Trying to get of Levothyroxine.

[snow22]

Hi can anyone recommend an endocrinologist in London, Functional medicine practitioner or bant nutritionist specialising in Hashimoto, Have been on levo for over 10 years and am overweight and tired. Many thanks.

[Clutter]

Welcome to the forum, Snow22.

If you post your recent thyroid results and ranges and any results you have for ferritin, vitamin D, B12 and folate members will advise whether you are optimally dosed on Levothyroxine and whether vitamins and minerals need supplementing.

Email [e-mail] for a list of member recommended endocrinologists and practitioners.

[Treepie]

If you were diagnosed hypothyroid you will most probably need levo for life.

Most likely you are not correctly medicated hence Clutter's recommendation.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

With Hashimoto's it's extremely common to have low vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

Have they been checked recently

Plus are you on strictly gluten free diet

Post your thyroid results- TSH, FT4 and, if you have it, FT3

For full evaluation you ideally need TSH, FT4, FT3, TT4, TPO and TG antibodies, plus vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 tested

See if you can get full thyroid and vitamin testing from GP. Unlikely to get FT3

Private tests are available

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

Medichecks Thyroid plus ultra vitamin or Blue Horizon Thyroid plus eleven are the most popular choice. 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, lowest FT4 and most consistent results

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...

[snow22 in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you SlowDragon.

Sorry for late reply but was so tired and then got flu.

I had just ordered Dr Wentz's book before your reply and had decided to follow her protocols. So will be gluten free soon. Am already on digestive enzymes and other recommended supplements like zinc and selenium. And will follow the book after x-mas and start paleo AI.

Most of my important vitamins were checked and they are in range, maybe not high or optimal. Folate 8.2. Ferritin 57. However they forgot the Vit D, so this was done later. I still have not got reading but have been given supplement of 1000D3 I think. Dr did say this was the reason I was tired. But was falling asleep at 6pm slept until around 8am and I found it hard to believe it could be VitD alone.

My free T3 was 4.5 thus in range. TSH near 2. T4 ok.

All your website's listed are very helpful and informative. There are so many useful links. Still wondering if I should try a functional doctor? If you get private tests will they give you the results or do you need practitioner? Thank you for all your advice.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to snow22]

I would get the actual vitamin D result

1000iu is not a large dose

Often not enough to increase levels

The fact your GP prescribed suggests it was low

But just 1000iu unlikely to be enough

Perhaps it was 10,000iu ?

Ferritin ideally above 70

Eating liver once a week or supplementing ferrous funerate

What about B12 level?

[snow22 in reply to SlowDragon]

Hi SlowDragon

Am on 1.000 IU D3 and will get test result next week. Also asked for Epstein Barr test so will get result next week and asked for Lyme's but told that it would not show up unless recently infected. Liver serum alt level 55 so have been told to re check in January as to high. Kept being asked how much alcohol I drink, but it is very low.

B12 is 629ng/l. Thank you for your help. Snow22

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to snow22]

Lots with Hashimoto's have very low Thiamine (B vitamin) it's often low in alcoholics.

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

You might benefit from taking good vitamin B complex

Generally better to supplement B complex than single B vitamins

If you are taking vitamin B complex, or any supplements containing biotin, remember to stop these 3-5 days before any blood tests, as biotin can falsely affect test results

endo.confex.com/endo/2016en...

endocrinenews.endocrine.org...

Low B vitamins com or result when we have low vitamin D

drgominak.com/sleep/vitamin...

[snow22 in reply to SlowDragon]

After stopping Levo my reaction to caffeine and B vitamins returned, within days, although now back on it. They both stop me from sleeping even if taken at breakfast. So tried taking individual B vits first. B12, Folate and B6 and B5 on and off.

But am very cautious now as have been wide awake at 4am! Took Magnesium last night and was ok. So will try carrying on with this and if it works will introduce B vits again.

My Vit D level was 56 in October so have been taking supplement. So will try to increase all important vitamins to good level.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to snow22]

I had terrible insomnia when first started B vitamins, but only first 2-4 days I guess

Igennus Super B complex is good as full dose is two tablets (am & pm) but you can take just am one. Or even cut one tablet in half