Blood Test Results - Help

[ColinK]

Hope that someone can comment and give me some advice.

I’d been diagnosed with an under active thyroid about 4 – 5 years ago and been on 100mcg Levothyroxine since. No problems till last April when I started getting hip/joint pain and muscle pain down the back of my thighs. I was at the gym 5-6 times a week also started noticing a loss of power and breath on exercise. White patches on my knees and knuckles, then hard skin developing. Weight gain (16lbs) cant shift it come what may, constipation, severe dizzy spells and recently headaches (like thumping hangover type, but I don’t drink but a couple of times a year) GP referred me to the Osteopath who gave me a really through medical and said I’d no joint problems, been for a colonoscopy and no real problems there. Any way I was convinced my issues were to do with my thyroid and medication. So I ordered a full thyroid test through Blue Horizon and some Armour NDT (1 grain)

Had my blood test last Monday and started the transition to Armour on Tuesday convinced that there would be an issue with my T3. Results came back today as follows:

TEST RESULT UNITS RANGE

TSH - 1.100 mU/L (0.270 – 4.200)

Free T4 17.85 pmoI/L (12 – 22)

Free T3 4.4 pmoI/L (3.1 – 6.8)

Thyroid Peroxidase

Antibodies 216.0 IU/ml (consistent with autoimmune thyroiditis)

Negative <60

Equivocal 60 – 100

Positive >100

Comments on email, The thyroid is currently normal.

The positive thyroid peroxidase antibody result however increase the risk of developing autoimmune thyroiditis.

So, do I stop taking the Armour NDT and go back to Levo and then back to the doctors? Only in the week that I’ve been on the Armour/Levo (cutting down a bit at a time) I’d noticed and improvement in that the hard skin/white patches on my knees/knuckles is clearing up, the headaches have stopped and the dizzy spells are in the minor zone. Also feels like the muscle aches are abating.

[Clutter]

Thor1956, The doctor commenting didn't know you are hypothyroid and taking Levothyroxine. Positive thyroid antibodies means you have autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's) which has caused your hypothyroidism.

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

TSH around 1.0 is comfortable for most people but others need it lower. FT4 17.85 and FT3 4.4 are okay but FT4 around 20 and FT3 nearer 5.0 would probably have been more comfortable.

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

It's probably the T3 in Armour which is making you feel perkier. Why not stick with it if you feel better than on Levothyroxine. 1 grain (60mg) Armour is roughly equivalent to 75-100mcg Levothyoxine. Labs usually look different on Armour, TSH will be lower, FT4 lower and FT3 higher.

[ColinK in reply to Clutter]

Thanks Clutter, always good to have your advice. Have loads of other bloods done, Vit B I'm told is normal (but I dont know the results) Vit D is deficient and have been on a 3 month course of supplements, going back for another blood test next week then back for a review with GP, I have perked up when I've taken my monthly dose for 24-48hrs then its back to normal.

I'll keep with the Armour as I feel like I've got nothing to lose.

[Clutter in reply to ColinK]

Thor, find out what the B12 result is, normal just means in range. <500 needs supplementing, 1000 is optimal.

[ColinK]

Thanks for the replies, will check with the doc re Vit B when I go for review of Vit D. Will also keep with the Armour at least its keeping the headaches away.