I posted my test results (TSH, T4 & Tpo) on here yesterday, for advice. I went to my GP today with hope of confirmation that I have Hashimotos. As per usual it is like banging my head against a brick wall.
I was told that there is no relevance in my antibody test and that all my symptoms are non specific! He wasn’t prepared to up my Levo or take into account that I have had an under active thyroid for years and I know my condition.
The only doctor at my practice that understands is away for three weeks so I had to see a different one.
I really don’t know what to do. Any suggestions would be great.
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SandraSims
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SandraSims As you have Hashi's, are you addressing that? Are you strictly gluten free and taking selenium L-selenomethionine 200mcg daily to help reduce the antibodies?
Hashi's and gut/absorption problems go hand in hand and low nutrient levels are often the result. You need all nutrients tested.
I see from your other thread that your Vit D level is 47. What dose is D3 are you taking? Are you taking D3's important cofactors - magnesium to help D3 to work, and K2-MK7 to direct calcium to bones and teeth and away from arteries and soft tissues (taking D3 improved uptake of calcium from food).
What about other nutrients :
B12
Folate
Ferritin
All need to be optimal for thyroid hormone to work.
Do you have low stomach acid - very typical with us Hypos (and Hashi's) - do the easy home stomach acid test with baking soda scdlifestyle.com/2012/03/3-...
Sandra, there are good supplements and rubbish supplements. Avoid Holland and Barrett own brand, supermarket and Boots own brand too. If you want suggestions I'm happy to do so.
Sandra, if you post the results (with ranges) for your vitamin/mineral tests, suggestions for doses can be made plus any cofactors needed.
What Vit D are you taking? Your 50ug dose is the equivalent of 2000iu which is a maintenance dose for some of us (me included). To raise your level from 47 to that recommended by the Vit D Council (which is 100-150nmolL - check your unit of measurement to see if it is nmol/L) then you need 5000iu daily for 3 months then retest, privately if necessary with a blood spot fingerprick test from City Assays vitamindtest.org.uk/
As you have Hashi's you very likely have absorption problems so SlowDragon always suggests a Vit D oral spray such as Better You which bypasses the stomach, so better absorption.
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 helps D3 to work and 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 have read (but not researched so don't have links) that BCSH, UKNEQAS and NICE guidelines recommend:
"In the presence of discordance between test results and strong clinical features of deficiency, treatment should not be delayed to avoid neurological impairment."
And 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 don't normally advise self supplementing with a level as low as yours, I usually suggest going to the PA forum. However, if you definitely have no signs of B12 deficiency then to self supplement you will need methylcobalamin sublingual lozenges, starting with 5000mcg daily then when the bottle is finished change to 1000mcg as a maintenance dose. I used to use Solgar but that has gone very expensive, some people use Jarrows so have a look at that.
Folate 4.96 (3.00 - 20.00)
Folate should be at least half way through it's range.
When taking B12 we also need a good B Complex to balance all the B vitamins. If you get one containing 400mcg methylfolate, eg Thorne Basic B, then that will help raise your folate level. One daily should be enough.
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Ferritin 66.5 ug/L (11.0 - 307.0)
Your ferritin isn't low enough for your GP to do anything about it. It needs to be at least 70 for thyroid hormone to work, preferably half way through range but around 100 should be fine.
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...
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Vit D
The Better You spray I mentioned above.
If you want a combined D3/K2 there is NutriAdvanced drops, one drop contains 1000iu D3/45mcg K2 so use as much as needed. Now Foods does a combined spray but it does contain soy-based Phospholipids and us Hypos/Hashi's should avoid soy in all forms except fermented soy so probably best avoided. Better y ou have recent launched a D3/K2 combo spray too betteryou.com/vitamin-d-k2
For best absorption then you could look for magnesium powder. I use Natural Calm Original Magnesium Citrate powder and add to orange juice, be aware that magnesium citrate can have laxative properties so if that doesn't suit you then you'll need to find a different form
email louise.roberts@thyroiduk.org.uk and request a copy of Dr Toft's Pulse Online article wherein he states (question 6) that if antibodies are present we should be prescribed. Dr Toft was President of the British Thyroid Association and if your doctor will still not prescribe, you may have to think about sourcing your own.
I am not medically qualified but had undiagnosed hypothyroidism. Diagnosed by a First Aider.
As per usual it is like banging my head against a brick wall.
I just wanted to say that I can empathise with this comment so much. I avoid doctors as much as I possibly can now. If I think I have any hope of fixing a problem myself I'll do the research and pay to buy my own supplements or treatments if I can afford to.
Often I think it is the level of medical knowledge that is lacking. For example, years ago I had blood tests for coeliac disease (negative), and I had an endoscopy and biopsies done (negative). So I kept on eating gluten for several more years.
When I finally decided that I should give up gluten, at least as an experiment, I got worthwhile benefits in less than a week. I've kept it up, and have no regrets about doing so - I think I have only gained from it.
And yet people on the forum in the same situation as me have found themselves getting into trouble with their doctors and being told that they will make themselves ill by going gluten-free, and they don't have coeliac disease so there is no need for it. Doctors don't believe in gluten intolerance because they have been taught that patients are stupid and can't be trusted to know what is best for them or even interpret their own symptoms properly.
I totally agree. When I tried to give some facts to my GP this morning about Thyroid levels, his reply was “and who told you that” with a smirk! I think they all think patients are either stupid or hyperchondriacs
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Newbie asking advice - don’t know where to go next?
will I get the support of my gp?
My GP said my FT4 was in range so I don’t need a dose increase
