Hi, I have just joined. I suspect I have a problem with my thyroid. It swells up and sticks out from the front of my neck and shrinks by itself. Ultrasound confirmed twice that it is enlarged and looks damaged. I have elevated antibodies and my symptoms are very confusing! Memory loss, brain fog, dry skin, cold hands, flaky and splitting nails, dry eyes. hair loss, constipation every day without fail, depression, increasing weight gain, low pulse, spots around corners of my mouth, ongoing infections. Am I going mad? Diagnosed 2012 with hypothyroid thanks
Thyroid peroxidase antibody 347 IU/mL (<34)
Thyroglobulin antibody 269.3 IU/mL (<115)
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No, you're not going mad, you're going hypo. And, your symptoms aren't confusing at all. Symptoms of low T3 can make themselves felt anywhere and everywhere. Have you had your thyroid hormones tested : TSH, FT4, FT3?
Well, I think you should suggest it to the endo, because 5.3 is far too high for the TSH of someone on thyroid hormone replacement. It should be one or under.
And all the time your T3 continues to be so low, you are going to continue to have symptoms. And, all the time your TSH is high, the immune system is going to continue attacking your gland, making you more and more hypo. Obviously, your endo is a diabetes specialist, and knows nothing about thyroid!
So if diagnosed in 2012 how much Levo are you taking, what are your most recent results?
When antibodies are 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
Essential to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12. Always get actual results and ranges. Post results when you have them, members can advise
Hashimoto's affects the gut and leads to low vitamin levels
Low vitamin levels stop Thyroid hormone 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
Dr Toft, past president of the British Thyroid Association and leading endocrinologist, states in Pulse Magazine,
"The appropriate dose of levothyroxine is that which restores euthyroidism and serum TSH to the lower part of the reference range - 0.2-0.5mU/l.
In this case, free thyroxine is likely to be in the upper part of its reference range or even slightly elevated – 18-22pmol/l.
Most patients will feel well in that circumstance. But some need a higher dose of levothyroxine to suppress serum TSH and then the serum-free T4 concentration will be elevated at around 24-28pmol/l.
This 'exogenous subclinical hyperthyroidism' is not dangerous as long as serum T3 is unequivocally normal – that is, serum total around T3 1.7nmol/l (reference range 1.0-2.2nmol/l)."
You can obtain a copy of the articles from Thyroid UK email dionne.fulcher@thyroidUK.org. print it and highlight question 6 to show your doctor.
No! Don't increase now, or you will skew the results. There should be a gap of at least six weeks between a dose change and a retest.
When you go for your retest, make sure that the blood draw is early in the morning - before 9 am - and that you fast over-night. Leave a gap of 24 hours between your last dose of levo and the test.
And tell your endo that weight-loss is also a symptom of low thyroid.
Hi thanks all bloods done for thyroid are fasting and before 9am and I leave 24 hours between levothyroxine and blood draw except for this one which was done at 5pm so I am guessing had my test have been taken before 9am my TSH would have been higher?
You are undermedicated to have TSH 5.3 and FT3 below range on 50mcg Levothyroxine. Ask your endo or GP to increase dose.
The goal of Levothyroxine is to restore the patient to euthyroid status. For most patients that will be when TSH is 0.3 - 1.0 with FT4 in the upper range. FT4 needs to be in the upper range in order that sufficient T3 is converted. Read Treatment Options in thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_... Email dionne.fulcher@thyroiduk.org if you would like a copy of the Pulse article to show your endo or GP.
Thyroid peroxidase and thyroglobulin 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.
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Advice please on results
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