Symptoms: Thyroid peroxidase antibody >1500 (<3... - Thyroid UK

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Symptoms

Allyb89 profile image
10 Replies

Thyroid peroxidase antibody >1500 (<34)

Thyroglobulin antibody 258.3 (<115)

TSH 4.01 (0.2 - 4.2)

Free T4 13.3 (12.0 - 22.0)

Free T3 3.5 (3.1 - 6.8)

Hi I am a new member I am suffering from these symptoms and I don't know why?

Tinnitus

Hard stools

Feeling full early

Feeling cold

Pins and needles

Nails breaking easily

Blurred vision

Tiredness

Burning in leg muscles when walking

Goitre

Dry skin

Dry eyes

Low pulse

Puffy eyes

Weight gain

Advice welcome.

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Allyb89 profile image
Allyb89
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10 Replies
Nanaedake profile image
Nanaedake

Hello and welcom AllyB. You have raised thyroid antibodies which means you have an autoimmune thyroid condition otherwise known as Hashimotos. Have you been diagnosed and are you taking levothroxine? Have you discussed your symptoms and results with your doctor and what did he/she say?

Allyb89 profile image
Allyb89 in reply to Nanaedake

Yes diagnosed with hypothyroid and taking 50mcg levothyroxine, diagnosed last year. I have discussed symptoms and results with endo who has asked GP for investigations into ongoing symptoms and GP says there doesn't seem to be a cause for them

Nanaedake profile image
Nanaedake in reply to Allyb89

Well, for a start both your Endo and GP know nothing since most people don't feel well until their TSH is near to 1.0 and yours is too high so you need an increase in levothyroxine. You have thyroid antibodies so your blood test results might vary when the antibodies are active.

What other blood tests has your GP done and on what evidence have they said there is no cause?

Allyb89 profile image
Allyb89 in reply to Nanaedake

Other bloods were vitamin and minerals, I supplement but have noticed no difference to symptoms.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

You have Hashimoto's (high antibodies) About 90% of hypothyroidism in UK is due to Hashimoto's.

Hashimoto's very often affects the gut, leading to low stomach acid, low vitamin levels and leaky gut.

Low vitamins that affect thyroid are vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12.

Extremely Important to test these. If they are too low they stop Thyroid hormones working.

Have these been tested, if not ask that they are. Always get actual results and ranges.

As you have Hashimoto's then hidden food intolerances may be causing issues, most common by far is gluten. Changing to a strictly gluten free diet may help reduce symptoms and eventually start to lower antibodies. Very very many of us here find it really helps and can slowly lower antibodies, improving symptoms

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

amymyersmd.com/2017/02/3-im...

chriskresser.com/the-gluten...

Allyb89 profile image
Allyb89 in reply to SlowDragon

Yes

Ferritin 21 (30 - 400)

Folate 4.2 (4.6 - 18.7)

Vitamin B12 188 (190 - 900)

Vitamin D 25.2 (25 - 50 deficiency)

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply to Allyb89

When were these done and what has GP prescribed and advised

SeasideSusie will give you details of what supplements you need

These are all terribly low and will need large amount of supplements to improve

Is there another GP you can see

You need Levo increase, lots of vitamins but also almost certainly need to be on strictly gluten free diet as well

Allyb89 profile image
Allyb89 in reply to SlowDragon

They were done 2 months ago and I take 800iu vitamin D and 210mg ferrous fumarate once a day, iron anaemia confirmed with complete blood count and iron panel

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply to Allyb89

Make an urgent appointment with your GP, or another in the practice

You need full testing for Pernicious Anaemia and intrinsic factor. can you post these results on PAS Unlocked too, they are the B12, folate and Anaemia experts.

healthunlocked.com/pasoc

You may need B12 injections. (Do not start folic acid before B12, it can mask B12 deficiency)

b12deficiency.info/signs-an...

Tinnitus is likely low B12

See this reply to very similar case from SeasideSusie

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Only change one thing at a time.

You could start with increasing vitamin D dose. You need much higher loading dose.

"Better You" vitamin D mouth spray is good as it avoids the poor gut function. Widely available online or health shop. Option of 3000iu dose twice a day, or 5000iu once day should have more effect on levels.

Technically your GP could argue you are in range at 25.2. But at 25 or under they would be obligated to treat with loading dose

See the link about importance of magnesium and vitamin K2 when on higher dose vitamin D

Gluten free diet is highly likely to be essential, certainly until you are correctly treated.

SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering in reply to Allyb89

Allyb89

Ferritin 21 (30 - 400) 210mg ferrous fumarate once a day, iron anaemia confirmed

Ferritin needs to be a minimum of 70 for thyroid hormone to work and it's recommended to be half way through it's range

Ideally you need an iron infusion as your level is below range, so ask for one, but you may only be prescribed tablets which will take months to raise your level whereas an infusion will raise your level within 24-48 hours.

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.

You can help raise your level by eating liver regularly, maximum 200g per week due to it's high Vit A content, and including lots of iron rich foods in your diet apjcn.nhri.org.tw/server/in...

Your doctor isn't following the guidelines for iron anaemia, see - NICE Clinical Knowledge Summary for iron deficiency anaemia treatment (which will be very similar to your local area guidelines)

cks.nice.org.uk/anaemia-iro...

How should I treat iron deficiency anaemia?

•Address underlying causes as necessary (for example treat menorrhagia or stop nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, if possible).

Treat with oral ferrous sulphate 200 mg tablets two or three times a day.

◦If ferrous sulphate is not tolerated, consider oral ferrous fumarate tablets or ferrous gluconate tablets.

◦Do not wait for investigations to be carried out before prescribing iron supplements.

•If dietary deficiency of iron is thought to be a contributory cause of iron deficiency anaemia, advise the person to maintain an adequate balanced intake of iron-rich foods (for example dark green vegetables, iron-fortified bread, meat, apricots, prunes, and raisins) and consider referral to a dietitian.

• Monitor the person to ensure that there is an adequate response to iron treatment.

You should point this out to your GP and ask for the appropriate treatment.

**

Folate 4.2 (4.6 - 18.7)

Vitamin B12 188 (190 - 900)

SlowDragon has suggested you go over to the Pernicious Anaemia Society forum and I second that. You are both folate and B12 deficient and if yourGP has ignored this he is being extremely negligent.

**

Vitamin D 25.2 (25 - 50 deficiency) 800iu vitamin D

You lare 0.2 away from severe deficiency and 800iu D3 isn't going to ever raise your level. It is hardly a maintenance dose for someone with a reasonable level. You need loading doses, see - 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 (not 800iu) to bring your level up to what's recommended by the Vit D Council and then you'll need a maintenance dose (not 800iu) 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/

Come back and tell us what yourGP is going to do, if he wont give you the loading doses then we can make suggestions for a suitable supplement and dose and 10,000iu daily for 4-6 weeks weeks would be as good start.

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.

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