Hi I am new
I was told last week I have hyperthyroidism? Results look hypothyroid to me.
Symptoms are
Internal shaking
Puffy eyes
Cold intolerance
Dry skin
Difficult swallowing
Tickly throat
Sores on lips
Weight gain
Sweating
Insomnia
Tiredness
Advice welcome.
Thankyou
TSH 11.9 (0.27 - 4.20)
Free T4 10.5 (12 - 22)
Free T3 3.8 (3.1 - 6.8)
Did you get thyroid antibodies results too? If not, ask for them to be tested next time. Make sure you get a blood test every 6 weeks and increase your dose of levothyroxine until your TSH is about 1.0.
If the doctor doesn't tell you to get a blood test in 6 weeks then ring the surgery and arrange one anyway. They don't often tell you what you need to do. Before your next blood test ask the doctor to authorise ferritin, folate, B12 and vitamin D to be tested as people with thyroid disease often have co-existing vitamin deficiencies and you will not feel well until they are corrected. Your levothyroxine will not work well either if you have deficiencies.
When you get your results post them here for advice.
Always take your thyroid meds on an empty stomach with a full glass of water and no food or drink (except for water) for an hour afterwards. Take other medication or supplements at least 4 hours later.
Thyroid antibodies are TG antibodies 960.3 (<115) and TPO antibodies 340.5 (<34)
You have an Autoimmune Thyroid Disease called Hashimoto's due to having thyroid antibodies.
Going gluten-free can help reduce antibodies as they attack your thyrid gland until you are hypothyroid but treatment is the same. I said below you were hypo due to your blood tests but because you've now stated you have Antibodies and they are high. You have Hashimoto's.
I am not yet on thyroid meds
Then you need to make an appointment to get meds ASAP
You are hypothyroid due to your results. i.e. TSH over 10 and FT4 and FT3 below bottom of range.
You are hypothyroid and should have been give 50mcg of levothyroxine to start with blood tests and increment of 25mcg levo every six weeks till you are symptom-free.
Did the doctor prescribe levothyroxine for you?
Hi I haven't yet been prescribed levothyroxine
Phone and request a prescription for 50mcg of levothyroxine. You can say you've taken advice from the NHS Choices for help/advice on dysfunctions of the Thyroid Gland - Thyroiduk.org.uk.
You are hypo-thyroid not hyper-thyroid. This is due to your high TSH and low FT4 and FT3.
Phone GP on Monday and ask for 50mcg of levothyroxine to be prescribed. Take first thing with one full glass of water and wait an hour before eating.
A blood test should be every six weeks with an increase in levo of 25mcg until you are symptom-free. The aim of TSH is 1 or lower with FT4 and FT3 towards the upper part of the range.
Very definitely hypothyroidism and because of high thyroid antibodies it is autoimmune thyroid disease also called Hashimoto's (GP will call it autoimmune)
Make an appointment to see GP and you should be started on 50mcgs Levothyroxine, or possibly slightly higher dose
Bloods should be checked at 6 weeks, ask that vitamin D, folate, B12 and ferritin are checked at this test too. They are often too low when hypo, especially with Hashimoto's
You may need to supplement to improve these so that thyroid hormones work well
Always take Levo on empty stomach and then nothing apart from water for at least an hour after. Many take on waking, but it may be more convenient and possibly more effective taken at bedtime
verywell.com/should-i-take-...
Thanks will see GP monday
Also
Ferritin 22 (30 - 400)
Folate 2.44 (2.50 - 19.50)
B12 202 (180 - 900)
Vitamin D total 25.9 (25 - 50 vitamin D deficiency. Supplementation is indicated)
Yes, you are hypothyroid as a result of Hashimotos thyroiditis. All your vitamin levels are low as suspected. You need a full iron panel and your doctor should prescribe ferrous fumerate 3 times a day. He/she should prescribe loading doses of vitamin D as your result is below 30 and then onto a maintenance dose.
Post your results on the Healthunlocked Pernicious Anaemia forum to ask their advice about vitamin B12 and folate and give a bit of background info.
Check out SeasideSusie advice about vitamin supplementation.
All much to low
See SeasideSusie detailed vitamin supplements advice
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Also on there my advice on gluten free diet and Hashimoto's
Pinkblossom117 Are you actually taking anything for your low vitamins and minerals? If so can you say what and the dose please.
Thanks for reply I don't take anything for vits and mins
Pinkblossom
So your GP has ignored these results? He is being extremely negligent. Please make an urgent appointment and discuss these levels and the supplements he needs to prescribe.
Ferritin 22 (30 - 400)
Point out that your ferritin is below range and you need a supplement, preferably an iron infusion. An infusion will raise your level within 24-48 hours whereas tablets will take many months.
Your GP wont know this but for thyroid hormone to work (that's our own as well as replacement hormone) ferritin needs to be at least 70, preferably half way through range. 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...
Also, because of your below range ferritin, you need an iron panel and full blood count to see if you have anaemia.
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Folate 2.44 (2.50 - 19.50) B12 202 (180 - 900)
Point out to your GP that you are folat deficient. Don't take any nonsense like 'It's only a bit under range', a range is a range so ask him what are ranges for if they're going to be ignored.
As your B12 is very low, check for signs of B12 deficiency b12deficiency.info/signs-an... then go over to the Pernicious Anaemia Society forum for further advice healthunlocked.com/pasoc quoting your folate, B12, and ferritin results, iron results if you already have them, and any signs of B12 deficiency. Then speak to you GP. You may need testing for Pernicious Anaemia, you may need B12 injections. You certainly need a folate supplement but don't start taking it until other investigatins have been carried out.
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."
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Vitamin D total 25.9 (25 - 50 vitamin D deficiency. Supplementation is indicated)
You can see you are in the deficiency category, but are just 0.9 away from severe deficiency. You need loading doses as per 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 maintenace treatment of about 800 IU a day. Higher doses of up to 2000IU 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 regims 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, don't accept 800iu which most GPs tend to prescribe. Once these have been completed you will need a reduced amount (more than 800iu) 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, 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 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
naturalnews.com/046401_magn...
Check out the other cofactors too.
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Due to the fact that these results have been ignored, you have two choices. See the original GP and point them out, saying you are *disappointed* (or whatever you feel about it) that they have been ignored and doing nothing about them will make you very ill. Or you can see a different GP, get sorted with treatment, make sure the new GP knows you are very upset that these results have been ignored and you are considering reporting the first GP for negligence. And considering the first GP said you are hypERthyroid, I would run a mile from him because he just doesn't have a clue!
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Unless nutrient levels are optimal, thyroid hormones can't work (although your GP wont know that because they're not taught nutrition). The fact that you have Hashi's has most likely contributed to your low levels. Hashi's and gut/absorption problems tend to go hand in hand with low nutrient levels often the results.
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Hashi's is where antibodies attack the thyroid and gradually destroy it. The antibody attacks 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 (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 so you can help yourself with the Hashi's, most doctors dismiss antibodies as of no importance and have no idea how Hashi's affects the patient often resulting in many unnecessary changes to medication.
Gluten/thyroid connection: chriskresser.com/the-gluten...
stopthethyroidmadness.com/h...
stopthethyroidmadness.com/h...
hypothyroidmom.com/hashimot...
thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...
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SlowDragon has links and information that will help with the gut/absorption problem.
Yes, you are HYPO, not hyper.
Because GP told me I was hyperthyroid
This is an excerpt from information I sent someone which might help you.
Vitamin B6 is vital to the thyroid. If short of it the thyroid slows down, if seriously short the thyroid stops altogether. If iodine is given at this stage a fast thyroid can develop. A lack of Vitamin B6 is also associated with constipation allowing food to build up in the stomach instead of being digested properly. This leads to histamine building up in the stomach from the fermentation of food causing allergies. Vitamin B-6 and magnesium work synergistically, that is together, which means that if you are short of one you are automatically short of the other. Therefore the two must be taken together to work properly. Generally, 50 mg of vitamin B-6 to 500 mg of magnesium (500 mg magnesium equals half a teaspoon of Epsom salts). Vitamin B6 also needs 15 mg of zinc to be effective. Taken together these should effectively help to prevent your allergies. Your situation at the moment is of increasing sensitivity in regards to many common chemicals in perfumes, scents, cleaning fluids, airborne etc. This should all be improved with the above. In addition I would suggest you also take Lecigran available at Holland and Barrett’s, the web etc. This helps to improve the skin’s natural protection as well as normalising cholesterol levels. A severe lack of vitamin B6 can cause the thyroid to stop altogether.
A severe lack of vitamin E causes the thyroid to work with only 5% efficiency. It cannot be taken if a rheumatoid heart condition is present, but it is brilliant for all other kinds of heart trouble. You and your doctor will certainly know if you have such a condition. It should also not be taken with blood thinners such as warfarin, aspirin, coumadin etc. as it works against such drugs. It should be started with only very low doses if the blood pressure is seriously high; such as 50 mg daily for a week then slowly building up to 400 mg to 600 mg over several weeks. Check BP regularly. It never takes the BP below normal. Eggs would be a good food for you to eat regularly and salads.
Fast and slow thyroids are not opposite. It is first a normal thyroid, then a slow thyroid followed by a fast thyroid. A slow thyroid always precedes a fast thyroid. As the slow thyroid reaches the cusp of beginning to become a fast thyroid symptoms of both fast and slow thyroid can develop and be experienced at the same time, which is why it all seems so very confusing. Iodine given for a slow thyroid can cause it to become fast. Vitamin A stops a fast thyroid dead; I always take it when taking thyroid nutrients. Vitamin E is also very important in Graves' disease, particularly when the eyes bulge. A lack of it is associated with myopia, (shortsightedness) in which the front of the eye also bulges. We three sisters all developed shortsightedness at puberty, which suggests that it may be useful at that time. The need for it also skyrockets at the menopause and is associated with weight gained then, and is believed to be the reason why more downs syndrome children are born to older mothers. But in such pregnancies it needs to be taken in at least the minimal dose of 200 mg. to offer protection and of course BP must always be monitored. Iodine is given when the thyroid has already gone into fast mode. A,E, and iodine are particularly needed for a fast thyroid and B6 magnesium and zinc for a slow one. Obviously all thyroid nutrients are needed in both cases but some a little more than others.
Please pass this information on to others, I'm new to this site and don't know how to send it out generally for the benefit of all. I have had no help whatsoever from the medical profession re-thyroid problems so use all of the above and manage to cope reasonably well without complicated tests which most doctors don't seem to understand anyway. Hope this all really helps, all the best from Maje
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