When should you be subscribed medicine for an under active thyroid?

[Zelda5]

I have Hashimoto's among other things. My TSH has been rising steadily the last few years and I've had it tested a few months ago and it was under 5, but upper range of 4 and it went over once to 5.35 last Sep. with high normal range of 5.01. This week did bloodwork through husbands lifestrive and it is a very comprehensive test. This is the first time my TSH was done with fasting and first thing in the morning. My TSH this time is 8.4 range .450-4.500 ulU/ml and several other flags such as high cholesterol/ triglycerides, high C-Reactive Protein of 9.02 range of 0-3.00, consistently low MCH 26.1 range of 26.6-33.00 pg, Anion Gap high at 18 range of 8.0-16.0 mEq/L, also a high liver enzyme ALT 38 IU/L range of 0-32. I also have a fatty liver. I do feel like Im having a thyroid flare, some soreness in throat, food/pills getting stuck in my throat when I swallow them, and tighter shirt collars. Do you think most of these abnormal results are due to my thyroid or maybe even liver. I've often wondered if my Hashi's didn't in some ways cause my fatty liver. My cholesterol was high before but I thought the test before last my triglycerides went back down to normal range and is high again. The Dr. didn't put me on any cholesterol meds and I wondered if I shouldn't be taking something. I've been so tired lately and recently started taking Nuvigil for fatigue and it's helped some. Anyway, any advice is appreciated!

Total cholesterol 232 range of 100-199 mg/dL

triglycerides 262 range of 0-149 mg/dL

VLDL cholesterol 52 range 5-40 mg/dL

LDL 124 range of 0-99 mg/dL

[shaws]

Hi,

I am assuming your doctor hasn't prescribed levothyroxine for you?

[Zelda5]

No I've never been prescribed anything for it. I did see an Endocrine last year after I had a parathyroid adenoma removed, also caused I believe by the Hashimotos. She was going to prescribe a low dose med for it, but went and consulted with another Endo who specialized in bone disease. He didn't think it was a good idea because of me having been Hyperparathyroid which pulls calcium from the bones. He said at starting it at my age (43) the med could also be hard on the bones. I asked what the magic number should be before being treated and she said a TSH of 7 or 8. im not sure if it needs to be consistently in that range over a few blood work-ups or do they want to go by mid day results. Would getting treatment help the cholesterol to come down or should I be taking something for that?

[Marz in reply to Zelda5]

Your cholesterol will come down when your thyroid is being treated adequately. In days gone by - people with raised cholesterol had their thyroid treated. No thyroid testing in those days - Docs went by the clinical signs and symptoms.

VitD encourages good production of calcium and along with K2 it guides the calcium to the bones. You can buy a D Sray to use under the tongue that also contains K2. Comments that a lowered TSH affects bones is from years gone by - I think there is new research saying otherwise. Ask Dr Google My TSH is low as I am T3 only and a recent visit to the Docs had me being sent off for a bone scan. The result was over 90% - not bad for a 69 year

old !

thyroid-info.com/articles/o...

[Chancery in reply to Marz]

You're 69, Marz? Good God, I thought you were younger than me! You sound exceptionally youthful and sharp (not that I'd expect you to sound senile, but you know what I mean!) You are certainly a great advert for taking good care of yourself.

[Marz in reply to Chancery]

...and started teaching yoga at 65 ! Have a class of 7 this morning had 4 classes last week. I also swim loads - around kilometre a day in the summer - ( no pain in the water ! ) I thought you knew my age as I remember once directing you to my Profile to read my edited health journey It's quite a story ! Hubby too is amazing - and only takes his T3 and supplements and at 76 looks years younger. I am convinced that the thyroid treatment is anti-aging - or should I say as we all age the efficiency of the thyroid is depleted and needs a boost ! If it affects every cell in the body and the T3 is low - then obviously there is not enough to go around !

Maybe we are a good advert for retiring to Greece - in spite of not being able to get dosh out of the cashpoints

[Chancery in reply to Marz]

Yeah, I've read your bio', but somehow obviously didn't take in your age. You only look about 43 or so in your pic, so I suppose I just assumed that's how old you were!

And I saw all the stories today on Yahoo, about the Greek financial 'collapse' (they keep calling it that; I don't know how accurate it is). You're only allowed £40 out the cash machines, it said. Isn't everybody just going to and fro for lots of £40s? Or are they wise to that and preventing more than one daily withdrawal from accounts? Are you panicking, or are all your funds safe in the UK?

[Marz in reply to Chancery]

The photo was taken in 2013. Yes the Greek crisis - seems that things are coming to a head but hey life goes on. Everyone is panic buying and some petrol stations are closed awaiting more deliveries. Banks are closed for a week. The restrictions at cashpoints are for Greek Accounts so we can still access money from the UK - albeit less than before with a rubbish exchange rate !

Greeks have always kept dosh under the mattress and not paid their taxes - so guess the day of reckoning was inevitable Sadly it is the poorer people who have suffered during the last 5 years of austerity.

We are just holding tight - there are lots of us here enjoying life - but there is a cloud at the moment....

[Chancery in reply to Marz]

It's never good to live in an area with economic problems; it always causes other knock-on problems, like crime and social unrest. Fingers crossed it won't deteriorate that far.

I see today they are crowd-funding it! That is definitely a first...

[Zelda5 in reply to Marz]

Hi Marz,

Glad to hear that you are doing so well with your thyroid treatment. You seem very knowledgeable. I do know my vit D was low last year at 19.1 range was 30-100. I think the MHC being low is due to iron but not sure on that one. Interesting, I never heard of a K2 should I have that checked too, when I see the Dr. next. I haven't looked at the article yet, but will, and thank you for sharing! If you have any other articles/books that you think I should read that would be great. I'm so tired of being tired! Thanks so much!

[Marz in reply to Zelda5]

You need to be taking loads of D3 - around 6000 IU's daily - in fact I think others would agree that you should have been given a loading dose by your GP until levels were nearer the top of the range and then a good maintenance dose.

grassrootshealth.net

You will need to divide your D result by 2.5 which brings it to 7.6 and then you can see from the chart the dose you need to be on. You do not need a test for VitK2 - just take it as an extra supplement. Do you go in the sun in the summer ? You could boost things by exposing as much of your body as possible in the midday sun for 20 minutes. Although in spite of having moved to Crete in 2004 and spending hours in the sun - both Hubby and I tested insufficient and deficient respectively. So I think as we age things do not work as well as they should !

Do have the other tests done too - that were suggested above. They are all so important.

Could you have the FT3 test done privately ? Maybe the T4 is not converting/

Books - Hashimotos - The Root Cause - by Izabella Wentz. She also has a website. Also people like Chris Kresser and David Brownstein have good websites and Newsletters that can help to keep you updated.

Hope you soon feel less tired.... When you have all the tests done and have the results - post them in a new post and people will comment. I have learnt so much from this forum so do keep reading as much as you can. You will soon realise which people know their stuff

[Zelda5 in reply to Marz]

What do you mean by a loading dose...a shot? I haven't been getting enough sun as I should be, because it's been kinda of rainy and cloudy here lately. Not at all like our typical weather in the summer, but that's a very good suggestion and I'll start make more of an effort to do that.

I'll ask for those tests that were mentioned and read up some too, and will post the ranges. I'm so glad that I found this site! Be well!

Jeanie

[Marz in reply to Zelda5]

I have just read on this forum about loading doses - meaning large quantities of D3 weekly until levels are good. Sorry not sure if it is an injection or tablets - your Doc should know.

healthunlocked.com/search/l...

Maybe some information in the above link.....

[Ali_r]

Presume you are gluten free? Lots of studies linking fatty liver with gut dysbiosis / leaky gut. Caused by gluten of course.

[Zelda5 in reply to Ali_r]

Hi Ali,

I've read some on the leaky gut theory but it was some years ago and it was because my son is autistic and gf/cf diets were the cure. I'm a bit of a sceptic on that one. Those diets along with crazy amounts of supplements has made a lot of those alternative/Dan Drs. a lot of money. There are some parents that have went even further and are giving their child industrial bleach enemas (poor kids) However, I do think our diets are to blame for a lot of what ails us but I don't think gluten free is the be all/cure all to everything. Though, I do wonder about the tampering with GMO foods have done to our health. So, I'm still a lil open minded. Do you have any recommended reading material you could suggest?

[Marz in reply to Zelda5]

You could try reading - Why Isn't My Brain Working - by Datis Kharrazian. He talks about gluten molecules being able to penetrate the blood brain barrier. he also has a website and talks on various on-line conferences....

[Zelda5 in reply to Marz]

Thank you, Marz! Can I assume you are gluten free?

[Marz in reply to Zelda5]

Yes I am - but sadly it didn't bring my anti-bodies down as much as I would like so something is not quite right. Maybe there is gluten in my supplements or something..... Have contemplated going dairy free - and am almost there !

[Zelda5]

Hi reallyfedup123,

My GP is on vacation until mid July, but hopefully when he gets back we can get those that you've suggested and everything thyroid related tested! Thank you for the suggestions, I definitely got a lot to learn!

[Zelda5]

Hi reallyfedup123,

I do try to stay away from aluminum for the most part, since I did a paper in Psych class some years ago about Alzheimer's. I don't buy aluminum cookware anymore but I do occasionally use foil.😞 I'll look up those things you mentioned too! And thank-you!

Jeanie