Hypothyroidism & Aloevera Gel

[Hodgson1994]

Hello,

Has anyone with hypothyroidism used the forever living aloe vera gel, and if so do you feel any better taking it daily? Trying to find something to help improve my symptoms and make me feel more awake and energised... Thanks

[Clutter]

Hodgson,

Aloe Vera can inhibit absorption of Levothyroxine and other prescription meds.

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Hodgson1994 Did you ever get the following tested as suggested a few months ago

B12

Vit D

Ferritin

Folate

TPO antibodies

TG antibodies

I would be looking to seeing if you have optimal levels of vitamins and minerals first and supplementing any deficiencies, also seeing whether you have Hashimoto's.

[Hodgson1994 in reply to SeasideSusie]

These are my last round of results following a visit to endo: any suggestions? As I don't know what half of these mean.

I also have PCOS. Thanks

Serum TSH level

2.22 mU/L

Serum cortisol

13 nmol/L

Serum sex hormone

binding globulin level

33 nmol/L

Serum testosterone

2.4 nmol/L

Non HDL cholesterol

level

5.18 mmol/L

Serum LDL cholesterol

level

4.6 mmol/L

Serum HDL cholesterol

level

1.24 mmol/L

Serum triglycerides

1.27 mmol/L

Haemoglobin A1c level -

IFCC standardised

36 mmol/mol

Haemoglobin A1c level

5.4 %

TSH - thyroid stim.

hormone

2.36 mU/L

Serum chloride

104 mmol/L

Serum FSH level

6 U/L

Serum LH level

12.7 U/L

Serum free T4 level

14.1 mmol/L

Serum cholesterol

6.42 mmol/L

Serum creatinine

77 umol/L

Serum urea level

4.6 mmol/L

Serum potassium

4.4 mmol/L

Serum sodium

137 mmol/L

Thyroid autoantibodies

(PH6545) - positive

autoantibodies, FINAL REPORT, Occupation, Onset, Anti-Thyroid peroxidase ab.

POSITIVE 364 IU/ml

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Hodgson1994]

Hodgson1994 We also need reference ranges (usually in brackets or to the side) when test results are given. Some of those seem to be testing for menopause possibly - FSH LH??? You have other sex hormone results but I can only comment on thyroid results really.

Cholesterol is probably high (guessing as no range) but that would most likely right itself when optimally medicated thyroid wise.

You have a TSH level of 2.22 mU/L which is too high for a treated hypo patient. The aim for a treated hypo patient is for the TSH to be 1 or below or wherever it needs to be for FT4 and FT3 to be in the upper parts of their ranges if that is where you feel best and symptoms alleviated. So you need FT4 and FT3 tested. Some GPs only go by TSH and don't ask for the other tests, some GPs ask for them and the lab won't do them. In that case you can get them done privately.

Dr Toft, past president of the British Thyroid Association and leading endocrinologist, wrote in a Pulse Online magazine article:

"The appropriate dose of levothyroxine is that which restores euthyroidism and serum TSH to the lower part of the reference range - 0.2-0.5mU/l.

In this case, free thyroxine is likely to be in the upper part of its reference range or even slightly elevated – 18-22pmol/l. Most patients will feel well in that circumstance.

But some need a higher dose of levothyroxine to suppress serum TSH and then the serum-free T4 concentration will be elevated at around 24-28pmol/l.

This 'exogenous subclinical hyperthyroidism' is not dangerous as long as serum T3 is unequivocally normal – that is, serum total around T3 1.7nmol/l (reference range 1.0-2.2nmol/l)."

If you email [e-mail] she will let you have a copy of the article which you can print out and discuss with your GP.

You need the vitamin and mineral tests done I mentioned before. You can ask your GP for them or get them done privately. Blue Horizon does a test that covers all the full thyroid panel plus the vitamins and minerals bluehorizonmedicals.co.uk/T... and if you can get your GP to do the tests suggested I strongly recommend you get that BH test. Once you have the results you can make a new thread and post them, with reference ranges, and members will advise whether you need to supplement to get any up to optimal levels which are needed for thyroid hormone to be able to work.

One thing that does stand out is

"Thyroid autoantibodies (PH6545) - positivea utoantibodies, FINAL REPORT, Occupation, Onset, Anti-Thyroid peroxidase ab. POSITIVE 364 IU/ml"

You have autoimmune immune thyroid disease aka Hashimoto's. This is where the antibodies attack the thyroid and eventually destroy it. Hashi's isn't treated, it's the resulting hypothyroidism that is and you are are Levo.

However, to reduce the antibody attacks there are a few things you can do. Firstly adopt a strict gluten free diet, no cheating. Gluten contains gliadin which is a protein that triggers the antibodies. Some people also need to be dairy free. Supplementing with selenium can help reduce the antibody attacks. And very important is the fact that keeping TSH suppressed also helps.

Read and learn about Hashi's to help yourself and fight your corner with your GP who probably doesn't know anything about it:

stopthethyroidmadness.com/h...

stopthethyroidmadness.com/h...

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

[Hodgson1994 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you, that is really helpful. I will make an appointment with my gp and take this information.

I also have PCOS and some of the tests were to see if I had cushions disease so that's what the other tests were for. I would like to hope it isn't menopause as I am only 22

Thanks again, Lisa

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Hodgson1994]

Hodgson1994 Ah, well, forget the menopause bit then , it was just a guess as I don't know what some of those tests are for.

Best thing to do when seeing your GP is not say that you got this information from an online forum (they don't like that and will shoot you down) but to say that you got it from Thyroid UK which is NHS Choices recommended source of information (which is true, they link to ThyroidUK's website on their own website). Ask Louise for the article I mentioned, print it off and show him that, it will be hard for him to go against the recommendations of one of his peers.

[Hodgson1994]

Posted in a table not sure why it is coming to you like that, hopefully you can make sense of it. Thanks

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Hodgson1994]

Because the site cannot handle anything other than plain text.