Help with Test Results

[Zeph43]

I'm relatively new here, although been following posts for a while to get a feel for the community.

Was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism about 7 years ago. Currently on 100mg of Levo. Has been up to 125. TSH, which is all the doctors will test has been rising recently. Was as low as 0.04 a couple of years ago when I pressed to take it lower from 3. But started to get irregular heart beats. Now up to 3.15 (0.27 - 4.2). So decided to pay for a full thyroid test. Results and ranges as below. This was the first time I have ever had blood taken without medication for 24 hours. Never been suggested to me in the past! So I assume TSH will higher than before due to this.

TSH 6.07 - (.027 - 4.2)

Free Thyroxine 17.2 (12.00 - 22.0)

T4 87.4 (59-154)

Thyroglobulin antibody 132 (0 - 115)

Thyroid peroxidase antibodies 198 (0 - 34)

Active B12 73.2 (25.1-165)

Folate serum 8.32 (2.91 - 50)

Vitamin D 61.5 (50 - 200)

CRF .3 (0 - 5)

Ferritin 189 (33- 400)

Test done with medichecks. Their comment was I was undermedicated with Levo, and borderline with Vitamin D.

It was good to get a proper Hashimotos diagnosis, as this was never done, just presumed before. Would welcome any comments about the other results and what I should discuss with the doctor next week.

[ITYFIALMCTT]

The Medichecks opinion looks spot-on - do you feel under-medicated? And, altho' the Hashimoto's diagnosis won't change your treatment it does invite closer scrutiny of your vitamin and mineral levels as it tends to go arm in arm with poor absorption (you'll have seen SlowDragon 's replies about this).

I'm assuming that CRF is a typo for CRP, otherwise I don't know what it is (CRP is a marker for inflammation and yours doesn't show any which is A Good Thing).

Are you currently taking any supplements and, if so, which and at which dosages, please?

[Zeph43 in reply to ITYFIALMCTT]

You are right it's CRP, the medichecks print out is very faint... maybe my eyes are going too!!

Only taking magnesium, around 300mg a day in two 150mg doses.

But also trying out the liquid form at the moment.

I was taking curcumin with black pepper (1x 600mg per day) but wondered if that was upsetting digestion.

[Clutter]

Welcome to the forum, Zeph43.

Was FT3 tested?

Taking Levothyroxine prior to a thyroid test can elevate FT4. It doesn't affect TSH and leaving 24 hours between last dose and blood draw is not why your TSH is raised.

TSH 6.07 indicates you are undermedicated and should request a dose increase.

The goal of Levothyroxine is to restore the patient to euthyroid status. For most patients that will be when TSH is 0.3 - 1.0 with FT4 in the upper range. FT4 needs to be in the upper range in order that sufficient T3 is converted. Read Treatment Options in thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_... Email [e-mail] if you would like a copy of the Pulse article to show your GP.

Thyroid peroxidase and thyroglobulin antibodies are positive for autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's). There is no cure for Hashimoto's which causes 90% of hypothyroidism. Levothyroxine treatment is for the low thyroid levels it causes. Many people have found that 100% gluten-free diet is helpful in reducing Hashi flares, symptoms and eventually antibodies.

chriskresser.com/the-gluten...

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

Active B12 >35 is unlikely to be deficient.

Folate is optimal halfway through range. You can raise folate by supplementing folic acid or methylofolate for 3-4 months.

VitD is optimal around 100. I suggest you supplement 5,000iu D3 for 8 weeks and then reduce to 5,000iu alternate days and retest in April. Take vitD 4 hours away from Levothyroxine.

Ferritin is good.

[Zeph43 in reply to Clutter]

Thanks for the information. Yes FT3 was 3.86 (3.10 - 6.8)

I don't have that many symptoms, weight fairly stable, been on a low sugar diet/ low GL for sometime, which initially brought weight down a bit, I'm not overweight anyway. Main problems are dry and gritty eyes, digestive, heartburn which gives rise to pain in the mid back, constipation, intermittently poor sleep,(leading to fatigue in mid afternoon) and various muscular and joint pains although these are generally kept to a minimum from my practice of somatic education which releases muscle tension and improves mobility. Happy to share this in some way with the group if it might be helpful for others.

I was gearing up to go glutin free, just awaiting the results to ascertain it was Hashimoto.

Only supplements I take regularly are magnesium citrate, also experimenting with liquid form of magnesium instead of the citrate. Also waiting for the test and results to try taking the thyroxine at night instead of the morning. Usually take it whenever i wake in the night, but I suspect there is a subliminal effect of that in waking to take it. Who knows!

Will tackle the vitiman D.

Thanks again

[Clutter in reply to Zeph43]

Zeph43,

FT3 3.86 is low and is only as high as it is because high TSH is flogging your thyroid and conversion. The symptoms you have are likely to be due to low thyroid levels because you are undermedicated. Do ask for a dose increase. Ask your GP to prescribe preservative free eye drops for the dry gritty eyes because although it probably is caused by hypothyroidism optimising thyroid levels will not necessarily improve it.

Gluten-free diet may improve the digestive issues you have.

Joint and bone pain are often due to low vitamin D as well as low thyroid levels.