Newbie!

[Aimee3]

Hi I am new to the community. I am 19 years old and have been unwell for as long as I can remember. I also have PCOS. When aged 10 I was always very active, had a big appetite and now I am tired, have difficult to pass stools, cycles heavy since starting them at 15, dry skin, hobbling when walking at times, pains in bones and joints, numbness in feet and fingers, gaining weight, feeling cold, and I think I have a problem with my thyroid? My mum has underactive thyroid and diabetes, uncle has diabetes, grandmother has diabetes, distant relatives have endocrine and autoimmune issues too. Do below results indicate anything?

Dec 2017

Serum TSH 55.6 mIU/L (0.2 - 4.2)

Serum Free T4 10.3 pmol/L (12 - 22)

Serum Free T3 2.2 pmol/L (3.1 - 6.8)

TPO ab 404.5 IU/mL (<34)

TG ab 295 IU/mL (<115)

Ferritin 16 ng/L (15 - 150)

Folate 2.1 ng/L (2.5 - 19.5)

Vitamin B12 202 pg/L (190 - 900)

Vitamin D total 30.3 nmol/L (25 - 50 deficient)

Thankyou

[Clairewalker751]

You're definitely very hypothyroid and have hashimotos, you need to be started on Levo asap and to be re tested every 6 weeks and dose increased until your TSH is 1 or below and your T4 and T3 in the upper ranges, start supplements for your vit results asap and going strictly gluten free and taking selenium can help bring antibodies down

[SlowDragon Ambassador]

How long has GP had these test results. You should have been called in. You have Hashimoto's and as result very low vitamins

Make an urgent appointment to get started on Levothyroxine. Standard starter dose is 50mcgs. Retesting in 6 weeks

You also need testing for Pernicious Anaemia before starting B12 injections. Though B12 is probably low due to Hashimoto's.

Folic acid supplements should not be started until after first B12 injections

Ferritin you need a full iron panel to test for Anaemia

Vitamin D supplements, you will need more than 800iu

Detailed supplements advice on Low vitamins due to under medication

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[Aimee3 in reply to SlowDragon]

Have had results for a month and iron panel showed anaemia thankyou

[SlowDragon Ambassador in reply to Aimee3]

Then make an urgent appointment with any GP and request correct treatment for all these.

Can you take a supportive friend or family member along to consultation

You have grounds to complain to the practice manager that no one has contacted you as soon as these blood tests came in

You need treatment urgently.

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

Hashimoto's affects the gut and leads to low stomach acid and then low vitamin levels

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, dairy is 2nd most common.

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

Persistent low vitamins with supplements suggests coeliac disease or gluten intolerance

gluten.org/resources/health...

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...

[Churchy12]

Should that be 5.56 or 5.6 for the TSH not 55.6 that seems way of the chart any doctor would of seen that surely ??