Thyroid bloods advice please

[Topaz3]

TPO antibody 873 (<34)

TG antibody 257.3 (<115)

TSH 7.1 (0.2 - 4.2)

Free T4 11.3 (12 - 22)

Free T3 3.2 (3.1 - 6.8)

Taking 25mcg diagnosed 2011 thankyou

[Anthea55]

Hi Topaz3, I think we need some more info. You appear to be severely undermedicated and you have autoimmune thyroiditis called Hashimotos, which is one of the commonest forms of hypothyroidism.

Are these your latest results? Have you been on 25mcg since 2011? 25mcg is a starter dose and should be reviewed and revised every 6 to 8 weeks until your condition improves and blood results are optimal.

You also need to have tests for vitamins and minerals.

What has your doctor said about these results?

[Topaz3 in reply to Anthea55]

Latest results and have always been on 25mcg

[Anthea55 in reply to Topaz3]

Has your doctor done nothing about these results?

You need another doctor urgently who understands thyroid problems.

SlowDragon's reply should help you to understand what is going on.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Topaz3]

Then your GP has been extremely negligent

What were annual blood results in past?

Essential to test your vitamin levels, they are very likely extremely low

Ask for Coeliac blood test too

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 [e-mail]. print it and highlight question 6 to show your doctor.

[Topaz3 in reply to SlowDragon]

I have bloods done every 6-8 weeks and TSH has been 6.6, 6.7, 7.1, 8.2 thanks

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Topaz3]

Are you very slim by any chance ?

Medics tend to think we must all be fat, female and over forty

Lots are younger and struggle to gain weight

Ask for blood test for coeliac too, especially if skinny

[SlowDragon Administrator]

You are highly likely to have extremely low vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12.

Have these been tested? If so add results and ranges

You need to make an urgent appointment to see GP and ask for 25mcgs dose increase in Levothyroxine

Bloods should be retested 6 weeks after any dose change

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, lowest FT4 and most consistent results

Link about antibodies

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

Link about thyroid blood tests

thyroiduk.org/tuk/testing/t...

Print this list of symptoms off, tick all that apply and take to GP

thyroiduk.org/tuk/about_the...

50mcg is standard starter dose, increased in 25mcg steps until TSH is around one and FT4 towards top of range and FT3 at least half way in range.

Have you been taking higher dose in past? Or has T3 started and then stopped

You are now very under medicated.

Your 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

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

amymyersmd.com/2017/02/3-im...

chriskresser.com/the-gluten...

scdlifestyle.com/2014/08/th...

drknews.com/changing-your-d...

[silverfox7]

Shocking treatment or rather lack of it! Look on the Thyroid Uk site, they run this forum and there is loads of information on there to improve you situation. It's very much a learning curve of what to do and what not to do. Shout out if anything you don't understand and get your bloods done. As a different doctor in the practice if you can. Read the info first and then print out the bits about retesting to show the doctor. You can tell him that Thyroid Uk are recommended by NHS Choices for Thyroid dysfunction.