New could anyone help me please: Elevated TGab... - Thyroid UK

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New could anyone help me please

Aimee1314 profile image
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Elevated TGab >2000 (<115 IU/mL)

Elevated TPOab 346.3 (<34 IU/mL)

Elevated TSH 30.2 (0.27 - 4.20 mIU/L)

Normal free T4 12.8 (12.0 - 22.0 pmol/L)

Normal free T3 4.0 (3.1 - 6.8 pmol/L)

Symptoms - sweats, puffy eyes, gaining weight, feeling cold, heavy periods, low stamin and concentration thankyou

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Aimee1314
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8 Replies
SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering

Aimee1314 Welcome to the forum.

Are you diagnosed hypothyroid and on Levothyroxine?

Aimee1314 profile image
Aimee1314 in reply to SeasideSusie

Thankyou no

Aimee1314 profile image
Aimee1314

Should I be?

ITYFIALMCTT profile image
ITYFIALMCTT in reply to Aimee1314

SeasideSusie will give you a fuller answer but a first pass reading shows that you have high antibodies (indicative of Hashimoto's) and your TSH is high out of range and is associated with hypothyroidism.

Are you waiting for an appointment with a GP to share these results or are these NHS results?

Did you have any vitamin and mineral tests done (iron, vitamin D, vitamin B12, folate, ferritin etc.) and, if you have any results, can you share those, complete with their reference ranges, please?

Aimee1314 profile image
Aimee1314 in reply to ITYFIALMCTT

Thankyou I am waiting for a GP appopintment about these results and they are NHS ones.

Also ferritin 12 (15 - 150) folate 1.8 (2.5 - 19.5) vitamin B12 177 (180 - 900) vitamin D 21.5 (<25 severe vitamin D deficiency) iron 9.1 (6.0 - 26.0)

ITYFIALMCTT profile image
ITYFIALMCTT in reply to Aimee1314

Well, those results are either below the reference range or pretty much scraping in at the bottom of the reference range which is hardly surprising as hypothyroidism tends to be arm in arm with poor gut absorption which adversely affects your vitamin and mineral levels.

Again, the invaluable SeasideSusie will probably be able to advise you on how best to address those. You're below or low in range - so you need to come up into the reference range and move within the range to the 'optimal' range where thyroid hormones can work most efficiently.

Editing to add in Seaside Susie's replies to other people so you can take a look at other people's levels and the advice that is given: healthunlocked.com/user/sea...

SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering

Aimee1314

Elevated TSH 30.2 (0.27 - 4.20 mIU/L) Normal free T4 12.8 (12.0 - 22.0 pmol/L) Normal free T3 4.0 (3.1 - 6.8 pmol/L)

You are hypothyroid to have such a high TSH.

From cks.nice.org.uk/hypothyroid...

◦Overt hypothyroidism (OH) — TSH levels are above the normal reference range (usually above 10 mU/L) and free T4 is below the normal reference range.

and although your FT4 is now below range, it has barely scraped in. However, your elevated antibodies confirm autoimmune thyroid disease aka Hashimoto's - see bestpractice.bmj.com/best-p... and click on High TSH - associated with a low FT4 and/or FT3 and you will see

High TSH - associated with a low FT4 and/or FT3

•Suggests primary hypothyroidism. Underproduction of the thyroid hormones (T4 and T3) may occur with autoimmune thyroiditis (Hashimoto's disease), which is the most common cause of primary hypothyroidism. More than 90% of patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis have positive TPOAb.

So you shouldn't have any difficulty getting a diagnosis and a prescription for Levo.

Unless you are elderly or have a heart condition, which would mean that you start on 25mcg, then ask for a starter dose of 50mcg. You will need retesting with an increase of 25mcg every 6-8 weeks until you feel well and your symptoms abate. The aim of a treated hypo patient generally is for TSH to be 1 or below or wherever it needs to be for FT4 and FT3 to be in the upper part of their respective reference ranges when on Levo.

Take Levo on an empy stomach, one hour before or two hours after food, with a glass of water only. No tea, coffee, hot chocolate, milk, etc for an hour as absorption will be affected. Take Levo two hours away from other medication and supplements, some need four hours.

When having thyroid tests, always book the very first appointment of the morning, fast overnight (water allowed) and leave off Levo for 24 hours. This will give the highest possible TSH which is needed when looking for an increase in dose or to avoid a reduction. This is a patient to patient tip which we don't discuss with doctors or phlebotomists.

**

Elevated TGab >2000 (<115 IU/mL)

Elevated TPOab 346.3 (<34 IU/mL)

As mentioned, these confirm autoimmune thyroiditis aka Hashimoto's disease. Hashimoto's isn't treated, it's the resulting hypothyroidism that's treated. The antibody attacks will eventually destroy your thyroid.

Many doctors attach little to no import to Hashi's or antibodies, but each antibody attack will destroy a bit more of your thyroid and you may experience fluctuations in symptoms and test results.

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.

Read and learn about Hashi's so that you can help yourself:

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

stopthethyroidmadness.com/h...

stopthethyroidmadness.com/h...

hypothyroidmom.com/hashimot...

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

**

Hashi's and gut/absorption problems tend to go hand in hand and low nutrient levels is often the result, and this is the case with you.

ferritin 12 (15 - 150)

For thyroid hormone to work ferritin needs to be at least 70, preferably half way through range. You need an iron supplement, preferably an iron infusion as your level is below range so ask for one, it will raise your level within 24-48 hours whereas tablets will take many months.

You can also 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...

And because your ferrig is so low, you need to ask for a full blood count and iron panel to see if you have iron deficiency anaemia. If this is confirmed the treatment will be 2 or 3 x ferrous fumarate daily. 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 1.8 (2.5 - 19.5) vitamin B12 177 (180 - 900)

You are folate and B12 deficient. Please post on the Pernicious Anaemia Society forum for further advice so that you will have some knowledge of what to discuss with your GP healthunlocked.com/pasoc

Check for signs of B12 deficiency here b12deficiency.info/signs-an... and mention any of these you may be experiencing in your post on the PA forum, along with your folate, B12 and ferritin results, and any iron deficiency information that you may already have.

You will probably need testing for Pernicious Anaemia and may need B12 injecions.

**

vitamin D 21.5 (<25 severe vitamin D deficiency)

You have severe Vit D deficiency and need loading doses according to the guidelines. Do not accept 800iu D3 from your GP, that is a maintenance dose (and not a particularly good one at that!), you must have the 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 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 maintenance dose which may be 2000iu daily, maybe less, 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/

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.

Aimee1314 profile image
Aimee1314 in reply to SeasideSusie

Ok thanks have spoken to GP tonight and appointment has gone well

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