Borderline Hypothyroid?

I'm a 26 female and I've been concerned for many years that I may have a under active thyroid, I have all the symptons and it's getting worst. Looking into the condition I found a link between Hypo and depression, which I've endured since pubety. I now have agoraphobia as a result. Because the symptons are getting worse I asked my GP for a bloodtest and got these results.

TSH level = 13.8 mu/L
Serum Free T4 level = 11.8 pmol/L
Serum Vit B12 = 350 ng/L
Serum Ferritin = 9 ug/L
Free T3 was not tested.

My GP said I was borderline Hypothyroid and was completely unconcerned, and wants to treat my panic disorder/anxiety as a seperate entity and not a symptom of a Hypothyroid, which I believe it is. She was concerned about my Ferritin levels but didn't make the association with my Thyroid, and thought it was due to heavy periods alone. She perscribed me Ferrous Sulphate Tabs 200mg twice a day, curiously at the time of the blood test I was taking Iron suppliments any way.

I managed to badger her into prescribing me Levothyroxine 25 micrograms, prior to that she was quite happy to not treat me.

My concern is she's too focused on treating my anxiety and not taking the thyroid problem seriously, despite the long list of symptons.

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Claire.

[gimel]

I have seen a range for FT4 of 10,2-19.2  p mol/L.  I haven't located a reference range for TSH that has the same measurement units as you show.  Please post the reference ranges for these so we can be sure.

[spudmonkey]

The copy I have of the blood Test didn't come with any reference ranges for anything. I'm sorry I couldn't be any more help.  :(

[goolarra]

Is the TSH in mIU/L rather than mu/L?  

[spudmonkey]

The TSH is definitely mu/L, no ranges was given but High was written next to the result.

I found a reference range for mu/L Here.

The range in the link says 0.2-4.0

[gimel]

Everything I find seems to indicate that the mIU/L and mu/L are the same.  The IU stands for International units and I think the u is the same thing.  Let me know if this isn't correct.  
Assuming it is correct, then your TSH is way above the reference range and a clear indication of hypothyroidism.  The free T4 is also in the very low end of its range.

Two things I would suggest are that you get the doctor to also test for free T3, which is the most active and important thyroid hormone and also to start a discussion with your doctor about being treated based on your symptoms and your free T3 and free T4 levels, rather than mainly TSH.  Based on the lack of reaction to your current blood test results, and you having to talk her into a trial dose of T4 med, I'm not very confident that you will be successful with this doctor.  Therefore you might also start looking for a good thyroid doctor in your area.

[goolarra]

I agree that the units are the same, one just described in liters and one in milliliters.  1 mIU/L = mu (Greek letter)IU/mL.  Divide left of "=" by 1000 to get right side.  Do they deliberately do this to confuse us?

[spudmonkey]

Thank you both very much much for your replys, looks like I will have to find another Dr, believe it or not but she wasn't even going to tell me the results of my thyroid test! So I could of walked away unmedicated and none the wiser.

Thanks again.

[spudmonkey]

This is my third day on levothyroxine 25 mg and on the second day I noticed that my lower eyelids and face in general has slimmed down, I really didn't know that my face was swollen, I thought that was just the way I am, my face has been like that for years. Another thing is that my breasts have literally shrunk to half their size, they look perfectly fine, better in fact.

It seems all this weight I've been carrying is actually water. My blood test show the my Albumin is at 49 g/L and got flagged high, but that suggest I'm dehydrated, despite they fact I drink nothing but water. Could it be that I'm dehydrated due to my body storing water instead of using it? and the reason my body thinks it's not getting enough water is a byproduct of the underactive thyroid?

[Barb135]

It usually takes more than 3 days for the med to start working, but if yours started that quickly, you really got lucky.  My face slimmed down also a while after I started on med.  I had "bags" under my eyes for years and I thought it was because I didn't sleep well or something - I've been on thyroid med for a year now and the bags are gone; all you can see is the "stretched skin" where they used to be.  

Depression and anxiety can go along with hypothyroidism.  A lot of doctors immediately want to start people on anti-depressants when they aren't necessarily warranted.  The depression/anxiety may go away or decrease after you've been on the med for a while.  

I agree with the others that you need your free T3 checked and if I were you, I'd ask for antibody tests and an ultra sound to check for Hashimoto's.  I also agree that it doesn't seem likely that your current doctor will be much help to you since she didn't even want to treat you in the first place.  I'd start looking for a good thyroid doctor.  

Good luck.