Hello every one!☺️ I am a newbie here and I wondered if anyone can help me please...
Since August 2017 gradually my energy levels have came plummeted to the point I am mostly bed bound. I have seen numerous doctors that all say my standard blood work have all came back normal. I did notice I was on the low cusp of the ranges of a few things.
It’s been 3 months now and I have had to give up my flat, I can not work, I am in severe pain with migraines, muscle weakness I am confined in a dark bedroom and I’m despo for answer. I was going to pay private to get my thyroid levels checked as nhs won’t check my t3. I came across thyroid uk has anyone used this site before?
My blood work came back from nhs
TSH 0.65 (0.35 - 5.00)
T4 13 (9-21)
Calcium 2.22 (2.20 2.60)
VitD 51 (25-50)
Serum ferritin 41 (15-200)
Serum folate 7.3 (3.1 -20)
I am a girl at 31 and over night I don’t even have the energy to get up a flight of stairs. I’m completely house bound and light and noise sensitive. I’m Despo to get my life back! But the doctors seems to have given up on me.. the weekend there I passed out from severe migraine pain that I woke up with paramedics in my house and rushed me to AnE. I filled two pee pain of vomit and they gave me co codamol which I brought up and then anti sickness pill and then discharged me.. 3 days later I am in the same amount of pain. Doctors called me today to say they don’t do house visit and my neurologist unit and rheumatology unit bounced back that they wouldn’t see me. I am at a lost
If anyone can give me any guideance I would be ever so grateful.
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Yennn
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This the the support group for Thyroid UK. There are over 68,000 people on here, so you can see that Thyroid diagnosis and treatment needs complete overhaul
Just TSH and FT4 is inadequate test.
Can you persuade GP to test thyroid antibodies
Your FT4 is on low side
Yes you need FT3 testing. It needs to be tested at same time as TSH and FT4
If you can't get antibodies via GP you can get all tested privately
Medichecks Thyroid or Blue Horizon 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
It is critical to have your FT3 tested - you can have a bucket load of T4 in your blood but if it isn't converting effectively to T3, then it is doing not a lot for you. T4 is an inactive storage prohormone, it's purpose being to convert to active T3 as required, mainly but not exclusively in the liver, so that it can be taken up by the cells of your body. The majority of T3 and T4 is attached to plasma proteins - thyroid binding globulin (TBG) - whilst the rest circulates 'free' in the blood and is therefore metabolically active. Some Drs look at total T3 & T4 but it is the free element which is more informative ie FT3 and FT4. If you liken it to cans of baked beans in your cupboard: there can be hundred of cans of beans, but unless you can get the cans open, your body can't use them.
Thank you so much for replying to me! Iv tried to tell my Docs this I have seen 8 but they aren’t willing as everything is normal. Any advice on how I can preside my Docs to look in to this again? I have left that surgery and I’m starting with a new one tmro. Thank you
Unfortunately, with those results you wont get a diagnosis. The NICE Clinical Knowledge Summary states cks.nice.org.uk/hypothyroid... :
◦Overt hypothyroidism (OH) — TSH levels are above the normal reference range (usually above 10 mU/L) and free T4 is below the normal reference range.
◦Subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) — TSH levels are above the normal reference range and T3 and T4 are within the reference range.
However, secondary hypothyroidism should be investigated and this is where TSH is normal and FT4 is low and the problem lies with the pituitary or the hypothalamus rather than the thyroid. The CKS also states:
•Secondary or central hypothyroidism is the result of insufficient production of bioactive TSH due to a pituitary or hypothalamic disorder.
and
•Urgent referral to an endocrinologist should be arranged if:
◾Suspect secondary hypothyroidism if the clinical features are suggestive and T4 is low without raised TSH. Be aware that in secondary hypothyroidism TSH may also be low, normal, or slightly elevated due to circulation of bio-inactive forms of TSH.
•The recommendation on suspecting secondary hypothyroidism if the clinical picture is suggestive and T4 is low without the expected increase in TSH is based on the clinical guideline UK guidelines for the use of TFTs [ACB/BTA/BTF 2006] and expert opinion in a review article [So et al, 2012].
◦Testing for T4 along with TSH is essential — testing TSH alone will miss most cases of secondary hypothyroidism as TSH may be low, normal, or slightly raised due to circulation of bio-inactive isoforms of TSH [Weetman, 2010; Garber et al, 2012].
Your FT4 is 33% through range, I would class that as quite low.
I don't have any further information so it would be a good idea to do your own research into secondary/central/tertiary hypothyroidism to present to your GP, along with a tick list of any signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism you may be experiencing - thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_... (you can print that list off) and ask for a referral to an endocrinologist who specialises in thyroid disorders. Unfortunately, thyroid specialists seem to be as rare as hens' teeth, most endos are diabetes specialists. You can email dionne.fulcher@thyroiduk.org for the list of thyroid friendly endos, then ask on the forum for feedback on any you can get to. Replies will have to be by private message. No point in wasting your time seeing an endo who specialises in diabetes.
**
VitD 51 (25-50) - I assume this is nmol/L unit of measurement
The Vit D Council recommends a level of 100-150nmol/L. You are just 1 point above the deficiency category and you should supplement to raise your level. Your GP can't prescribe at this level but you'll be better off buying your own anyway. I suggest 5000iu D3 daily for 3 months then retest. When you've 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. 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
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
And whatever magnesium is appropriate for you after checking the link above.
You can, of course, look at other brands, but stay away from cheap ones full of fillers and unnecessary ingredients. For fat soluble supplements, as are D3 and K2-MK7, a softgel contain oil (but not soy oil) are best.
If you have any other medical conditions or take any medication, you should check that it's OK for you to take these supplements. Your own research might be more reliable than what a doctor will tell you.
**
Calcium 2.22 (2.20 2.60)
Nothing really to worry about with your calcium. It's in range, although only just, and when taking D3 it will probably increase a bit anyway.
**
Serum ferritin 41 (15-200)
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 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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Serum folate 7.3 (3.1 -20)
Folate should be at least half way through it's range, so that should be 11.5 plus. A good B Complex, eg Thorne Basic B, can help improve this level.
Folate and B12 work together. You should have B12 tested as well. B12 deficiency brings a whole host of symptoms - b12deficiency.info/signs-an...
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