New with Hashimotos. Need help interpreting results.

[Jmag]

Hi, I need help. This is my first post, but I have been reading this forum for advice. I was diagnosed Hashimotos 2 years ago and take 125mcg of Levo daily.

Huge weight gain (20kgs), exhausted, ecema on face, constipated, v.high cholesterol. I limit dairy and gluten and take a thyroid supplement (160mcg iodine, 100mcg selenemium, 1000IU of Cholecalciferol and 5mg zinc as sulfate). I have a new endocrinologist appointment for early September. Would T3 help?. If so, what are the convincing arguments I can present? To prepare, I sought private blood testing. Here are my results:

B12 327 (197-771)

Folate 3.9 (>2.9)

Ferritin 106 (13-150)

Reactive Protein 0.9 (<5.0)

T4 81 (59 -154)

TSH 1.75 (0.27 - 4.2)

Free Thyroxine 18.9 (12 - 22)

Free T3 3.5 (3.1-6.8)

Thyroglobun antibodies 15.1 (0 -115)

Thyroid Peroxidase antibodies 18.7 (0-34)

Many thanks in advance for all of your wise counsel!

[greygoose]

Iodine with Hashi's/hypo really isn't a good idea. It could be making your symptoms worse, and reducing your thyroid hormone levels.

Your B12 and folate could be higher. Your B12 should be at least over 500.

And your only argument for T3 is that you're a really bad converter. Your FT4 is too high and will be converting to rT3. And your FT3 is too low to make you feel well. But, whether or not your endo accepts these arguments depends on his individual attitudes to T3. Most endos are pretty ignorant about thyroid.

[Jmag in reply to greygoose]

Thank you so much! I felt quite a bit better when I started taking the supplement (which had the iodine in it), but I will now source the supplements separately and try it without. And I will take more B12. I very much appreciate you taking the time to help me.

[greygoose in reply to Jmag]

Which B12 are you taking? Are you taking a B complex with it?

It's possible that, in the beginning, the iodine stimulated your thyroid. But, stimulating the thyroid will stimulate the Hashi's attacks, so the benefits aren't felt for very long.

[Jmag in reply to greygoose]

I haven't been taking B vitamins at all. I have a very high vegetable diet with lean protein. Based on the lab results do you recommend a B complex? and is there a special type of B12 I should take?

(Excuse my ignorance about all this, I am still trying to get my head around it all).

[greygoose in reply to Jmag]

Oh, you said you would take 'more' B12, so I thought you were already taking some. There is no B12 vegetables, only in meat and eggs. Do you eat meat? I don't know what 'lean protein' is. But, if you aren't eating enough fat - animal fat, olive oil, coconut oil, etc. - then that isn't good. The body needs fat.

B12 should be at least over 500. So, if I were you, I would take 1000 mcg sublingual methylcobalaman (look on amazon) daily. And also take a B complex with at least 400 mcg methylfolate, to raise your folate.

[Jmag in reply to greygoose]

Thanks, this is all invaluable. I have been trying to limit the fat because of my depressing weight gain. I will order some B12 and B complex now.

[greygoose in reply to Jmag]

Eating fat does not make you fat. That is a fallacy. What is making you gain weight, is your low T3. And, the only thing that will help you lose it, is increasing your T3 level.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

You can not be almost gluten free. It does need to be 100%

chriskresser.com/the-gluten...

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

Have you got a vitamin D result?

Extremely common to be low

When taking any B complex remember to stop taking it 3-5 days prior to any future blood tests- the biotin can falsely affect test results

endocrinenews.endocrine.org...

Both your antibodies are low - so have they been high in past?

[Jmag in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks, especially the tip about stopping it before the blood tests. My vitamin D is 95 (50-200).

[Jmag in reply to Jmag]

And yes my antibodies have been very high in the past (I have requested copies of all previous tests from my dr to pick up next week to try and work out patterns), so I too was surprised at this result. (Pleasantly surprised??)

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Jmag]

Do you supplement vitamin D

It's good level

[Jmag]

The supplement I was taking that contained the iodine also contained 1000 IU of D3.