New here and need Help with interpreting Blood results and maybe changing to NDT

[bailey517]

Hi

I’ve been avidly reading all the information and advice given by members of the forum. I have been diagnosed Hypo for at least 10 years diagnosed by the routine blood tests for type on diabetes. My last does of thyroxine prior to the latest bloods was 75 mcgs . I have been feeling very tired these last few months and fed up with the weight gain over these last 10years. I have gone from 10st to 14 st. I eat well and count carbs to control the diabetes and know what dose of insulin to give.

In November of last year decided to try supplementing B12 as have been on medication that can cause this to drop. That level has now gone over 6000 which is good and I can now cut back. Also take Vitamin D, Vitamin E, folate and magnesium taurine.

My GP rang last week to say my TSH has gone up a bit and wanted me to increase Thyroxine to 100 mcgs and retest in 6 to 8 weeks. For the first time prior to the tests I withheld the thyroxine for 24 hrs a suggested by this forum, never knew to do this.

I have considered changing to NDT to see if this will help tiredness and also help with weight loss. Each time my GP raises the thyroxine she comments that it might help me lose weight. Unfortunately it doesn’t do that but I feel nauseated and have a vague headache for most of the day.

I would be grateful for any comments/ insight from the blood tests I had done privately this week

Thyroid Function

TSH H 5.82 0.27 - 4.20 mIU/L

T4 Total 128.8 64.5 - 142.0 nmol/L

Free T4 18.79 12 - 22 pmol/

L Free T3 6.04 3.1 - 6.8 pmol/L

Immunology

Anti-Thyroidperoxidase abs 33.7 <34 kIU/L

Anti-Thyroglobulin Abs 16.3 <115 kU/L

Thanks for helping

Barbara

[Clutter]

Bailey517,

You are undermedicated to have TSH 5.82 while taking 75mcg and should accept the 100mcg your GP suggested. 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_...

FT4 and FT3 are very good but that will be because high TSH is flogging your thyroid to produce and flogging conversion and they will probably change as TSH drops. Thyroid antibodies are negative for autoimmune thyroiditis (Hashimoto's).

Once you are optimally medicated in theory you should be able to lose weight by reducing calories and exercising but a lot of people struggle to lose weight on Levothyroxine. Adding Liothyronine (T3) or switching to T3 or NDT may help but it is difficult to get T3 prescribed on NHS due to cost and NDT isn't licensed for UK use so is rarely prescribed on the NHS. Many members buy European T3 or NDT online and self medicate.

[bailey517 in reply to Clutter]

Thanks for explaining why my FT4 and FT3 are elevated to upper end of normal. Barbara

[shaws Administrator]

The aim of replacement thyroid hormones is to have a TSH1 or lower. Many feel best when it is suppressed but GPs are wary of this. You need an increase. Your GP is unaware that one of the 300 clinical symptoms of hypothyroidism and the one of the common symptoms is unexplained weight gain. This is due to not being on sufficient thyroid hormones (these raise your metabolism) so you have low metabolism which causes weight gain. Dieting is not advisable as it is nearly impossible without optimum hormones.

Before blood tests the usual dosage for hypothyroid for patients was between 200 and 400mcg. Nowadays doctors are more interested in the TSH and many believe somewhere in range is fine, when it should be 1 or lower. We are kept permanently unwell, we have disabling symptoms and doctors are apt to prescribe something for the symptom but not optimum thyroid hormones.

You can tell your GP you need a rises to bring your TSH to 1 or lower and. You can also say you are a member of HU Thyroidukl.org.uk who are the NHS choices for info on thyroid gland dysfunctions. You can also become a member of Thyroiduk.org.uk who are at the forefront of trying to get the ridiculous guidelines changed so we are diagnosed and treated to optimum, not to within a 'range' but optimally,

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/member...

[Marymary7 in reply to shaws]

Well said shaws too right. It's scandalous.