Ferritin 7 (15 - 150)
Folate 2.3 (2.5 - 19.5)
Vitamin B12 102 (180 - 900)
Vitamin D 14.6
TPO antibody 905.4 (<34)
I am a 21 yr old female with hypothyroid diagnosed when I was 14. I am worried about mental type symptoms I have like anxiety jumpiness, inability to remember or understand, I am sometimes scared to leave the house some days and there are times I just want to cut myself off from friends and family. Thanks for feedback regarding these.
These are terrible. Make an urgent appointment today with GP
They are in main so bad because you are so under medicated
But they will need significant levels of supplements to improve
Ferritin will need iron infusion
Vitamin D loading dose
And B12 and Folate full investigation for Pernicious Anaemia before B12 injections
How long has GP had these results and not acted upon them?
Can you see different GP
Will add link here to SeasideSusie reply to similar
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
GP had results for 3 weeks and not acted on them
Your antibodies are very high this is Hashimoto's, (also known by medics here in UK more commonly as autoimmune thyroid disease).
About 90% of all hypothyroidism in Uk is due to Hashimoto's
Getting Levo dose higher and a TSH lower will help reduce these but also vitamin supplements will be essential
Gluten intolerance likely
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.
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
thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...
thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...
amymyersmd.com/2017/02/3-im...
chriskresser.com/the-gluten...
All good advice by slow Dragon. You must address these deficiencies urgently. Do not accept anti-depressants if offered them. Insist your deficiencies are correctly treated and investigated.
You poor thing, diagnosed at 14 years of age and then not treated optimally.
All of the above results are dire and need instant action and it is ridiculous in this day and age that doctors see no need to take act upon essential vitamins/minerals when they're deficient.
You now have to take into your own hands your health. It isn't forthcoming from your doctors so you want to have as healthy and fruitful life as possible and you've come to the right forum.
You were diagnosed in 2012 and your last test was in 2016 with a TSH of 5.6 and have been on a 25mcg dose of levothyroxine since then.
This is disgraceful as the aim is a TSH of 1 or below, with Free T4 and Free T3 towards the upper range.
Your doctors have been very neglectful to say the least. You will now realise that few doctors are knowledgeable about hypothyroidism and only look at a blood test result and if it is in range their assumption is that the patient is on enough T3. That's not the case at all.
You need a new blood test for thyroid hormones and this is the procedure to follow to get the best out of it.
Many people have been given mental health diagnosis when in fact they were hypothyroid so don't worry too much because these sensations should go when you are on an optimum dose of levothyroxine and your doctor should be ashamed of himself to give you 25mcg all of these years since you were 14.
Blood tests have to be at the very earliest possible, fasting (you can drink water) and allow a gap of 24hours between your dose of levo and the test and take afterwards.
This allows the TSH to be at its highest as it drops throughout the day and is much lower in the evening than early morning.
Tell him you've had advice from the NHS Choices for information/advice on dysfunctions of the thyroid gland (Thyroiduk.org.uk)and have been told you should have an increase every six weeks of 25mcg until your TSH is 1 or below.
You also have an Autoimmune Thyroid Disease called hashimoto's (due to having antibodies) and these can be reduced by going gluten-free. The antibodies attack your gland and wax and wane until you are hypothyroid. Hashimoto's and hypothyroid are treated the same.
Levothyroxine should be taken first thing with one full glass of water and wait an hour before eating. Food interferes with the uptake of thyroid hormones.
You can now have a life. Your mental health should improve and back to normal. I think because your dose has been far too low and it is levothyroxine (T4 only) and it's job is to convert to T3. T3 is the only Active Thyroid Hormone and it is T3 which is needed in our billions of T3 receptor cells and our brain and heart need the most. If we have insufficient T3 due to low T4 dose our body cannot work effectively.
As shaws says
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. Some try it and prefer it. Others find morning better
verywell.com/should-i-take-...
Also many people find Levothyroxine brands are not interchangeable. When you have a brand that suits you, best to make sure to only get that one at each prescription.
JayeC3,
You don't have mental health issues. You are severely deficient in ferritin, vitamin D, B12 and folate and that is making you ill in addition to the Levothyroxine undermedication we discussed.
Thyroid peroxidase antibodies are positive for autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's). There is no cure for Hashimoto's which causes 90% of hypothyroidism. Levothyroxine treatment is for the low thyroid levels it causes. Many people have found that 100% gluten-free diet is helpful in reducing Hashi flares, symptoms and eventually antibodies.
chriskresser.com/the-gluten...
thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...
I suggest you contact healthunlocked.com/pasoc for advice on B12 deficiency and folate deficiency. Your GP should investigate whether Pernicious Anaemia is causing deficiencies and should initiate B12 injections 48 hours prior to starting you on 5mg folic acid.
Vitamin D is severely deficient. Your GP should refer to local guidelines or the NICE CKS recommendations for treating vitamin D deficient adults cks.nice.org.uk/vitamin-d-d... Do not accept a prescription for 800iu D3 which is a low maintenance dose to be prescribed once deficiency is corrected. My GP prescribed 40,000iu daily x 14 followed by 2,000iu daily x 8 weeks which raised vitD from <10 to 107. Vitamin D should be taken 4 hours away from Levothyroxine.
Ferritin is severely deficient and this may indicate iron deficiency anaemia. Your GP should do an iron panel and full blood count to check. If you are prescribed iron it should be taken 4 hours away from Levothyroxine and T3.
Thanks iron was below range and so was MCV. MCHC above range. No action taken.
JayeC3,
It may be worth asking your mother, sister or a friend to accompany you to GP appointment if you feel you need some support.
I would agree with Clutter it is much harder for a medic to bully or be dismissive if there is a witness.
A supportive friend or family member ideally if you can
Full panel Thyroid results. Mental health issues and thyroid?
Mental health issues (anxiety, ocd, depression, nervous) and thyroid.
Some Help with Vits and Mins Please
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Afraid for my mental health
