further to my previous posts...: Here are the NHS... - Thyroid UK

Thyroid UK

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further to my previous posts...

loobilou profile image
16 Replies

Here are the NHS test results -

this from July this year -

Vit D, 250H, Total, Serum

Serum total 25-hydroxy vitamin D level (Zabo0): 57 nmol [50.0-120.0]

Serum vitamin B12 level (XE2pf) : 568 nmol/L [197.0-771.0]

Serum folate level (42U5) : 9.1 ug/L [3.9-25.0]

and this from this month -

Cortisol level (X771U) : 456 nmo/L [133.0-537.0]

Serum free t4 level (XaERr) : 18.9 pmol/L [12.0-22.0]

Serum TSH level (XaELV) : 2.3 mu/L [0.27-4.2]

Results from Genova Diagnostics (via nutritionist)

Cortisol Sample 1 post awakening 9.88 [2.68-9.30]

Sample 2 (+ 4-5 hours) 2.90 [0.75-2.93]

Sample 3 (+4-5 hours) 1.16 [0.36-1.88]

Sample 4 (prior to sleep) 0.66 <=0.94

DHEA: coristol ratio 0.11 [0.05-0.32]

Genova Urine Thyroid results

T3 0.74 [0.61-3.38]

T4 2.28 [1.03-8.24]

(CORRECTION) T3: T4 Ratio 0.32

Iodine 60 [100-199

Sorry for probably too much information/confusing numbers. I have no clue what any of this really means. I am having a postal blood test done next week via Medichecks which includes Thyroid and Vitamins and I hope that might make more sense.

Nutritionist said my iodine was low; my doctor said its impossible to be lacking in iodine, NHS websites say the same. Iodine websites say the opposite.

I have plenty of symptoms that could be related to thyroid problems, but equally they could be simply my mood/state of mind. Who can tell?!

If anyone can shed any light on any of this I'd be eternally grateful.

thank you :)

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loobilou profile image
loobilou
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16 Replies
LouiseRoberts profile image
LouiseRoberts

Sorry you had no replies, it maybe that your thread was missed or because no one who saw it had the relevant information or experience.

If you still need help, it may be worth posting again.

Louise

ITYFIALMCTT profile image
ITYFIALMCTT

I can't comment on cortisol at all and my comments on other numbers might be a little bitty.

It would be helpful to know if you supplement, and, if so, at what dosage and for how long? The following comments are made with the assumption that there is no supplementation.

Serum total 25-hydroxy vitamin D level (Zabo0): 57 nmol [50.0-120.0] You're within the 'adequate' range but not by much, and as we're heading into Winter when your levels will continue to drop, you might feel better if you supplement to raise your levels into a higher range and then maintain them. I'll find a link for SeasideSusie 's vitamin D suggestions. ETA: healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Serum vitamin B12 level (XE2pf) : 568 nmol/L [197.0-771.0] You're in the upper part of the reference range.

Serum folate level (42U5) : 9.1 ug/L [3.9-25.0] Your folate level is in the range.

loobilou profile image
loobilou in reply to ITYFIALMCTT

Thank you. I'm on Adrenal Support from Cytoplan - cytoplan.co.uk/adrenal-supp... I've not been on it for more than a few months I think

Thank you for the link to the vitamin D - I'll check that out :)

ITYFIALMCTT profile image
ITYFIALMCTT

In order to compare blood test results more easily it helps to know the following. TSH levels vary at different times of day and can drop after eating. Was the appointment for your blood draw as early in the morning as practical? Did you fast overnight (water allowed)? This gives a good chance of catching the highest reading of TSH in your day which can be useful to compare it over time.

Nov. results.

Serum free t4 level (XaERr) : 18.9 pmol/L [12.0-22.0] In the upper part of the reference range.

Serum TSH level (XaELV) : 2.3 mu/L [0.27-4.2] You're in the reference range.

There's nothing that clearly indicates a failing thyroid in these serum results. You might need to track your serum results over time and see if your TSH and other thyroid hormones vary or start drifting.

I know nothing about Genova's urine testing but it seems as if the T3 has been duplicated? Can you correct it in case someone else can comment?

loobilou profile image
loobilou in reply to ITYFIALMCTT

No GP has ever suggested fasting before any of these blood tests. Even when I questioned that with the nurse doing the test, she'd never heard of it that idea! I had the recent one about 9am, but I had eaten breakfast before...

I've edited the T3 comment, thanks for pointing that out.

ITYFIALMCTT profile image
ITYFIALMCTT in reply to loobilou

No GP or other HCP will advise this but Seaside Susie describes this as a patient to patient tip that we don't tend to discuss with HCPs. A little bit, it's like weighing yourself, it's easier to track and compare the results if you do it consistently at the same time of day (like first thing in the morning and before eating) rather than at very different times, before or after eating a meal etc. etc.

loobilou profile image
loobilou in reply to ITYFIALMCTT

Yes, I understand the bit about weighing yourself same time etc, but why don't GPs suggest fasting before taking blood? In fact I remember now that my GP told me a while back that they don't ask for fasting for any blood test any more

ITYFIALMCTT profile image
ITYFIALMCTT in reply to loobilou

I can't address what GPs advise or don't advise.

I am sharing common advice that makes it easier to monitor your results over time. If you always have an early, fasting set of blood tests then you don't need to adapt for difference in TSH levels related to time of day and whether or not you've eaten.

You can read about fluctuations of thyroid hormones with time of day: healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering

loobilou I am better with Genova results for adrenal test and urine thyroid test when I can see the graphic. If you would like to add a picture I will comment. You could print your results sheets, fold to show the relevant graphic, then scan both as one picture and add it to this thread by editing your first post.

I am not medically trained but because I have done it I can tell you that your iodine level is low, providing that was the non-loading test, not the one where you iodine beforehand. Mine came back exactly mid range at 150. My then practioner recommended a supplement that contained 150mcg iodine even though I pointed out to her that I was not deficient, but she said it was OK. However, after a few months I retested and I'd gone from 150 to 250 so very much over range. So the test appears to be accurate in detecting the amount of iodine. However, iodine supplementation should be under the supervision of an experienced practioner.

If you can add the picture I will come back later with a more detailed reply.

loobilou profile image
loobilou in reply to SeasideSusie

Thank you SeasideSuzy. I posted images of the Geneva results a few days ago - I cant repost them here but they are healthunlocked.com/thyroidu......

and

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

thanks!

SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering in reply to loobilou

loobilou sorry I didn't see those posts before, the forum moves so fast it's easy to miss threads.

As you are seeing a nutritionist, has he/she seen these test results and if so what's been said?

As far as your cortisol test is concerned, it's very similar to mine. Although I have to say that Genova have changed their ranges, also the yellow range used to be much narrower on the graphic.

My Sample 1 was high but just in range whereas yours is a bit over range.

My Sample 2 was smack on the top of the range, yours is just 0.03 from the top of the range.

My Sample 3 was fairly close to the top of the range, yours is half way.

My Sample 4 was lower than yours.

You can see from your graphic that yours isn't far off the normal curve. Your Sample 1 is a bit too high and Samples 2 and 3 are not too bad at all, Sample 4 is probably a bit higher than desirable for bedtime but not right at the top. Sample 1 should be the highest and Sample 4 the lowest.

My DHEA was down in the red, yours is in a good place.

I am not an expert nor medically trained, but if you look at Dr Myhill's website where she shows how to interpret adrenal tests drmyhill.co.uk/wiki/Adrenal... I think your results probably come under 2. Raised cortisol and normal DHEA. and she says

This indicates a normal short term response to stress. So long as the stress is removed, the adrenal gland will recover completely. The adrenal gland is functioning normally but the patient is acutely stressed.

So, if that's the case, can you think what the stress is? Stress comes in forms we don't think about. Poor sleep is a form of stress for instance. I can't suggest any supplement, as I said I'm not an expert so identify your forms of stress if you can and try to reduce it, and you could research into any supplements which can help reduce cortisol (or see what your nutritionist has to say), but be aware that you are not massively high so you don't want it lowered to levels where it causes you problems. Your DHEA is really good so you don't need anything to help there.

**

As for the urine thyroid test, this is not a good test for diagnosing hypothyroidism. Some people say the urine test has no value at all, I disagree. I have been diasgnosed hypothyroid for over 40 years and because of symptoms I have used this test but it was to see whether my conversion of T4 to T3 was good or not, blood tests suggested not, and the urine test confirmed it. After I added T3 and gradually increased the dose, a couple of further urine tests have shown that my T3 has increased in line with the dose increases.

So your urine test shows that what T4 you have is converting to some T3 but you don't have much of it. What you need now is a blood test to see what your FT4 and FT3 levels are like, I would expect to see that they're not in balance, that your FT3 is lower than FT4 and may point to conversion not being good enough. When you have your Medichecks results back, if you post them you can tag me in if you like in case I don't see your post.

**

25-hydroxy vitamin D level 57 nmol [50.0-120.0]

The Vit D Council recommends a level of 100-150nmol/L so you might want to supplement to bring yours up. My suggestion would be for 5000iu daily for 3 months then retest, which you can do with a fingerprick blood spot test from City Assays for £28 if you're not testing anything else at the time vitamindtest.org.uk/

My suggestion would be Doctors Best D3 softgels (look at bodykind.com for good price) or BetterYou oral spray is also recommended here.

When you reached the recommended level 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.

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.

**

B12: 568 nmol/L [197.0-771.0]

Folate: 9.1 ug/L [3.9-25.0]

B12 and folate work together.

Your B12 isn't bad although 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."

If you want to improve your level then sublingual methylcobalamin lozenges 1000mcg daily is what you need. And when taking B12 we need a B Complex to balance all the B Vitamins.

Your Folate level is too low, it should be at least half way through it's range, so 14.5 plus. If you buy a good B Complex containing 400mcg methylfolate this will help raise your folate level, eg Thorne Basic B.

**

You might want to wait until you've had your Medichecks results before doing anything about supplementing for these, just in case your levels have changed.

**

Free T4: 18.9 pmol/L [12.0-22.0]

TSH: 2.3 mu/L [0.27-4.2]

As has been said, there's nothing glaringly wrong with these results. FT4 is good although TSH a touch higher than one might expect to see in a healthy non-hypo person. So, one wonders about conversion and of course we need the FT3 for that.

As ITYFIALMCTT has mentioned, with your next test, do it as early as possible in the morning, no later than 8.30-9.00am and fast overnight but drink plenty of water so you are well hydrated. Post your new results and we can take it from there.

loobilou profile image
loobilou

Wow, thanks for all of that SeasideSuzy, most helpful.

The nutritionist suggested the Adrenal support for the cortisol. I do seem to get quite easily stressed over nothing, quick to anger (though I keep it all in which doesn't help I'm sure!) However despite having some reservations about the nutritionist, I have been feeling more even in terms of mood changes. We've not yet discussed fully the thyroid results other than the fact she said my T3 and T4 were low, along with iodine. She has the supplements ("glandulars"?) for me to help (no doubt at vast expense) but she's been away a while and I'm not due to see her till the end of the month.

It'll be interesting to get the results back from medichecks, which I sent off this morning. I'll post them here. Depending on what I'm told, I may or may not make the appointment to see the endocrinologist.

I'll check out your links, thanks again 😊

SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering in reply to loobilou

loobilou I didn't get notification of your reply because you didn't respond directly to my post. For members to be notified you need to reply directly below their message with the green REPLY button or tag them by putting @ directly in front of their username with no space and clicking on the appropriate one in the list that comes up, it will turn blue but check spelling of username.

Regarding the "glandulars". Just in case she is suggesting Adrenavive or Metavive, be prepared about cost. You will be able to buy them yourself - see the-natural-choice.co.uk/Gl... so make a note of any prices and if she has hiked the price toomuch you can always say you will source them yourself. Metavive is the thyroid glandular and is freeze dried thyroid gland, it doesn't say it contains any hormone, and if there was any there's no way of knowing how much.

loobilou profile image
loobilou in reply to SeasideSusie

Thanks again SeasideSusie I thought I had replied via the green button, but clearly not!

Useful info re the pricing too, thank you!

SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering in reply to loobilou

You're welcome Loobilou :)

I've got rather canny where buying supplements is concerned :D

loobilou profile image
loobilou in reply to SeasideSusie

Yes, I think the nutritionist is too..🙄

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