I got diagnosed with under active thyroid couple of months ago. Gp didn't test anti bodies so I got private test done with Medi checks.
Could I get some advice on results please...I feel utterly terrible with back , joint pain, terrible head aches and tiredness. I'm on 100mcg levothyroxine and I know it's still early days but I feel no different than I did before medication.
TSH 22.82 ( 0.27-4.20 )
Free thyroxine 12.11 ( 12.00 - 22.00 )
T4 79.2 (59 - 154)
T3 3.88 (3.10-6.80)
Thyroglobulin antibody 613 (0-115)
Thyroid peroxidase antib >600 (0-34)
B12 194 (140-274)
Folate 5.98 (3.89-26.80)
Ferritin 48.14 (13-150)
Thanks xx
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Maggiedaisy
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TSH 22.82 ( 0.27-4.20 ) - Far too high, this needs to come down to be around 1 or below where most of us hypo patients feel best. You need an increase in your Levo.
Free thyroxine 12.11 ( 12.00 - 22.00 ) - Far too low, this needs to be in the upper part of it's range, where most of us hypo patients feel best. You need an increase in your Levo.
T4 79.2 (59 - 154) - Ths is total T4 and there's not much of it. You need an increase in your Levo.
T3 3.88 (3.10-6.80) - Far too low, this needs to be in the upper part of it's range, where most of us hypo patients feel best. You need an increase in your Levo.
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Thyroglobulin antibody 613 (0-115)
Thyroid peroxidase antib >600 (0-34)
Both antibodies are high which means you are positive for autoimmune thyroid disease, aka Hashimoto's, where the antibodies attack and gradually destroy the thyroid. Hashimoto's isn't treated, it's the resulting hypothyroidism that's treated.
Adopting a gluten free diet helps reduce antibodies. Gluten contains gliadin (a protein) which is thought to trigger autoimmune attacks so eliminating gluten can help reduce these attacks.
Folate 5.98 (3.89-26.80) - Low, needs to be at least half way through it's range. It works together with B12.
B12 194 (140-274) - Too low. Anything under 500 can cause neurological problems. Recommended is top of range, even 900-1000.
Buy some Solgar sublingual methylcobalamin lozenges 5000 mcg and take one daily. Finish the bottle then buy the 1000mcg dose and take one daily as a maintenance dose.
When taking B12 we 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.
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Ferritin 48.14 (13-150) - Too low. Needs to be a minimum of 70 for thyroid hormone to work, half way through range is better and for females 100-130 is best. You can either supplement with iron tablets and take each one with 1000mg Vit C to aid absorption and help prevent constipation. Iron should be taken 4 hours away from thyroid meds. Or you can eat liver once a week which is what raised my level from 35 to 85.
Thankyou so much for taking the time to respond so thoroughly you have helped me so much! I'm going to try all the things you have suggested. It's frustrating because I eat a really healthy diet so to be low in nutrients is rubbish! I have been breastfeeding though so I suppose that could be why. I'm going to go back to gp and tell her the things you've told me see if she's interested! Thankyou
Maggiedaisy Just a bit of further information in case you don't already know.
Take your Levo on an empty stomach, one hour before or two hours after meals. It can be whatever time of day suits you best. Some people find bedtime dosing helps. I take mine when I get up for the loo in the early hours of the morning as it keeps it well away from any supplements.
When having a thyroid blood test, always book the very first appointment of the morning, fast overnight (you can have water) and leave off Levo for 24 hours. This gives the highest possible TSH which is what is needed when looking for an increase in dose, or to avoid a reduction.
You should have a re-test 6-8 weeks after every dose change, an increase if necessary then another re-test 6-8 weeks later. Every time. And increases in dose until you feel well.
And if your GP ever starts to mention that your TSH is suppressed so she must reduce your dose, this information is useful:
Dr Toft, leading endocrinogist and past president of the British Thyroid Association, states in Pulse Online magazine -
"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)."
You can obtain a copy of the article by emailing louise.roberts@thyroiduk.org.uk
Another thought, did you get Vit D tested? Often when we are low in some of the nutrients, we tend to be low in all of them. Vit D is very important.
Have a look round ThyroidUK's main website, there's lots of information there
You've had excellent advice from SeasideSusie, this is all stuff that is well recognised on the forum, and you should do everything she advises.
The only thing is you may have to self-medicate and pay for mail order blood tests to manage it all. Doctors know very little about this and are unlikely to support you to increase your vitamins, they will also only give you limited help to improve your thyroid levels. It's worth discussing it, but don't put all your hope in your GP.
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