I hadn't started taking medication when I had the anibody test done. Can anybody shed any light on the differences in the results? I was using soy milk most days (occasionally almond milk) and had soy yoghurt most days till I read about avoiding soy products if you are hypo. I don't remember when I stopped using soy milk and yoghurt but it's probably been about 3 months. So only a short while when I had the last test done.
TIA
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AnneEvo
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Yes when I was unmedicated. Tests were done at similar times of day. When I was first diagnosed I didn't want to start medication till I'd found out more about hypothyroidism. I wasn't initially tested for antibodies but after learning about Hashis on here I wanted to be tested particularly as my sister has an autoimmune disease and when I used to give blood I was told I had a lot of antibodies in my blood. I realise that didn't mean I would have thyroid antibodies but wanted to be sure. I started on 25 mcg levo in the first week of October. The last test I had done in late September.
There are two types of antibodies, Thyroid Peroxidase (TPO) and Thyroglobulin (TG). The NHS only tends to do TPO (unless an endo can manage to get TG done). You can be negative for TPO but positive for TG. You can get them both tested privately with a home fingerprick test from one of our recommended labs - Medichecks or Blue Horizon.
If you were diagnosed in May, why didn't you start taking your Levo then, presumably it was prescribed? Are you taking it now?
If your tests were done at different times of the day, that would account for the difference in TSH. An early blood draw - no later than 9am - will give a higher TSH than a blood draw later in the day. TSH is highest in the early morning, lowers throughout the day, and also lowers after eating. This is why we always advise anyone who is looking for a diagnosis, or an increase in dose of Levo, or to avoid a reduction in dose, to always book the very first appointment of the morning and fast overnight.
I was reluctant to start medication till I'd looked into hypothyroidism more closely. Before I actually started medication I did see a different doctor at the practise who, when he saw the results, just told me to come back in 6 months (they had been testing and keeping an eye on my results for about 12 months by then) - I imagine one of many doctors who don't treat hypothyroidism till TSH is over 10. But by then I thought I ought to start medication so made an appointment with a different doctor.
I understand the TSH level more than Free T4. I'm not sure what the implications are, with it being slightly lower than the range, if any.
A below range FT4 = hypothyroidism, along with an over range TSH there is no doubt about the diagnosis and Levo should be started.
The aim of a treated hypo patient generally is for TSH to be 1 or below or wherever it needs to be for FT4 and FT3 to be in the upper part of their respective reference ranges when on Levo if that is where you feel well, it's where most people feel best.
It's always useful to have FT3 tested (but rarely, if ever, done in primary care) because it tells us whether T4 is being converted well enough to T3. T3 is the active hormone which every cell in our bodies need, so it's very important to know that we have enough. Low FT3 is a cause of continuing symptoms and inability to lose weight in seemingly optimally medicated patients with a low TSH and high FT4, which is why we often advise people to make sure they get FT3 tested as well as FT4.
Thank you SeasideSusie. I am extremely lucky in that the only symptoms I have are feeling the cold, poor memory and being tired - well tired occasionally, rather, not having a lot of energy and struggling to get up in the morning; never feeling like I've had a good night's sleep. I have had these symptoms for about 40 years but it was only picked up on a routine healthcheck. I also had burning feet (which I read somewhere is a symptom) for a fairly short period 40 years ago.
Now you have started on 25mcg Levo (this is very small dose and can make you feel worse) Bloods should be retested after 6-8 weeks
Likely to need further increase(s) in 25mcg steps upwards. Retesting after 6-8 weeks each time
Aim is to bring TSH down to around one and FT4 towards top of range
With Hashimoto's, until it's under control, our gut can be badly affected. Low stomach acid can lead to poor absorption of vitamins. Low vitamin levels stop thyroid hormones working.
For full evaluation you need TSH, FT4, FT3, TT4, TPO and TG antibodies, plus vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 tested
You are unlikely to get full thyroid and vitamin testing from GP
Medichecks Thyroid plus ultra vitamin or Blue Horizon Thyroid plus eleven are the most popular choice. DIY finger prick test or option to pay extra for private blood draw. Both companies often have money off offers.
All thyroid tests should be done as early as possible in morning and fasting and don't take Levo in the 24 hours prior to test, delay and take straight after. This gives highest TSH and most consistent results
Poor gut function can lead leaky gut (literally holes in gut wall) this can cause food intolerances. Most common by far is gluten
According to Izabella Wentz the Thyroid Pharmacist approx 5% with Hashimoto's are coeliac, but over 80% 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 or endo never mention gut, gluten or low vitamins. Hashimoto's is very poorly understood
Changing to a strictly gluten free diet may help reduce symptoms, help gut heal and slowly lower TPO antibodies
Thank you SlowDragon. I've been wondering if I ought to get T3 tested. I'll probably just go ahead and use Medicheck or Blue Horizon rather than try my own doctor first. From what I've read on here, I can't see them being willing to get vitamins tested along with T3.
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Blood test results for vitamins and minerals from doctor
High T4 - Test Results
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Test results 
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