Thyroid help please: Joined this group a couple... - Thyroid UK

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Thyroid help please

Coxyella51 profile image
6 Replies

Joined this group a couple of weeks ago and I now have had access to historical blood results if anyone can help me understand what’s going on . Diagnosed with hypothyroidism in 2011

TSH 19.9 (0.3 - 5.5) FT4 7.2 (11 -23) FT3 4.4 (4.1-7.9) started on 50mcg Levo

Next results TSH 6.4 & FT4 12.4 same ref ranges upped Levo to 75mcg

TSH 2.2 FT4 14.1 FT3 4.4 increase to 100mcg

Left on 100mcg till 2013 always complaining of feeling tired achy dry skin constipation etc

In 2013 retested TSH 9.8 & FT4 13.6 upped to 125 mcg .

2014 parathyroid 2.76 (1.9 -7.64)

Tsh 0.69 & FT4 17.5

2017 TSH 0.44 & FT4 20.1

TSH 1.3 & FT4 22

In 2019 TSH 1.3 (0.3-4.2)

FT4 21.4 (12-22)

FT3 4.2 (3.1- 6.8 lowered dose back to 100mcg

Last test 2021 TSH 1.1

B12 45.4 (197-771)

Folate 8.4 (4.6 -18.7)

Vit D 54

I also had an ultrasound showing chronic thyroiditis in 2019 but not acknowledged as this was an incidental finding .

I have not felt well for so long and keep going to the GP tiredness insomnia raynauds weight gain dry skin constipation memory problems brain fog etc ...and nobody seems to listen and make me feel like a complete loony

Can anyone help me understand the blood results

Thankyou in anticipation

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SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

Last test 2021 TSH 1.1

B12 45.4 (197-771)

Folate 8.4 (4.6 -18.7)

Vit D 54

I also had an ultrasound showing chronic thyroiditis in 2019 but not acknowledged as this was an incidental finding .

Chronic thyroiditis confirms autoimmune thyroid disease also called Hashimoto’s

Are you sure your B12 is really 45.4

See GP ASAP for full testing for Pernicious Anaemia

Coxyella51 profile image
Coxyella51 in reply toSlowDragon

Sorry my mistake 454

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply toCoxyella51

So that’s ok....

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

Vitamin D is too low but probably not low enough for GP to prescribe

GP will often only prescribe to bring vitamin D levels to 50nmol.

Some areas will prescribe to bring levels to 75nmol or even 80nmol

leedsformulary.nhs.uk/docs/...

GP should advise on self supplementing if over 50nmol, but under 75nmol (but they rarely do)

mm.wirral.nhs.uk/document_u...

But with Hashimoto’s, improving to around 80nmol or 100nmol by self supplementing may be better

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/218...

vitamindsociety.org/pdf/Vit...

Once you Improve level, very likely you will need on going maintenance dose to keep it there.

Test twice yearly via NHS

vitamindtest.org.uk

Vitamin D mouth spray by Better You is very effective as it avoids poor gut function. There’s a version made that also contains vitamin K2 Mk7

amazon.co.uk/BetterYou-Dlux...

It’s trial and error what dose we need, with hashimoto’s we frequently need higher dose than average

Calculator for working out dose you may need to bring level to 40ng/ml = 100nmol

grassrootshealth.net/projec...

Government recommends everyone supplement October to April

gov.uk/government/news/phe-...

Taking too much vitamin D is not a good idea

chriskresser.com/vitamin-d-...

Web links about taking important cofactors - magnesium and Vit K2-MK7

Magnesium best taken in the afternoon or evening, but must be four hours away from levothyroxine

betterbones.com/bone-nutrit...

medicalnewstoday.com/articl...

livescience.com/61866-magne...

sciencedaily.com/releases/2...

Vitamin K2 mk7

betterbones.com/bone-nutrit...

healthline.com/nutrition/vi...

2 good videos on magnesium

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Vitamin D and Covid

Notice how much vitamin D many of these medics are taking

vitamind4all.org/letter.pdf

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

As you have Hashimoto's this frequently affects the gut and leads to low stomach acid and then low vitamin levels

Low vitamin levels affect Thyroid hormone working

Poor gut function with Hashimoto’s can lead leaky gut (literally holes in gut wall) this can cause food intolerances. Most common by far is gluten. Dairy is second most common.

According to Izabella Wentz the Thyroid Pharmacist approx 5% with Hashimoto's are coeliac, but over 80% find gluten free diet helps, sometimes significantly. Either due to direct gluten intolerance (no test available) or due to leaky gut and gluten causing molecular mimicry (see Amy Myers link)

Changing to a strictly gluten free diet may help reduce symptoms, help gut heal and slowly lower TPO antibodies

While still eating high gluten diet ask GP for coeliac blood test first or buy test online for under £20, just to rule it out first

healthcheckshop.co.uk/store...?

Assuming test is negative you can immediately go on strictly gluten free diet

(If test is positive you will need to remain on high gluten diet until endoscopy, maximum 6 weeks wait officially)

Trying gluten free diet for 3-6 months. If no noticeable improvement then reintroduce gluten and see if symptoms get worse

chriskresser.com/the-gluten...

amymyersmd.com/2018/04/3-re...

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

drknews.com/changing-your-d...

restartmed.com/hashimotos-g...

Non Coeliac Gluten sensitivity (NCGS) and autoimmune disease

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/296...

The predominance of Hashimoto thyroiditis represents an interesting finding, since it has been indirectly confirmed by an Italian study, showing that autoimmune thyroid disease is a risk factor for the evolution towards NCGS in a group of patients with minimal duodenal inflammation. On these bases, an autoimmune stigma in NCGS is strongly supported

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/300...

The obtained results suggest that the gluten-free diet may bring clinical benefits to women with autoimmune thyroid disease

nuclmed.gr/wp/wp-content/up...

In summary, whereas it is not yet clear whether a gluten free diet can prevent autoimmune diseases, it is worth mentioning that HT patients with or without CD benefit from a diet low in gluten as far as the progression and the potential disease complications are concerned

restartmed.com/hashimotos-g...

Despite the fact that 5-10% of patients have Celiac disease, in my experience and in the experience of many other physicians, at least 80% + of patients with Hashimoto's who go gluten-free notice a reduction in their symptoms almost immediately.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

Obviously just testing TSH is completely inadequate

But recommend you improve low vitamin levels and start on strictly gluten free diet before paying for TSH, Ft4 and Ft3 testing

all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and before eating or drinking anything other than water .

Last dose of Levothyroxine 24 hours prior to blood test. (taking delayed dose immediately after blood draw).

This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip)

Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or thyroid antibodies or all relevant vitamins

List of private testing options

thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...

Medichecks Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins

medichecks.com/products/adv...

Thriva Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins By DIY fingerpick test

thriva.co/tests/thyroid-test

Thriva also offer just vitamin testing

Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes antibodies, cortisol and vitamins by DIY fingerprick test

bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...

If you can get GP to test vitamins and antibodies then cheapest option for just TSH, FT4 and FT3

£29 (via NHS private service ) and 10% off down to £26.10 if go on thyroid uk for code

thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...

monitormyhealth.org.uk/

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