Posting results

[J781]

Hi I am newly registered. I was diagnosed hypothyroid in 2011. Do I post recent results for thyroid on here?

I am currently taking 175mcg Levothyroxine, endo will not increase.

Symptoms - numbness in legs, flaky nails, fatigue, dry skin, weight gain, constipation, periods heavy, depression, memory loss, tinnitus, dizziness.

TSH 5.6 (0.2 - 4.2)

FT4 12.7 (12 - 22)

FT3 3.0 (3.1 - 6.8)

TPO antibodies 805.4 (<34)

TG antibodies 1000 (<115)

Thank you

[SlowDragon Administrator]

yes welcome

that would be helpful

Plus a little about what dose currently on. If its been changed recently etc

What Symptoms

Results for

TSH, FT4, FT3, TPO and TG antibodies

Plus vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 are helpful if you have them

We really need ranges too, as each lab is different

[J781 in reply to SlowDragon]

I am currently taking 175mcg Levothyroxine, endo will not increase.

Symptoms - numbness in legs, flaky nails, fatigue, dry skin, weight gain, constipation, periods heavy, depression, memory loss, tinnitus, dizziness.

TSH 5.6 (0.2 - 4.2)

FT4 12.7 (12 - 22)

FT3 3.0 (3.1 - 6.8)

TPO antibodies 805.4 (<34)

TG antibodies 1000 (<115)

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to J781]

Then you need a new endo

Your results show you are under medicated, TSH much too high, FT3 is UNDER range

Your high antibodies confirm you have Hashimoto's also called 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 stomach acid and then low vitamin levels

You very obviously have malabsorption going on to have such poor thyroud results

Low vitamin levels affect 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

Ask GP for coeliac blood test first Plus vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 tests too

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...

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

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 print it and highlight question 6 to show your doctor

please email Dionne:
[e-mail]

Prof Toft - article just published now saying T3 is likely essential for many. Otherwise we often need high FT4 and suppressed TSH in order to get enough FT3

rcpe.ac.uk/sites/default/fi...

Email Thyroid UK for list of recommended thyroid specialists

please email Dionne:
[e-mail]

[Jazzw]

With results like yours - with TSH above range and FT3 below range - what possible reason could the endo be giving for not raising your dose? He’s a sadist!

Has he given you any kind of explanation?

[J781 in reply to Jazzw]

He's offered me no explanation and has said since my results don't reflect those of someone taking as much as I do he will not increase

[Jazzw in reply to J781]

Oh, that old chestnut.

I wonder what he’d do if they were his results. Accuse himself of forgetting to take the tablets? Tell himself he must be depressed?

You do have the right to ask for a second opinion.

Or, if you can’t face the hassle (and I know I’ve felt that way), you could consider sourcing your own levothyroxine so you can supplement the dose you’re prescribed - just for a little while. To see if it helps (which it would). And when you get your next lot of bloods done and he says, “There, told you so!” you smile sweetly and tell him you’ve been taking 200mcg, feel much better and would like him to prescribe it please.

Of course, the other thing the endo ought to do - if he really believes you’re taking a lot (though it’s not actually that high a dose) and it should be having a greater effect - is investigate whether you have absorption issues. He should test Vit B12, Vit D, ferritin. Test you for coeliac disease, etc. Not just wash his hands of you and send you away, the pillock.

[J781 in reply to Jazzw]

I was hoping he would explain the change in results and he said "I don't understand why your levels are changing so much within a few weeks and no change in dose"

[Jazzw in reply to J781]

Because you have Hashimoto’s. That’s how it goes. When your antibodies are particularly active, they damage your thyroid. In the short term, that can raise your thyroid levels; in the longer term it lowers them. Folk with Hashimoto’s commonly have fluctuating levels until it settles down. Research suggests that prescribing sufficient levothyroxine helps things settle. (Going gluten free can help too but I bet your endo won’t know that.)

Methinks your endo is just a diabetes specialist who doesn’t understand thyroids at all.

[J781 in reply to Jazzw]

I don't think he understands thyroid at all.

[J781 in reply to Jazzw]

I am getting tested for coeliac and have had vitamins and minerals checked as well.

Thanks

[Jazzw in reply to J781]

Well that at least is good news.

So sorry it’s such a struggle to get the treatment you need. It shouldn’t be like this. x

[J781 in reply to Jazzw]

Do I post vitamin/mineral levels? There is such a lot of background to them and I really don't know how/what to supplement.

[Jazzw in reply to J781]

By all means. You might want to do a fresh post with them - if you do, you could post a photo if you have a page of results?

[J781 in reply to Jazzw]

I use a laptop so it's a bit awkward to photograph them. Will do a new post