Hi, this is my first post on here but I have been reading them all with interest since I joined. My doctor diagnosed under-active thyroid in August 2015 and intially put me on 150mcg levothyroxin. This was lowered after my 3 month blood tests to 100mcg and I've been taking that ever since. Some of my symptoms (eyebrow thinning, dry hair & nails and swelling around knees and neck) went away but my low mood and zero sex drive has not. I still have aching muscles and walking is painful most of the time but blood tests seem to be 'Normal - No Action.' The only different one is Renal profile 'Acceptable'
I would be grateful if anyone in the know could look at my results and tell me if anything stands out that I can bring up with my doctor after Christmas.
Wishing you all a merry, happy and healthy Christmas,
Molly
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Mollymalone79
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Welcome to our forum, and the first thing I will say is that your dose of levothyroxine is too low.
For us who are hypothyroid blood tests are not 'acceptable' if our TSH isn't around 1 or lower. You need an increase in levothyroxine - doctors don't know best when they are happy to lower your dose according to the TSH alone. We need a decent dose of thyroid hormone replacement to relieve all of our clinical symptoms, not have continuing or new clinical symptoms arriving.
Doctors make a huge mistake by thinking that 'normal' is 'sufficient hormones'. Blood tests are mainly for diagnosing hypothyroidism and if our TSH is high enough to be diagnosed and given levothyroxine - anywhere in the range doesn't apply to someone who is hypothyroid - we need, as stated above, a TSH of around 1. I can only see a TSH result. If you can afford a private blood test, you can have a Full Thyroid Function Test and I'll give details below:-
A TSH is quite useless if you haven't had a Free T3, Free T4, and antibodies done.
Levothyroxine is inactive and its job is to convert to T3. T3 is the only active thyroid hormone needed in our receptor cells and we have billions. So if they haven't tested FT3 you don't know or may not have sufficient T3 to drive your whole metabolism from head to toe.
I am not good at blood tests so others will respond but I will say your B12 is far too low and you should supplement with methylcobalamin B12 sublingual tablets as the aim is 1,000. Vitamin B12 and Vitamin D have to be at an optimum level. Both are pro-hormones rather than vitamins and get Vit D tested too. low B12 can lead to dementia and alzeimers according to the latest studies.
Another thing that doctors do is adjust the dose according to the TSH result and considering the TSH changes throughout 24 hours of the day (being higher a.m.) you'd get a different result each time if you tested hourly.
When you get a blood test it should be the very earliest possible, fasting and don't take thyroid hormones before the test. Allow at least 24 hours between last dose and the test and take afterwards. Taking before test skews results.
You can say you have taken advice from the NHS Choices for information on dysfunctions of the Thyroid Gland, Healthunlocked Thyroiduk.org.uk.
(I am not medically qualified but have hypothyroidism which was undiagnosed/untreated).
Mollymalone79 As Shaw's says a TSH on it's own isn't much use. Yours is quite high in the range and the aim of a treated hypo patient is for TSH to be 1 or below or wherever it is needed for FT4 and FT3 to be in the upper part of their respective reference ranges. As Shaw's has said, you need an increase in your Levo. I would ask your GP if he will request FT4 and FT3, also thyroid antibodies to rule out (or in) autoimmune thyroid disease aka Hashimoto's.
As for your other results, these are the ones that need mentioning:
Ferritin:18 (15-200) - This needs to be half way through it's range, with a minimum of 70 for thyroid hormone to work properly (and that is our own thyroid hormone as well as hormone replacement). I would ask your doctor to run a full iron panel to see if there is anything else going on. Your ferritin is so low it might need iron infusions, at the very least prescribed iron supplements. Please come back and let us know what your GP says. If he won't help we can make further suggestions.
B12: 287
Folate: 5.9 (3.10-19.90)
These work together. B12 needs to be at least 500 as below that neurological problems may arise. Recommended level is very top of range, even 900-1000. I would suggest supplementing with Solgar or Jarrows sublingual methylcobalamin lozenges 5000mcg daily for a couple of months then reduce to 1000mcg daily as a maintenance dose. Let them dissolve under the tongue to get directly into the bloodstream, don't chew or swallow as stomach acid destroys B12.
When taking B12 we also need a B Complex to balance the B vits. Thorne Basic B is a good one and contains 400mcg methylfolate which will help raise your low folate level.
Take B vits in the morning, no later than lunchtime, as they can be stimulating and you don't want them disturbing your sleep.
It would be useful to have Vit D tested as well, this could very well be low also. Ask your GP or you can do a fingerprick blood spot test from City Assays for £28 vitamindtest.org.uk . Come back with the results and members will advise whether you need to supplement.
It might also be useful to look on the Thyroid UK site as they have loads of good information. They also have a list of symptoms. It's quite a long one but thankfully we don't get them all but it might be worth printing it out and ticking the ones you have and showing it to your GP. There are probably things on there that you wouldn't have thought were thyroid related!
have you had thyroid antibodies checked? There are two sorts TPO Ab and TG Ab. (Thyroid peroxidase and thyroglobulin) Both need checking, if either, or both are high this means autoimmune thyroid - called Hashimoto's the most common cause in UK of being hypo.
(NHS rarely checks TPO and almost never checks TG. NHS believes it is impossible to have negative TPO and raised TG. It's rare, but not impossible, there are a few members on here that have this.)
If you can not get GP to do these tests, then like many of us, you can get them done privately
Blue Horizon - Thyroid plus eleven tests all these.
This is an easy to do fingerprick test you do at home, post back and they email results to you couple of days later.
Usual advice on ALL thyroid tests, (home one or on NHS) is to do early in morning, ideally before 9am. No food or drink beforehand (other than water) If you are taking Levo, then don't take it in 24 hours before (take straight after). This way your tests are always consistent, and it will show highest TSH, and as this is mainly all the medics decide dose on, best idea is to keep result as high as possible
If you have Hashimoto's then you may find adopting 100% gluten free diet can help reduce symptoms, and lower antibodies too.
Selenium supplements can help improve conversion and reduce symptoms too
You do not need to have ANY obvious gut issues, to still have poor nutrient absorption or low stomach acid or gluten intolerance
Lastly always take your Levo on an empty stomach and then nothing apart from water for at least an hour after. Many take on waking, but taking at bedtime may give better result.
To follow on to all the sensible replies you've bern given, I've got a depressing feeling that 'acceptable' is now going to be the new 'within range' 'fine' 'OK' comment when doctors are talking about your test results! Terms that mean nothing when you know you are feeling ill.
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