Last week I found out my GP thinks I have an underactive thyroid. I went to see him due to a large swelling above my right collarbone. Blood test results are
Free T4 11(8-21)
TSH 5.12 (0.35-3.5)
antibody 90.9 (0-34)
Ferritin 7 (23-300)
B12 329 (130-1,100)
Any way the swelling has been up and down, at its worse it presses on my windipe but when reduced is barely noticable. I assume its normal for swelling to fluctuate?
I wouldn't have said I was suffering from any common symptoms before diagnosis but today I feel very strange- lightheaded and my eyes seem to take a while to focus. Thankfully its my day off work.
Tomorrow I am having an USS of my neck, any advice re coping until I start medication and or questions to ask at scan much appreciated.
Nelly
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Nelly41
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Your are hypothyroid with TSH over range and thyroid antibodies are positive for autoimmune thyroiditis (Hashimoto's) which caused 90% of hypothyroidism. There is no cure of treatment for Hashimoto's. Levothyroxine treatment is for the low thyroid levels it causes. Many people have found that 100% gluten-free diet is helpful in reducing Hashi flares, symptoms and eventually antibodies.
Nelly41 Supplementing with Selenium L-selenomethionine 200mcg will also help reduce antibodies.
Your ferritin is dreadful at 7 (23-300). It should be half way through it's range. Ask your GP to carry out a full iron panel and a full blood count. You could possibly have iron deficiency anaemia. You may need iron infusions to bring your level up quickly then a maintenance dose will be needed. If youou are given iron tablets then take each tablet with 1000mg Vit C to aid absorption and help prevent constipation.
Your B12 is low at 329. Anything under 500 can cause neurological problems. Recommended level is very top of it's range, even 900-1000. You can buy some Solgar sublingual methylcobalamin lozenges 5000mcg and take one daily. When the bottle is finished (60 lozenges) buy the 1000mcg dose and take one daily as a maintenance dose.
When taking B12 we also need a B Complex to balance the B vits. Thorne Basic B is a good one.
Did you have Vit D tested? As the other nutrients are low, your Vit D stands a good chance of being low too.
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