Here are my Thyroid test results from Blue Horizon (whose service was excellent).
Result Range
CRP 1.10 <5.0 mgl
Ferritin 155.5 30-400 ug/l
TSH 2.8 0.27 -4.20 mIU/L
T4 Total 96.7 64.5 -142.0 nmol/L
Free T4 19.45 12-22 pmol/L
Free T3 4.09 3.1-6.8 pmol/L
Anti-Thyroidperoxidase abs 17.6 <34 kIU/L
Anti - Thyroglobulin 36.5 <115 kU/L
Vitamin D (25OH) Low 20 nmol/L Deficient <25
Insufficient 25-50
Consider reducing dose > 175
Vitamin B12 508 PMOL Deficient <140
Insufficient 140-250
Consider reducing dose >725
Serum Folate 16.14 nmol/L 8.83-60.8
I am a 56 year old male initially diagnosed with M.E. back in 2000, I got myself referred to the late Dr Skinner who advised conversion elevated TSH and conversion problems of T4/T3 and started me on Armour Thyroid. Within 3 weeks it was like a lifting of the clouds!
The symptoms of brain fog, tiredness, dry skin etc etc decreased and I was able to resume work.
My GP though was less than pleased and continually advised of the risks etc etc, which we all are told about concerning natural thyroid, despite many GP's having very little understanding of it themselves.
I continued until the sad death of Dr Skinner and then switched to Levothyroxine 75 mg which I have now been on continuously without adjustment.
The symptoms have gradually returned and I am left with:
Bone numbing cold despite many many layers of clothes!
Brain fog which has resulted in reduction of working hours
Dry skin
Frequent urination
Frequent joint aches
The Thyroid results above do not look too bad but the doctor from Blue Horizon commented:
'There is a marked Vitamin D deficiency. I suggest you speak to your doctor about this result as supplementation looks to be advisable.'
This is a test bundled with the Thyroid 11 test and not one I have had before. My own reading of my Thyroid results are they are better than expected and certainly better TSH than before as I was around 7.5 after I came off Armour and was without medication for a while.
I know very little about Vitamin D deficiency and am trying to read up on it but I wondered if anyone on the boards has any experience of low Vitamin D and can give any advice on symptoms and also whether GP's are better educated in this than they are with Thyroids.
This is my first post having watched the boards and thank you to all those who contribute, as the sharing of knowledge is a blessing given the level of input many of us receive from our GP's when we arrive with our long list of symptoms and inevitably leave as frustrated as when we arrived.
Kind Regards
1234KR
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1234KR
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You are under medicated to have TSH 2.8 when taking Levothyroxine. The goal of Levothyroxine is to restore the patient to euthyroid status. For most patients that will be when TSH is 1.0 or lower with FT4 in the upper range. FT4 needs to be in the upper range in order that sufficient T3 is converted. Read Treatment Options in thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_... Email louise.roberts@thyroiduk.org.uk if you would like a copy of the Pulse article to show your GP.
Thyroid antibodies are negative for autoimmune thyroiditis (Hashimoto's).
You are vitamin D deficient and your GP should prescribe cholecalciferol (vitamin D3). My GP prescribed a loading dose of 40,000iu D3 x 14 days followed by 2,000iu daily x 8 weeks which raised vitD from <10 to 107. The joint pain you are experiencing is almost certainly due to vitD deficiency and will resolve when vitD level is good.
Clutter, thank you for your advice and I will get in touch with thyroid uk for the Pulse article. Let's hope the GP is more helpful with Vit D than they have been with Thyroid meds!
1234KR I followed Clutter's suggestion about 18 months ago, although after the loading dose I reduced to 5000iu daily. I raised my Vit D from 15 to about 190 in 2.5 months, which was a bit too high so I then reduced to 5000iu alternate days. I used these softgels which only have two ingredients so no unnecessary ingredients, plus they contain oil to help absorption
[You might want to have a look around the Vit D website, near in mind that in the UK our unit of measurement is nmol/L and that site is US based I believe and uses ng/ml. Recommended level is 100-150nmol/L (40-60ng/ml).]
D3 aids absorption of calcium from food and K2-MK7 directs it to bones and teeth rather than arteries and soft tissues. D3 and K2 are fat soluble so should be taken with the fattiest meal of the day. D3 should be taken four hours away from thyroid meds.
When supplementing with D3, it's advisable to re-test once or twice a year. If that is all that needs testing then City Assays (NHS City Hospital in Birmingham) does a fingerprick blood spot test for £28
Magnesium comes in different forms, check to see which would suit you best and as it's calming it's best taken in the evening, four hours away from thyroid meds
B12 is recommended to be very top of the range, even 900-1000. Folate is recommended to be at least half way through it's range. These work together. You may wish to boost your levels.
As you were doing so well on Armour, you could have continued as there are Natural Dessicated Thyroid tablets available without prescription that can be ordered from overseas. You might want to consider that if you would prefer not to continue with Levo.
Seaside Susie , Good advice as ever and thank you for the links,I will start to educate myself. Did you have any adverse symptoms when you you went too high or was it just picked up in the blood test?
No. I didn't have any adverse symptoms when my level was 190. According to City Assays, toxicity level is 220+. I wasn't worried, just thought it was prudent to get it down nearer to the recommended level.
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