Is my daughter hypothyroid

[Fr23]

I have asked my daughter to join this extremely helpful site,but so far she hasn't, so I am going to ask for her...over the past year she has gained about two stone in weight.Whatever she does to try to lise it,nothing works.She was complaining of lots of symptoms,tiredness,bloating,food intolerances,brain fog,emotional to name a few.I suspected low B12,and persuaded her to get this checked out by her GP.The result was 208 (150-900).Her GP refused to give her injections,of course,so she has been supplementing with Jarrow B12. She then had private bloods done this April as follows:-

TSH 1.78 (0.27-4.20)

T4 17.33 (12-2)

T3 4.47 (3.1-6.8)

Folate 6.8 (3.1-19.9)

Ferritin 74 (10-210)

B12 208 (150-900)

D 55

Hb 124 (110-150)

T4 total 102.7 (64.5-142)

About a year ago her TSH was 2.78.I personally think she has Hashimotos like myself.We are both having gut tests at the moment with a naturopath.I have been taking NDT for 14 months now and feel much better than when I took Levo. I hate to see my daughter unwell and unhappy,but don't know what to do to help.Any suggestions gratefully received,thanks.

[Hidden]

To diagnose Hashimoto's you'd need to have your daughter's antibodies tested - anti-thyroidperoxidase and anti-thyroglobulin. If one or both are raised that gives you a diagnosis. I can see her B12 is very low, as well as her folate (needs to be around halfway up the range so at 8.4. Ferritin could do with being higher as well. Vit D may be low but there's no range mentioned to indicate where it is.

I won't comment on the thyroid levels as there are others far better informed than me to do so, but for sure those low vits/minerals will be having a negative effect on her health, and all can be sorted out over time via supplementation.

Edited to add: forgot to mention, she needs to take a multi-B complex tab daily as well, to add balance to her B12 intake, a good quality one like Jarrow's B-complex would be good (there are a few others).

[Fr23 in reply to Hidden]

Many thanks for your reply.I will get her to try this.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

I agree with Jadzhia it's recommended when supplementing B12 to also take Vit B complex "to keep the B's together"

Check the range on the Vit D. It looks low, U.K. ranges normally recommended we aim for around 100.

Blue horizon are offering advanced B12 test at reduced rate - code b12tuk at £89 until the end of the month.

Also yes definitely check both antibodies - again BH can do that

[Fr23 in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks for your reply.

[Katepots]

Are you gluten free? An absolute must with Hashimotos.

She may feel a lot better if she gives it a go plus limit dairy.

I also agree with the others re vitamins.

[Fr23 in reply to Katepots]

Thanks.She is wheat ,gluten and dairy free.

[Fr23]

Thanks all for your replies.She does avoid wheat,gluten and dairy already.I guess the best way to go is to check the antibodies,but I have a feeling she already had them checked a while back and the result was very low.

Despite this,could she still have Hashimotos or be hypo because she has a lot of the symptoms? I know her GP would not prescribe on her dreaded TSH numbers!

[greygoose in reply to Fr23]

Did she have both the TPO and Tg antibodies tested? One negative result does not prove she doesn't have Hashi's. Some people with Hashi's never have raised antibodies, and are diagnosed by and ultra sound.

How much B12 is she taking? Because it's still very low - especially given that testing when supplementing will not give you a true result, and it is probably lower than that.

She should be taking 5000 mcg sublingual methylcobalamin (B12) daily, plus a B complex with at least 400 mcg methfolate, to bring up her folate.

Low B12 symptoms can mimic hypo symptoms, so getting her B12 up could make her feel a lot better. Her thyroid labs don't actually show a thyroid problem at this point. But, symptoms can precede low blood results by quite some time. Just keep checking the thyroid regularly.

[Fr23 in reply to greygoose]

Thank you Greygoose. My antibodies were about 10,and Hashis was diagnosed through an ultrasound showing one third the size on my left,and two thirds the size on my right.She has been taking 1 x Jarrows B12 per day, so I will tell her to increase and also to take the folate too.

[greygoose in reply to Fr23]

You mean on 1000 mcg nugget a day? She'd be better off getting the 5000 mcg nuggets. She can keep the 1000 for later, when she goes on to the maintenance diet.

[Hidden in reply to Fr23]

Put the B12 right, see what symptoms remain.

[Fr23]

Thank you Sandy12.This is most probably very relevant as I have Hashis,my Dad had Hyperthyroidism,and several of his sisters are Hypo plus some of my cousins are either hypo or hyper! I will look into it more.

[Fr23]

Thank you.Her GP sounds next to useless as he wouldn't consider PA nor giving her injections.I asked her to complain but she hadn't so far.