Hi all
Any definitive advice - some of you seem to fast before bloodwork and others not. I take 1and three quarter grains of WP Thyroid . I take it on waking on an empty stomach . About an hour later I take Thyro Complex minerals (x3). Just wondering about impact on blood tests ( say at 930am)
Thanks
The general rule I follow for all blood tests is to fast over night before them and to have them first thing in the morning. This is because it is never clear whether you should fast or not, and doctors have a habit of springing random tests on patients.
In the case of taking thyroid meds the advice is not to take them for 24 hours before.
The advice for other supplements varies by supplement but I was told not to take them a minimum of 48 hours before but ideally to stop a lot longer e.g. 7 days for iron, 5 months for vitamin B12. The reason for this is because most tests measure your serum levels if you have taken them recently your body is breaking them down so the test is measuring the dose you have recently taken.
In the case of vitamin B12 what happens is doctors then freak when they see a serum vitamin B12 level of around 1,000. The fact that only a small amount of that is active and there is research that suggests high levels are protective are ignored.
I don't think there is a definitive answer. Doctors don't know! And, I think it depends what type of blood work, and what you want out of it.
Eating lowers the TSH, so if you want a high TSH, it's best to fast over-night and have the test early in the morning. But, when taking NDT, the TSH is probably going to be suppressed, anyway. So, it doesn't make much difference. I don't think anyone knows if it has an effect on the Frees, because no-one has ever investigated that.
I have to say, though, you should leave longer than one hour after your NDT before taking any minerals. For iron, you should leave four hours, and for magnesium six! One hour sounds very short, to me.
ThankYou.
My last TSH was 26.9 so very high and I'm looking to decrease. This was prior to starting NDT. First ever reading was around 15 ( married up with the early use of thyro complex) I've since wondered if the thyro complex which I took beforehand on both occasions had any bearing on the results.
The thyro complex/support is a multi nutrient formula . It has 25mg magnesium in and a few vitamins ( not b12) . 3 tablets daily before food . I think based on your reply I will check with Doctor P before the next bloods as I'm consulting with him but didn't want to bother him if I could find out myself.
I hope I see a difference - it will be the first blood results since I started on thyroid med!! Just got me thinking about the accuracy of the readings now.
Did dr P suggest you take the Thyro Complex? I've been looking for a list of ingredients, but can't find one. However, I wouldn't take anything that called itself 'thyroid support'. Because it usually isn't.
So, you were thinking that Thyro Complex made your TSH high? That would be rather defeating the object, wouldn't it? The idea is to bring your TSH down, and the Frees up. But, I'm not familier with the product, I'm afraid. But, if it contains iodine, throw it in the bin!
Why throw it in the bin greygoose ? I take natural kelp every day for iodine and it really helps me! I thought iodine is only not recommended to some Hashi's patients but are recommended for hypothyroid patients?
If you are taking thyroid hormone replacement, then l doubt you need any extra iodine. Iodine is only helpful to take if you are deficient. Too much iodine is as bad as, if not worse, than too little. And it is especially not recommended for Hashis. Have you had your iodine tested?
greygoose Thanks! No, never had iodine tested. I only ever take kelp and it seems to help me. I take it on the basis that Japanese people eat sea weed all the time and they are super healthy 
I take 1 modest pinch / day of organic kelp and give some to my husband and 28 months old daughter too (literally a tiny tiny tiny pinch for her only). I just thought it's so healthy and full of nutrients
I read somewhere that iodine is good for some Hashi's patients, but I can't remember where... However, I don't have Hashi's just hypo - I did have antibodies checked last year.
Iodine is not 'good' for the thyroid. And it's especially not good for Hashi's. In fact, an excess can trigger Hashi's.
Did you know that the Japanese have a very high incident of Hashi's, just because of all the seaweed they eat? They're not that super healthy when it comes to thyroid.
What do you think iodine does? It's not 'good' for anything, not in the way that vit C, say, is. It is an element in the making of thyroid hormone, true. But, if you take too much, and your thyroid isn't able to keep up with the amount, and make the corresponding amount of hormone, it's going to be stimulated to make more - which is probably why you feel it's doing you good at the moment. But that won't cure it. The stimulation will just make it die off more quickly.
Iodine also stimulates the antibodies, and makes symptoms ten times worse. You only need a certain amount of iodine. More isn't better. And if you are also taking thyroid hormone replacement, you risk over-dosing on iodine, because it is recycled. Every time an atom of iodine is released from a molecule of T4, when it is converted into T3, it goes into the blood stream and is recycled.
As to giving kelp to a baby... who suggested you did that? You could be over-dosing her on all sorts of things, all those healthy nutrients. It has a very high calcium content. Are you taking vit K2 so that all that extra calcium goes into your bones and teeth instead of your tissues?
Iodine is only helpful if you are short of it. And as you haven't even been tested, I think you're taking a huge risk.
My apologies to Katoir for hi-jacking her thread. x
Blimey, thank you! I had no idea!!
I take K2, the baby doesn't, she takes D3 (5-600iu) and B12, I won't give her the kelp anymore.
I only give her the tiniest amount and not every day - I thought it'll be good for her, I only want the best for her, I'm worried now!! How can I detox her??
I take NDT (2 grains) and T3 (25mcg) I was on T3 only until March but still had a lot of body aches so switched some of the T3 to NDT, but still not well...
I'll get my iodine levels tested, thank you. I never realised that it could kill of the thyroid! I knew that big amounts were no good but I thought tiny amounts are good - I read that it helps with brain development and that's why I thought it'd be good for my little girl.
What should I do now?? Do I need to get all of us tested?? Is Selenium supposed to balance out iodine? I read that somehwhere too - I take Se but not my baby...
Sorry Katoir!!!
Don't worry .
you sound extremely concerned . Perhaps you could check out with a naturopath or homeopath. I have a feeling it will be ok and that you will follow your instincts.X
Katoir Thank you hon! xx
I was just following my instincts and on the package it says it is suitable for children over 2. She was literally given the tiniest pinch you can imagine, like a 2 year old baby's pinch! And for me I do feel better for taking it, I really do...
But I will follow it up, for now I put it in the pantry on the top shelf
Well, I don't know that you need to do anything, except giving it to her. But getting tested would be a good idea. Sorry, I didn't want to frighten you. Iodine in necessary for brain developpement, but I think that's in the womb.
But you could very well be over-dosing. You're taking a fair dose of thyroid hormone replacement, so I very much doubt you were deficient in iodine.
I didn't say it could kill off the thyroid. I said it stimulates the thyroid and stimulating a sick gland is not a good idea. And it can trigger Hashi's, which will destroy the gland.
Iodine is necessary to make thyroid hormone, but it doesn't 'nourish' the gland, as some people seem to think. You do need tiny amounts but only tiny amounts and most people get that from their food. But, as I said, iodine is recycled, so it can mount up to large amounts in the body if you keep taking extra.
If you're certain that you or a member of your family needs extra iodine, then you should get tested, and find a doctor who knows what he's doing with iodine, not try and treat yourself.
Oh, and Amazon, if you're still not well, why don't you post a new question asking people if they can suggest why. Say you're taking NDT and T3, and give your blood test results with the ranges. Somebody might be able to suggest something.
There's no iodine. It's a supplement to support getting my thyroid going. Doctor p recommended it and it's just natural stuff but know now all sorts can influence tests so was just a consideration really as I'm at the beginning of the journey . I'm happy though with how it's going. Rang Dr P and advised to take NDT after the tests and that TC won't affect. ( just a supplement after all)
Ta 😀
Does Dr P really think your thyroid can get going again? It would be very rare if it did.
Hi
It was always a possibility that my thyroid functioning was knocked by severe stress and as I didnt really have any major and obvious thyroid issues ( other than usual mummy type tiredness) we wondered and wanted to see if I could impact it as the stressor had gone . Also given that I exercise and eat promoting optimum thyroid health it seemed worth a try. I wouldn't have gone straight into Med without trying holistically first anyhow.
I'm not sure exercise promotes optimum thyroid health. If your T3 is low, exercise is going to use it all up and make you even more hypo. How long have you been taking the TC?
T3 is good. No problems there. I used to be an almost elite marathon runner and enjoy two short meditational runs weekly in nature now.
I started swimming and looking into yoga instead which is slightly gentler and thought it would be kinder on the thyroid that but found I missed the benefits of the runs. I have thought this all through and am a great believer in balance and everything in moderation. I think I've been using TC since about April along with some other simple adrenal supportsThey were addressed first and are good . I think as I've shared before on this forum I had 2 miscarriages and went to see my naturopath first and we examined my mineral levels. I chose a different path in the end and feel supported and hopeful
Sorry to be thick, but what are 'meditational runs'? Sounds like a contradiction in terms.
It must be lovely to be able to run. I never have been able to. But, do keep an eye on your body's reactions. If it starts taking you longer to recover, get your T3 checked.
Hee Hee. Running is a bit like a meditation for me. A time to be free, clear, get into a rhythm , breathe in the oxygen , release stress . Just describing the energy of my personalruns I guess. Good for my soul.
Yeah - I read about T3 being used up and really really tried to find alternatives but just not me at all. I especially love running and then jumping into the sea in my kit. Just love the feel good factor. Only half hour runs. Not like the training I used to do back in the day!!
If you have a functioning thyroid then iodine may help if your diet is otherwise deficient. But increasing your fish consumption would be generally more useful, and safer. There's real controversy over iodine supplementation, and having read around a bit, I wouldn't personally risk it.
Thanks all - my question want around iodine though xx
Kill the thyroid or not 
Blue Horizon Blood Tests - to fast or not?
What to say and not to say on the forum
Levothyroxine dose running out before end of 24 hours or just not a big enough dose?
