Blood results

[Tashiki]

TSH 34.1 mIU/L (0.2 - 4.2)

Free T4 10.7 pmol/L (12.0 - 22.0)

Free T3 3.0 pmol/L (3.10 - 6.80)

Thanks for feedback

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Tashiki

Are you diagnosed Hypothyroid?

Are you on any thyroid meds?

What has your GP said about these results?

Hard to give any feedback without more background information.

[Tashiki in reply to SeasideSusie]

Not diagnosed and not on thyroid meds. GP hasn't said anything about results

Thanks

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Tashiki]

Then you need to make an urgent appointment, point out that you are overtly hypothyroid and ask for a prescription for Levothyroxine, no less than 50mcg daily unless you are elderly or have a heart condition.

Make sure you have retests/increases in Levo 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 is needed for FT4 and FT3 to be in the upper part of their respective reference ranges if that is where you feel well.

When having thyroid tests always book the earliest appointment of the morning, fast overnight (water allowed) and leave off Levo for 24 hours. This gives 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.

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

It's always useful to have thyroid antibodies tested to see if there is autoimmune thyroid disease, also vitamins and minerals as these need to be optimal for thyroid hormone to work:

Vit D

B12

Folate

Ferritin

[Tashiki in reply to SeasideSusie]

Antibodies are

TPO antibodies 804.5 (<34)

TG antibodies >1200 (<115)

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Tashiki]

Tashiki

Your high antibodies confirm autoimmune thyroid disease aka Hashimoto's, which is where antibodies attack the thyroid and gradually destroy it. Antibodies fluctuate and cause 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 which is a protein thought to trigger antibody attacks. Supplementing with selenium L-selenomethionine 200mcg daily can also help reduce antibodies, as can keeping TSH suppressed.

Doctors tend to dismiss antibodies as being of no importance and know very little, if anything, about Hashi's so you need to read and learn to help yourself.

chriskresser.com/the-gluten...

hypothyroidmom.com/hashimot...

stopthethyroidmadness.com/h...

stopthethyroidmadness.com/h...

**

Hashi's and gut/absorption problems can go hand in hand and low nutrient levels are often the result so testing vitamins and minerals is very important.

SlowDragon has information and links about how to deal with gut/absorption problems.

[christa1 in reply to SeasideSusie]

tashiki wrote in an earlier post:

GP doing nothing about them and I have high antibodies thanks

Ferritin 12 (30 - 400)

Folate 2.0 (2.5 - 19.5)

Vitamin B12 137 (180 - 900)

Vitamin D total 20.6 (<25 severe)

it sound all very, very negligent by an uneducated GP

I am sooo stunt by all her results and no action from the GP.........

hopfully seasidesusie can help.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to christa1]

Thanks Christa. I couldn't reply last night to Tashiki 's post, I live on the coast and the high winds knocked my electricity out so I was without internet for some time. I will check out her post and if no-one else has made any suggestions I will respond.

[Tashiki]

Currently taking antidepressants

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Tashiki]

Depression can be a symptom of Hypothyroidism. Keep your antidepressants well away from your Levo. Hopefully you will eventually be able to wean off them as your thyroid meds are optimised and you feel well.

[shaws Administrator in reply to Tashiki]

I find it incredible that your GP hasn't diagnosed you hypothyroidism but 'depression' instead. I shall give you clinical symptoms, of which they appear to know none at all.

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

When blood tests are due, always make the very earliest appointment, fasting (you can drink water) and allow a gap of 24 hours between last dose and test and take it afterwards. This helps keep the TSH at its highest as it drops throughout the day and may mean the difference between an increase or decrease (which we don't usually want).

Phone your doctor tomorrow and say you have had advice from the NHS Choices for information/advice about dysfunctions of the thyroid gland and have been told to request 50mcg of levo to start with blood tests and increases every six weeks until you have a TSH of 1 or lower and FT4 and FT3 towards the upper part of the range.

Ask also for B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate.

[Tashiki in reply to shaws]

Have been on antidepressants for 3 years so before this result came out

[shaws Administrator in reply to Tashiki]

Before I was diagnosed, I was given quite a few 'diagnoses' - none of them to do with hypothyroidism but given prescriptions and even an operation for a symptom which were all hypothyroid. After op the specialist told me I didn't have this ? and I said what was on the barium swallow then? He couldn't answer.

As you can see from the above list depression is a clinical symptom and I think you would have a few more. I would swiftly change your GP as we can get serious consequences if unmedicated.

I bet your Free T3 is very low. T3 is the only active thyroid hormone which is required in our T3 receptor cells. T3 is the 'energy' which drives our metabolism. They rarely test Free T4 and Free T3 but you can have private ones from one of our recommended labs.

[Tashiki in reply to shaws]

Free T3 3.0 pmol/L (3.10 - 6.80)

Below range

Thanks

[shaws Administrator in reply to Tashiki]

Disgraceful. You must be feeling horrendous. Both FT3 and FT4 should be towards the upper part of the ranges.

For this reason we have to read, learn and ask questions as it is rarely forth coming from the professionals, I fear.

[Tashiki in reply to shaws]

Yes I am not feeling at all good

[SlowDragon Administrator]

I hope your GP has decency to apologise. Anyone with symptoms of depression should have thyroid blood tests, as depression is extremely common side affect of being hypothyroid

As others have said, starting on Levothyroxine, usually at 50mcgs dose.

Low vitamins are very common when we are hypo

Ones that affect thyroid are vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12. When they are too low they stop Thyroid hormones working.

Ask GP to test these at your 6-8 week recheck after starting Levo

Your antibodies are high this is Hashimoto's, (also known as autoimmune thyroid disease). 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. About 5% are coeliac, but over 80% of us find gluten free diet helps significantly. Either due to direct gluten intolerance (no test available) or due to leaky gut and gluten causing molecular mimicry (see Amy Myers link)

But don't be surprised that GP never mentions gut, gluten or low vitamins. Hashimoto's is often very poorly understood

Changing to a strictly gluten free diet may help reduce symptoms. Can slowly lower antibodies over time

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

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

chriskresser.com/the-gluten...

scdlifestyle.com/2014/08/th...

[Tashiki in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks I did post my vitamin and mineral results but got no replies

[Puska]

Can’t believe a GP would prescribe antidepressants when such a clinical event is obvious.