK" - so annoying. Now they want me to pay £10 for tests that are not even of any use really are they? Am on my new meds (called Humira) for my arthritis and it seems to be working so am able to argue without getting upset and frustrated. Think surgery will though!

Enough moaning - thanks for listening. Will let you know if I get away with it!!

Colleen

From: Sheila <sheila@...>thyroid treatment Sent: Wed, 13 April, 2011 13:02:10Subject: RE: blood results

This is a recommendation made by the Department of Health so £10 is reasonable. Many of us have doctors however, who will give us our results free of charge.