I’m so sorry to post this on here but I really need some help and thoughts on my Mum.
She is 63 and has been putting on weight and is really tired. I have Hashimoto’s so thought she may also have something up with her thyroid. I got her a BH blood test and her results came back fine. Her B12 and Vit D were low which she has been supplementing.
She is going through a lot with her mother and a recent suicide of a friend and she is so low about her weight. She has tried Slimming World but that didn’t work. She walks the dog every day for half an hour and she doesn’t eat bad. She has now bought meal replacements and I have tried to explain how bad they are but she is desperate.
She does suffer bad from constipation and takes medicine every night to help go to the loo.
Does anyone have any ideas or thoughts on what blood tests I could get? Or what might help?
I know this is off topic but everyone on here is so thoughtful and helpful and I’m not sure who else to turn to....
Thanks
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Lindsayf
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For thyroid hormone to work ferritin needs to be at least 70, preferably half way through range. And that is our own thyroid hormone as well as replacement. This could be one reason why she is tired.
She can help raise her 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...
Iron tablets could be taken, but she would need to keep a close eye on her level, retest after 3 months. I'm not keen on suggesting iron tablets, too much iron is as bad as too little. Eating liver raised my ferritin from 35 to 91 so that's what I prefer to suggest.
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Free T4 14.65 and the range is 12 - 22
Free T3 3.77 and the range is 3.1 - 6.8
TSH 1.31 and the range is 0.27 - 4.20
Obviously not primary hypothyroidism with that TSH, but the free Ts are low in range. Check out bestpractice.bmj.com/best-p... and click on Normal TSH - associated with a low FT4 and/or FT3 and you'll see
Normal TSH - associated with a low FT4 and/or FT3
•These results may occur following secondary (central) hypothyroidism, which is associated with pituitary or hypothalamic dysfunction. TSH can be low, normal, or slightly elevated. Evaluation for deficiencies in other pituitary hormones should be obtained before imaging (i.e., pituitary MRI). Hormone tests should include: ACTH with cortisol, FSH, LH, estradiol (female), testosterone (male), prolactin, GH, and (insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1). For this condition, thyroid replacement therapy is monitored by checking the levels of FT4 and FT3. [28]
•Other causes include drug use (e.g., phenytoin, rifampicin [rifampin], carbamazepine, barbiturates) and assay error when interfering substances are present.
If she's not taking any of those medications listed, discuss secondary hypothyroidism with her GP. Not many doctors have heard of it, it might be an idea to some research to take more evidence with you.
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Anti - Thyroid 10.8 and the range is <34
Anti - Thyro 13.1 and the range is <115
No indication of autoimmune thyroid disease with those results, although one negative doesn't rule it out.
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Vit B12 463
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."
I suggest your mom aims for 1000. Sublingual methylcobalamin lozenges are what's needed, 1000mcg daily will gradually bring it up, along with a good quality B Complex to balance all the B vitamins.
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Serum Folate is 27.19 and then range is 10.4 - 42.4
Folate should be at least half way through it's range so this is a good level. It may increase with taking the B Complex but a high folate is fine when B12 is high.
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What is the Vit D level and what is she supplementing with and dose?
There are important cofactors needed when taking D3
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
I would suggest she chooses Magnesium Citrate as it can have laxative properties. I use Natural Calm Original powder amazon.co.uk/Natural-Vitali... You can start low and build it up. You just add a small amount of warm water to dissolve, when it stops fizzing add some orange juice - nice little drink.
I’m going to make an appointment with my GP as my Mum’s GP is my old one who wanted me to have CBT as he thought I was talking rubbish when I tried to explain my thyroid issues.
I’ll do some research on secondary hypo and take some print outs with me. As my mum is not on any medication would T3 be better then T4 or would NDT be good to try? I’m not holding out much hope with my GP as they all seem the same and I’m happy to try and self help/ self medicate.
My Mum and I are both vegetarians and even though I know how good liver is we won’t eat it. I’m on Iron tablets so know about taking Vit c with it and I have some good powder to add to my juice when I take my Iron tablets.
Would getting her Iron levels up help bring up her FT3 and FT4?
I wouldn't suggest your mom tries any medication at the moment. The first thing is to do is find out if it is possibly secondary hypothyroidism, it may or may not be. Finding a doctor who knows about this and will investigate is the first step.
If the GP dismisses it, express your concerns about secondary hypothyroidism and ask for a referral to a thyroid specialist. Not just any old endo, most are diabetes specialists and don't understand how to treat straightforward primary hypothyroidism so there's no chance of them understanding secondary hypothyroidism.
louise.roberts@thyroiduk.org has a list of thyroid friendly endos which she can email to you. If she can't get an NHS referral and is considering seeing one privately, bear in mind that most private endos also work within the NHS and will very likely toe the NHS line, so carefully research the endo, make enquiries before booking an appointment.
Alternatively you could consider consulting Dr Peatfield who probably knows far more about the thyroid than any other doctor. He cannot prescribe but can advise what testing to do, what to take and where to obtain it.
Thyroid, adrenals and sex hormones all work together so that's something else to think about, and something Dr Peatfield would possibly suggest testing.
She definitely needs to improve her ferritin level, low ferritin can cause many problems (including thyroid hormone not being able to work or conversion of T4 to T3), as can any other low nutrient levels. We always advise optimising nutrient levels so definitely get Vit D tested now to find out her current level and see if she is taking the appropriate dose of D3.
Hi Lindsay, For your mum`s constipation take 1 teaspoon of Enos before breakfast, if that doesn`t work take 2 teaspoons. Also Beef Juice is a good form of Vit B12 which helps constipation, & gives strength & vitality. To make Beef Juice, buy Top Steak, cut in half, freeze one half, cut the other into cubes & put into a preserving jar just the meat in the jar, put the jar in a large pot, with a cloth under the glass jar so it won`t crack, fill the pot up to half way up the outside of the jar, with water, put a coaster on top of the jar as a loose lid & bring to a boil then simmer for 4 hours. Then tip the juice into a jug, cool in the fridge, then skim the fat off, throw the meat away as its useless. Press as much juice out of the meat before that. Sip very slowly a teaspoon of beef juice taking about 5mins to slowly sip it. Take every 2 hours, keep the beef juice for only 3 days never any longer, & remake fresh as often as possible. Re losing weight, eat no fried food, have vegetarian salads, with no cheese, just salad dressing. Try not to eat starch. Hope this helps.
I’ll find out where I can buy Enos from today... my Mum and I are both vegetarians so we do eat healthy and especially my Mum... her diet is full of vegetables and salads which is why I’m confused.. thanks so much for your reply and I’ll go buy some Enos for her
Hi Lindsay, It`s Eno, you can buy it in the Supermarket, its in a glass jar (Eno Salts) powder form
but just called `Eno`. When taking it put a teaspoon in a large glass, it will fizz up, keep stirring till all the fizz has stopped & add water to top of glass, & drink, then rinse the glass & refill the glass with water to the top & drink the glass of water after taking the Eno, this helps flush it thru the system for better results. If you can`t find it in the Supermarket, the Chemist will have it.
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