Thyroid antibodies results

[KatrionaD]

Are these positive thank you been taking 50mcg for a week from 175mcg diagnosed hypothyroid in 2011

TPO antibodies 705.3 (<34)

TG antibodies 269.5 (<115)

TSH 3.80 (0.2 - 4.2)

Free T4 14.2 (12 - 22)

Free T3 3.5 (3.1 - 6.8)

Taking 50mcg levothyroxine

[Scazzoh]

Yes, TPO should be less than 34 and TG should be less than 269.5. This means you have Hashimoto's, the autoimmune version of thyroid disease. Many people find giving up gluten helps with symptoms. The Paleo Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) is a lifestyle programme aimed at reducing symptoms of autoimmunity. Some people have managed to reverse their disease progression using this method. If you are interested, the Paleo Mom, Autoimmune Wellness and Phoenix Helix are good places to start.

[KatrionaD in reply to Scazzoh]

Thank you i take thyroid tablets and told levels are fine

[Scazzoh in reply to KatrionaD]

Being told 'levels are fine' means nothing if you are feeling ill. Your TSH should be below 1 and your free T3 and free T4 towards the top of the range, if you are taking Levothyroxine. Ask for a copy of your results (you have a right to these) and keep a record so that you can track improvements

[KatrionaD in reply to Scazzoh]

TSH 3.80 (0.2 - 4.2)

Free T4 14.2 (12 - 22)

Free T3 3.5 (3.1 - 6.8)

Taking 50mcg levothyroxine

[ITYFIALMCTT in reply to KatrionaD]

You might want to edit this into your OP so that people can see them more easily - and say for how long you've been taking that dosage of levo.

Do you have any other blood work results to share? Vitamin or mineral levels - if so, they'd be useful to include.

[KatrionaD in reply to ITYFIALMCTT]

Ferritin 22 (30 - 400) taking iron

Folate 4.1 (4.6 - 18.7) taking folic acid

Vitamin B12 207 (180 - 900) dropped from 445 (180 - 900) a month before, never supplemented

Vitamin D total 25.6 (25 - 50) taking vitamin D

[startagaingirl in reply to KatrionaD]

All these are very low and need to be supplemented. Look for any replies by SeasideSusie on other posts - she gives the best, most comprehensive lists of supplements, levels, etc.

Also, whilst I absolutely fail to see why your dose was reduced - other than your doctor is a numpty and doesn't understand thyroid - you need more levo as you are well undermedicated. Especially since it has only been a week since you dropped and the earlier higher dose will still be washing through your system. Those results will get worse very quickly over the next few weeks and you will really start to feel bad. Is there another GP you can see? If you are confident enough to do so, do you have enough levo tablets that you could go up to a higher dose on your own again until you can get to a doctor that knows a bit more? Since you have only been on the lower dose for a week, there is absolutely no need to go up in 25 mcg increments, you could go straight back to your 175 mcg with no difficulty. If the results in your post were on that, then going back to 175 mcg would only be a starting point, you still need more beyond that to be properly medicated.

Getting your nutrients sorted should help absorption, are you also taking meds on an empty stomach, at least 1 hr before food, tea and coffee and 2 hrs away from any other meds? Is there any other reason for bad absorption like antacid medications? Since you are positive for Hashis have you trialled a strict gluten free diet for at least 3 months? These are all things that need to be considered with a fairly substantial dose but very low frees.

Good luck

Gillian

[KatrionaD in reply to startagaingirl]

I take meds on an empty stomach in the morning because I don't have breakfast. I leave several hours between dose and drinking tea and coffee and I don't take antacids. Not gluten free yet

[Scazzoh]

Your results suggest you may be undermedicated. How long have you been taking the 50 mg, because if you have just started taking it, your results will change in time?

[KatrionaD in reply to Scazzoh]

175mcg reduced to 50mcg been taking the 50mcg for a week. Results on 175mcg edited in post

[Scazzoh]

I don't understand why your dose was reduced from 175 to 50 when you were not overmedicated? Dosage should be reduced gradually, by 50 at a time and then tested after 6 weeks. Your B12 should be towards the top of the range so you need to supplement. Try Jarrow's methylcobalamine losenges. Bit Vits often do them cheaply.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

KatrionaD I've just replied to a similar post so I will copy and past the relevant part

So here's evidence of yet another doctor who doesn't know how to treat hypothyroidism.

I don't suppose your doctor bothered to tell you that you have autoimmune thyroid disease aka Hashimoto's as confirmed by your high antibodies? This is where antibodies attack the thyroid and gradually destroy it. The antibody attacks cause fluctuations in symptoms and test results. When the antibodies attack, the dying cells dump a load of thyroid hormone into the blood and this can cause TSH to become suppressed and Free T4 and Free T3 to be very high or over range. You may get symptoms of being overmedicated (hyper type symptoms) to go along with these results that look as though you are overmedicated. Unless a GP knows about Hashi's and these hyper swings (and yours probably doesn't have a clue), then they panic and reduce or stop your thyroid meds. The hyper swings are temporary, and eventually things go back to normal. Test results settle back down and hypo symptoms may return. Thyroid meds should then be adjusted again, increased until you are stable again. So it sounds very much as though you may have had a Hashi's flare and it sent your test results haywire, your GP panicked and reduced your meds. Your results show that you desperately need your meds reinstated so go and see your GP and ask for a prescription for Levo.

The aim of a treated hypo patient generally is for TSH to be 1 or below or wherever it is needed for FT4 and FT3 to be in the upper part of their respective reference ranges when on Levo only. Add T3 into the mix and TSH may well be suppressed, FT4 can lower and FT3 should be nearer the top of it's range.

To address the Hashi's you can help reduce the antibodies by adopting a strict gluten free diet which has helped many members here. Gluten contains gliadin (a protein) which is thought to trigger autoimmune attacks so eliminating gluten can help reduce these attacks. You don't need to be gluten sensitive or have Coeliac disease for a gluten free diet to help. Supplementing with selenium l-selenomethionine 200mcg daily can also help reduce the antibodies, as can keeping TSH suppressed.

stopthethyroidmadness.com/h...

stopthethyroidmadness.com/h...

hypothyroidmom.com/hashimot...

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

Gluten/thyroid connection: chriskresser.com/the-gluten...

**

Ferritin 22 (30 - 400) taking iron

How much iron are you taking? Did you have an iron panel, full blood count and haemoglobin test to see if you have iron deficiency anaemia?

Take each iron tablet with 1000mg Vitamin C to aid absorption and help prevent constipaton. Always take iron 4 hours away from thyroid meds and two hours away from other medication and supplements as it will affect absorption.

**

Folate 4.1 (4.6 - 18.7) taking folic acid

Vitamin B12 207 (180 - 900) dropped from 445 (180 - 900) a month before, never supplemented

Do you have any signs of B12 deficiency b12deficiency.info/signs-an... If so you should post on the Pernicious Anaemia Society forum here on Health Unlocked for further advice healthunlocked.com/pasoc You should quote these results, ferritin/iron and any signs of B12 deficiency.

If no signs of deficiency then your B12 level needs increasing. I have read (but not researched so don't have links) that BCSH, UKNEQAS and NICE guidelines recommend:

"In the presence of discordance between test results and strong clinical features of deficiency, treatment should not be delayed to avoid neurological impairment."

And an extract from the book, "Could it be B12?" by Sally M. Pacholok:

"We believe that the 'normal' serum B12 threshold needs to be raised from 200 pg/ml to at least 450 pg/ml because deficiencies begin to appear in the cerebrospinal fluid below 550".

"For brain and nervous system health and prevention of disease in older adults, serum B12 levels should be maintained near or above 1000 pg/ml."

That's good enough for me and I keep mine around 1000. Sublingual methylcobalamin lozenges are what's needed to supplement B12 yourself along with a good B Complex to balance all the B vitamins.

**

Vitamin D total 25.6 (25 - 50) taking vitamin D

How much Vit D are you taking? And are you taking it's important cofactors?

vitamindcouncil.org/about-v...

D3 aids absorption of calcium from food and K2-MK7 directs the calcium to bones and teeth where it is needed and away from arteries and soft tissues where it can be deposited and cause problems.

D3 and K2 are fat soluble so should be taken with the fattiest meal of the day, D3 four hours away from thyroid meds.

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

naturalnews.com/046401_magn...

Check out the other cofactors too.

[KatrionaD in reply to SeasideSusie]

210mg ferrous fumarate once a day and 800iu vitamin D once a day. I will post complete blood count and iron panel now.

Thanks

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to KatrionaD]

Katriona

Vitamin D total 25.6 (25 - 50) taking vitamin D 800iu vitamin D once a day

Well, 800iu D3 isn't going to ever raise your level and I'm presuming that is prescribed by your GP. It is hardly a maintenance dose for someone with a reasonable level.

NICE treatment summary for Vit D deficiency:

cks.nice.org.uk/vitamin-d-d...

Treat for vitamin D deficiency if serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) levels are less than 30 nmol/L.

For the treatment of vitamin D deficiency, the recommended treatment is based on fixed loading doses of vitamin D (up to a total of about 300,000 international units [IU]) given either as weekly or daily split doses, followed by lifelong maintenance treatment of about 800 IU a day. Higher doses of up to 2000 IU a day, occasionally up to 4000 IU a day, may be used for certain groups of people, for example those with malabsorption disorders. Several treatment regimens are available, including 50,000 IU once a week for 6 weeks (300,000 IU in total), 20,000 IU twice a week for 7 weeks (280,000 IU in total), or 4000 IU daily for 10 weeks (280,000 IU in total)."

Each Health Authority has their own guidelines but they will be very similar. Go and see your GP and ask that he treats you according to the guidelines and prescribes the loading doses. Once these have been completed you will need a reduced amount to bring your level up to what's recommended by the Vit D Council - which is 100-150nmol/L - and then you'll need a sensible maintenance dose which may be 2000iu daily, it's trial and error so it's recommended to retest once or twice a year to keep within the recommended range. You can do this with a private fingerprick blood spot test with City Assays vitamindtest.org.uk/

If he wont prescribe the loading doses, come back and suggestions can be made for a sensible dose to help raise your level which you can buy yourself.

[R2D2_ in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you so much for this info! Timing is very important when taking thyroid meds and other meds in the same day! Most doctors don't have time to explain all those things 😀 R2D2

[R2D2_]

What are thyroid antibodies and what indicates the need to test for them? R2D2

[ITYFIALMCTT in reply to R2D2_]

You can read about the antibodies, Hashimoto's Disease etc. on the Thyroid UK site: thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

[R2D2_ in reply to ITYFIALMCTT]

Thank you. I will read all about it! 💒R2D2