Thyroid UK

[Shezaad]

Have been feeling dreadful since Xmas despite Dr reluctantly upping Levo to 75 from 50. Have learnt loads from this brilliant site! Thankyou!

From what I've learned so far I need to be gluten free (100%) & maybe need vits & more Levo (& poss a change of brand) can anyone help please with my results?

Tsh 2 (0.27-4.20)

Free thyroxine 16.96 (12-22)

T4 81.6 (59-154)

Free t3 3.73 (3.10-6.80)

Thyroid antibodies 26.500 (0.00-115.00)

Thyroid peroxidase 52.51 (0.00-34)

B12 193 (140-724)

Folate 19.98 (2-91.50)

Vit d 79.82 (50-200)

Ferritin 134.8 (13-150)

[shaws]

You do need a dose increase and test about every six weeks (it takes that long for a new dose to be assimilated).

The aim is a TSH of 1 or lower and some of us need it suppressed. FT4 and FT3 are low and should be towards the upper part of the range. As you also have antibodies, yes, gluten-free can help reduce the attack of them on your thyroid gland.

Ask GP to test the intrinsic factor of your B12 before supplementing to be certain you don't have Pernicious Anaemia . The aim is a B12 of around 1000 but most doctors think anywhere in the range is fine. B12 below 500 can cause changes in the cerebral fluid . B12 supplementation can avoid this. Others will respond re folate and Vit D.

Blood tests should always be at the earliest possible, fasting and allow approx 24hours between last dose and test and take afterwards. This helps prevent doctor adjusting dose unnecessarily.

[Shezaad in reply to shaws]

Thank you for taking time to help me. Will sort it now. Glad that's all it is!!

[silverfox7]

If you are happy with the brand you are taking and not showing any allergy symptoms then stick with it. Different brands can have slightly different potency so can make a difference to your dosage. People usually change dose as they are allergic to the fillers which give nasty side effects.

[Shezaad in reply to silverfox7]

Ok, didn't realise that was the problem. Thank you.

[eeng]

Your antibody levels aren't very high at the moment, so you may not find that going gluten free helps. You definitely need to address your B12 levels as shaws says, and try to persuade your doctor to give you a little bit more thyroxine.

The reason we try to get the TSH down to around 1 is that a norwegian academic study shows that 95% of people with a healthy thyroid have a TSH between 0.5 and 1.5, so that is probably where your TSH should be once you are adequately treated. Some doctors look at the lab range and assume they should aim for a TSH level half way between the upper and lower limits of that range, but the lab range should be used for diagnosis of a thyroid problem not for deciding on an appropriate dose.

If you can't get your doctor to budge on your dose you may have to join the hundreds of people who self medicate to feel better, however you may find once your B12 is a healthy level that you can make better use of your Thyroid medication.

[Shezaad in reply to eeng]

Yes I hope so. Now I've got something to go on I can take the neccesary action. Thank you for you reply.