can anyone interpret thyroid results please?

[jefftall]

anyone got time to interpret these bad boys please?

have been feeling super rubbish of late - i have uncomplicated (!) primary hypothyroidism - whatever that means

Serum TSH 0.03mu/l (0.35 - 5.0)

Serum Free T4 13.4 (9 - 24)

serum free T3 5.1 (3.5 - 6.5)

serum ferritin 59 (15 - 250)

serum total vit d 93 (75 - 200) Optimally replete (dunno what that means)

serum calcium 2.17 (2.10 - 2.60)

calcium adjusted 2.15 (2.10 - 2.60)

total alkaline phosphate 56 (30 - 130)

b12 388 (200 - 900)

serum folate 9.2 (2 - 17)

[Pastille]

Hi jefftall , TSH is fine but T4 is quite low, what medication are you taking and how much? Ferritin is quite low and needs to be optimal at half way through range so you need to supplement Iron if not already. Vitamin D is fine and optimally replete means it is at optimal level in the range. B12 is low and needs supplementing if not already, most people aim for 1000 to be optimal. Folate could be a touch higher and taking a B complex with folate in would help maybe increase and maintain it. Welcome to the forum, others will explain better.

[jefftall in reply to Pastille]

thank you for your response - my tsh is normally around the 0.7 mark so 0.03 is 'below range' - its been suggested that it shows i have become hyper??? i don't understand enough of this bloomin' illness! My T4 is normally around the 19 mark. As for the other stuff - any idea what they do please!? Also I've read that i should be taking K2 and Vit A if I am on vit d? any thoughts?

[Pastille in reply to jefftall]

How do you 'feel' jefftall that is the main thing. Do you feel hyper? How is your pulse and temperature? As Clutter says it all looks spot on so it depends on how you feel if you're hyper? All the other stuff is important as we usually have trouble absorbing nutrients when we are hypo and we need the levels to be optimal to absorb and use any medication well. Yes, it is advisable to take Vitamin k2 with Vitamin D3 to avoid Calcium collecting in arteries and other tissues and help to direct it to bones and teeth. What medication are you taking and what are your symptoms? Why do you feel poorly? Keep reading and asking questions.

[jefftall in reply to Pastille]

i feel rubbish - i could sleep standing, have trouble getting out of bed, my hair is falling out and really dry again, I've a really spotty scalp itchy skin, massive recent weight gain, short tempered, resting HR is around 75-80 but rises really quickly upon exertion, feel air hunger as if i can't take in a deep breath and am always hot and have been a hot dog for as long as i can remember since i was a child - am very rarely cold - generally feel really out of sorts and not myself - maybe a bit vacant almost? its similar to how i felt when i insisted on being referred because i kept falling 'in range' a year so ago

[Pastille in reply to jefftall]

Oh I know it's a nightmare! When did you add T3? Why don't you reduce levo and add more T3? You still sound under medicated but your blood results don't show that so more T3 might do the trick. Have you recently altered your medication? It can take a while to adapt. Have you looked into any problems that the HRT you are taking might cause with your T4/T3 and hypothyroidism? I know theres people here who swear by the serenity progesterone cream. Have you had sex hormones tested lately? Also anti d's are never good for us hypos even though we get offered them constantly, do you not think the Citalapram adds to you feeling awful? You have to go back to basics and address absolutely everything. There are other options for HRT and depression. I don't know enough to help but I sympathize, it's awful when you think you're doing everything right and you still can't get any real quality of life. You'll get there, good luck x

[jefftall in reply to Pastille]

thank you - didn't feel like was converting from t4 to t3 and in the interim until about 3 weeks ago have felt well on it - changed jobs and worked full time for a bit to train and have a stressful divorce going through - feel a bit physically broken atm! will research the rest - any good places to look?

[Pastille in reply to jefftall]

Anything you are looking for re thyroid or vitamins put in the search box at the top then press enter/ok on whatever you're using. There is another forum on healthunlocked for women on menopause, can't remember what it's called, women on menopause or something

[jefftall in reply to Pastille]

ill research ta - do you know what uncomplicated primary hypothyroidism means? I'm still none the wiser as to what type of hypothyroidism i have!?

[Pastille in reply to jefftall]

'I think' it means you are hypothyroid without hashimotos which is more complicated as the sufferer swings from hypo to hyper and TSH fluctuates. So you are under active but there are many causes. Hashimotos is an auto immune disease where anti bodies attack the thyroid. 80/90 % of hypos have Hashis apparently

[jefftall in reply to Pastille]

why just WHY would i have anything 'normal' and less complicated!? :0) thanks

[Pastille in reply to jefftall]

Yeah most symptoms are the same anyhow. BTW the forum for menopause advice is Women's Health

[galathea in reply to jefftall]

Ooh, those symptoms are efinitely not hyper ones........ The feeling hot, for me is related to high blood sugar readings. This is caused by , for me, eating starches..... So since i stopped eating, rice, pasta, bread, pastry and cereal i havent been hot.

Maybe worth getting a nlood sugar monitor and see where you are with it?

Xx

[jefftall in reply to galathea]

Thankyou I'll look for one - I've also got my ranging in my ears back and horrible noise sensitivity again :0(

[jefftall in reply to jefftall]

Do you recommend a monitor? Galathea

[galathea in reply to jefftall]

I use an accuchek mobile.... Very easy, and no strips or seperate lancets to cart around..... About £20 on amazon .... Comes with a casette of 50 tests and sone lancets...... The replacement casettes are pricier than other brands, but you only need to use it for a week or so to see if you have a problem...... Use it two hours after eating.... It plugs into computer to give you a chart of your results..... I am impressed, but not on comission! Lol.

accu-chek.co.uk/microsites/...

[waveylines in reply to galathea]

Thanks galathea that's an interesting observation....I wil be mindful of next time it happens. I too have felt heaps better since cutting my carbs. I too have cut out all the grains but also potato -I have potato once per week to retrigger the body . The difference I immense. No more bloating, wind, indigestion and my fatigue is much less . Yay!

jefftail -would be worth your while checking your actual temperature. Feeling hot or cold has nothing to do with your temperature. A low temperature is a clinical sign that indicates you are under medicated. We can feel hot when over or under replaced. A specialsit once told me this useful info.

[greygoose in reply to jefftall]

A low TSH on its own is meaningless. It's the FT3 that is important, and yours isn't bad at all. However, there is room for an increase if you still have hypo symptoms.

You're probably feeling so bad because your B12 is so low. B12 is more than just a vitamin, it is now thought to be a hormone. If it is under 500, you are in danger of irréversible neurological damage. And, low B12 causes symptoms that mimic low thyroid. So, you need to raise it quickly. Optimal is 1000.

[jefftall in reply to greygoose]

Thankyou - have you got a. Evidence I can show to my GP re the B12 please as she feels as I am in range I can't have B12

[greygoose in reply to jefftall]

You don't need your doctor's permission to take B12. Just buy some sublingual methylcobalamin - 5000 mcg - on Amazon, and a B complex with methylfolate - and treat yourself.

You are 'in range', but that's not the same as 'optimal'. Optimal is 1000.

[jefftall in reply to Pastille]

as for meds I take 100mg levo T4 and 1/2 a tablet of T3 twice a day, Vit D zinc and magnesium - i also take citalapram and hrt ??

[Clutter]

Jeftall,

TSH is suppressed, FT4 is low in range, and FT3 is good, in the top third of range. It looks as though you are taking T4+T3 or NDT and dose looks spot on.

Ferritin is optimal halfway through range. You could supplement iron and take each tablet with 500-1,000mg vitamin C to aid absorption and minimise constipation.

B12 is optimal around 1,000. Supplement 1,000mcg methylcobalamin and take a B Complex vitamin to keep the other B vits balanced.

Folate is good, VitD is optimal and calcium and phosphate are within range (normal).

_________________________________________________________________________________________

I am not a medical professional and this information is not intended to be a substitute for medical guidance from your own doctor. Please check with your personal physician before applying any of these suggestions.

[jefftall in reply to Clutter]

what does it meeeeeean to have supressed TSH please? am new to learning all about this as my endo was an idiot and my lovely GP is learning with me as happy to help but self admitted its not her hot subject.

[jefftall in reply to jefftall]

i take t4 and t3 btw

[Pastille in reply to jefftall]

Most people feel better with a suppressed TSH. It's when their symptoms are relieved mainly. Have you recently increased T3? Good on your GP, at least she is honest and co operative

[jefftall in reply to Pastille]

my GP is super - my T3 was increased a good 6 months if not more ago.............

[Clutter in reply to jefftall]

Jefftall,

It just means that TSH is below range. TSH <0.1 is usually described as suppressed. Some doctors get a bit bent out of shape about low TSH claiming it will cause heart damage or osteoporosis but recent research debunks that. As long as FT4 and FT3 are within range you aren't overmedicated so resist any attempts to reduce dose based on TSH level.

I assume your FT4 was 19 when you were on Levothyroxine only. It's not unusual for FT4 to drop when T3 is added. T4 is a storage hormone and you don't need as much storage when you take T3 direct, plus taking T3 direct seems to stimulate better use of T4 and FT4 drops.

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

[jefftall in reply to Clutter]

aside of getting something done about my B12 vita and iron k2 and bit a (blimey!!) any advice on what approach to deal with my feeling of utter rubishnessnessness (that IS a word!)

[Pastille in reply to jefftall]

Lol !! It is now You need to get your levels up for a kick off. Low B12 alone can cause a lot of symptoms

[Clutter in reply to jefftall]

Jefftall,

Your thyroid levels are good, your vits and mins are sub optimal but they aren't deficient so nothing there shouts out that you should be feeling so rubbish

[jefftall in reply to Clutter]

feel super knackered and super broken :0(

[Clutter in reply to jefftall]

((( Jefftall ))),

Optimising vits/mins may improve symptoms a little. I hope so.

[jefftall in reply to Clutter]

Have you any thoughts on armour? (Taking it not wearing some!)

[galathea in reply to jefftall]

I dont use armour as its the priciest version of NDT, but there are other brands. I use Thai thiroyd or nature throid. I used to be on t3/t4 but swapped to ndt even though i have to buy my own.... I prefer the ndt to the t3/t4 combo because you dont need to multidose, and its a more even calm feeling than the highs and lows you get with the synthetics......

[SmallBlueThing in reply to jefftall]

You're going through major stress, you need time and all sorts of support to "process" it.

[Josiesmum]

It could be a problem with your adrenals. You could ask your GP for cortisol blood test (which should be done at 9am) or order a private saliva test.

Have you investigated food sensitivities? Gluten and dairy are the most common, so you could try a few days off those and see if your symptoms improve.

[jefftall in reply to Josiesmum]

they were tested before and there was 'nothing wrong with them'