Medicheck results

[Dana2452]

Hi all, got my medicheck results today. All looks good. What do you think?

[shaws Administrator]

Looking at your past post I believe you've not yet been diagnosed. Due, I believe, to your TSH being below 10.

It has been pointed out that I have made an error so I have erased my previous response.

You do not have an Autoimmune Thyroid Disease but your Free T4 and Free T3 are too low. This is from Thyroiduk.org.uk:-

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

I would discuss with your GP your low FT4 and FT3 in regard to the above link and tick off your clinical symptoms asking if you can have a prescription for 50mcg of levothyroxine to raise your FT4 and FT3:-

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

Has your GP checked B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate too? If not request them.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to shaws]

shaws TG Abs are 29.5 (0.00-115)

[Dana2452 in reply to shaws]

Hi shaws thank you for your advice. I have not had a vit B12 or iron test. Had Vit D and ferritin done a couple of months ago and they were quite low. GP wants to check Vit D in 4 months so I'll ask about the other Tests. Do not think the GP will prescribe levothyroxine as I'm "within range" and am currently being referred to a chronic fatigue consultant for my unexplained symptoms

[shaws Administrator in reply to Dana2452]

Maybe you have 'low T3 Syndrome' which I expect they know nothing about. T3 is the only active hormone and as both your FT3 and FT4 are low, I doubt you can have sufficient T3 to relieve your symptoms and that's why you most likely have Chronic Fatigue.

restartmed.com/low-t3/

This is an excerpt from the following link:-

There are two potential sources I know of for people feeling awful when they are on T4-replacement. One source is the extremely low dosage that doctors typically prescribe nowadays. A low dose of T4 can effectively reduce TSH secretion. The lower TSH can in turn lower the thyroid gland’s output of thyroid hormone. At the same time, low-dose T4 may not compensate for the thyroid gland’s reduced output of thyroid hormone. The patient then has too little thyroid hormone to properly regulate the metabolism of most of her body’s tissues. She then ends up with abnormally low metabolism and troubling hypothyroid symptoms. I’ve written about this before on drlowe.com.

and

Odds are, if you cooperate with your doctor and try T4-replacement again, you’ll waste time trying to get well. Moreover, you’ll most likely react badly again. T4-Replacement forsakes many patients. But most patients recover quickly with T4/T3 products such as Armour Thyroid, Westhroid, and Naturthroid, and with T3 alone—as long as the patients use high enough doses of the products. If your doctor will cooperate and treat you with one of these products and ignore your TSH level, you’re not likely to have another bad reaction to thyroid hormone therapy. Instead, other factors held constant, you can, I believe, expect a highly positive treatment outcome.

web.archive.org/web/2010103...

[SlowDragon Administrator]

You need to check vitamin D (very low on your last post), as well as folate, ferritin and B12

How much vitamin D supplement are you taking. Your GP only prescribed 800iu which lots of replies said was too low

Are you also taking magnesium and K2

[Dana2452 in reply to SlowDragon]

Hi slowdragon. I'm only on 800 iu daily at the moment.

[Dana2452 in reply to Dana2452]

800iu of Vit D

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Dana2452]

Definitely get all these checked. Frequently 800iu doesn't lift levels at all

Your previous result was 27.

See many of SeasideSusie vitamin replies

[Dana2452 in reply to SlowDragon]

Will do slowdragon and thanks for the link x

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Dana2452]

Dana2452 You were advised in your last thread what you should be taking for a Vit D level of 27.

Bluebug advised you

Go back to your GP or preferably see a different one in the surgery, and tell them directly - "I would like to be prescribed a loading dose of vitamin D3 as per the local guidelines as my blood test results show I am severely deficient in vitamin D."

If the GP says you aren't severely deficient say something along the lines of "Would you prefer for me to come back to you in a months time when I am?"

If the GP tries to make out that 800IU is all that they are allowed to prescribe I would strongly suggest you change practices. No local guidelines I've looked at, even if I think they are inadequate, state that those who are severely deficient should only be on 800IU daily.

Here is 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.

I suggest you do as Bluebug advised.

There are important cofactors needed when taking D3

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.

**

Also, your Ferritin was 38 (15-200). Slowdragon advised

Low ferritin. You could put a new post up just asking about this and how to treat. Looking for test result to be at least at 70 (currently 38)

but you didn't do another post about it.

Slowdragon also suggested

You also need B12 and folate tested.

Have they been tested?

[Dana2452]

Hi SeasideSusie, Yes you're right. I got great advice. I have been back to GP but didn't get any further forward other than a referral for chronic fatigue syndrome and the GP asking me "well what do YOU think you have?" Truth be told I feel embarrassed to go back again.

[Marz in reply to Dana2452]

You need to click onto the Green Reply button for SeasideSusie to see your reply.

I would refuse the CFS Clinic as once on your records everything will be blamed on that. You need correct testing and treatment for your thyroid.

Great advice from Susie ...

[Dana2452 in reply to Marz]

Hi Marz, thanks I'm not great with the internet or thinking !!!

Think you may be right about CFS clinic. Think I'll get medicheck Vitamin check and take it from there

[Marz in reply to Dana2452]

Good idea 😊 Stick with this forum - keep asking questions and you will be well in no time 😊

[SlowDragon Administrator]

You don't have chronic fatigue you have incorrectly treated Thyroid

Sadly extremely common

Gp's often completely unaware of connections between low vitamins and low thyroid

The low vitamins stop the Thyroid hormones being used. So you feel terrible as you are hypo. But blood tests show masses of thyroid hormones and then they say your over treated

Essential to get vitamins correct

If you don't want to face GP then private testing and self supplements - plenty of help on here about how much & what to supplement

E.g. Vitamin D - you can just buy your own - "Better You" vitamin D mouth spray is good -either 5000iu or 3000iu

If you buy 3000iu - can even do 2 x spray daily for 2 months (6000iu)and then retest

Vitamindtest.org.uk - £28

If just wanting to test vitamin D

Cheapest to check all 4 vitamins is Medichecks or Blue Horizon

[Dana2452 in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks for the Vit D advice slowDragon. Think I'll be taking you up on it. I spoke to my GP today about 800iu Vit D and she asked if I were suggesting she gave me the wrong thing? I said I'd like a higher dose to feel better quicker. Information I had found on thyroid uk. But she said local guidelines says 800iu for my levels.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Dana2452]

Your result was 27 .....which is less than 30.

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)."

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Dana2452]

Some local guidelines may say 25 instead of 30

Out of interest just look up your local CCG website and search vitamin D. You may find guidelines

Eg my local CCG

oxfordshireccg.nhs.uk/profe...

But just take your own anyway. It will be better quality than prescribed.

[Dana2452 in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks SlowDragon. I'm going to look that up now (if I can get 5 mins peace!)