Medichecks full thyroid results - can I still have issues with these numbers?

[WhiteCanary]

Hi there. I had a full thyroid blood test done via medichecks and looking for advice on results. Bit of info. I've had terrible hormone problems since I was a teenager (32 now) and always wondered if thyroid was the root cause. Previous tests on NHS just did tsh, which was always about 1.7. Gp that I'm totally healthy even though I have severe depression, anxiety and mood swings (which are so bad in the week before my period that I can feel suicidal) I have very dry skin and hair, the texture has changed to coarse, and tons of very weird kinky curly hairs spread throughout straight, fatigue is terrible and struggle to do much even though I was a gym lover when very young, I have a scalloped tongue and get sore muscles and joints easily (used to be in pain all the time but increasing nutrients and taking serrapeptase has helped somewhat) Weight is stable at 130lbs 5'4. I am quick to anger, tears and hopelessness, and can not cope with the TINIEST of stress, I am a living nightmare. I did take accutane 8 years ago and rapidly declined since. I have always had the signs of estrogen dominance but any hormone treatment makes things worse and everything I've tried to reduce estrogen hasn't helped so far. I had endometriosis in my twenties and excruciating pain and heavy periods but since altering my diet and supplements this has actually improved a lot. But none of the other symptoms have. So basically I wondered if thyroid could be the root cause, or if it's just my hormones, and even the accutane which has worsened existing problems. The gp did say that I had a low rt3 ratio at 14, but said everything else is normal. So why do I feel like crap and can not cope Can I still have thyroid issues with these numbers? I don't know too much and finding it hard to take information in with this permanent brain fog. Any help is very much appreciated.

[WhiteCanary]

I should add that the only time I was able to do the blood test was in the afternoon at 2.30 due to my partners shifts and childcare. I knew it wasn't ideal after reading the leaflet but was stuck. I don't know how significantly this may affect results. I read somebody on here saying tsh is higher in the morning?

[Hidden in reply to WhiteCanary]

Hi, I have never done bloods in the afternoon, was Medichecks a finger prick test? You certainly need some quiet time to organise even one of those. Hopefully someone else can comment on how significant a 2.30 test would be but as long as you hadn't taken your medication that morning I wouldn't imagine it would be wildly out, but yes my understanding is that TSH is highest in the morning, and fluctuates downwards during the day.

There are 2 vitamins that the thyroid needs to convert/function properly, selenium and zinc. Zinc deficiency can produce frizzy/curly hairs. A scalloped tongue (which I assume is the same as what is known as a 'geographic tongue') can be attributed to a folic acid (B9) deficiency, along with B2, B6 and B12. Are any of these among your vitamins. Zinc supplements should contain a small amount of copper otherwise it can create a copper deficiency.

Perhaps you could ask your GP to test your B12/folate levels.

Sorry I am not able to comment on your medications.

[Clutter]

WhiteCanary,

TSH will have been higher had you tested early in the morning and fasted (water only) but I doubt it would have been high enough to be over range which is what NHS would require before making a diagnosis. Free thyroxine (FT4) is just over halfway through range and Free T3 (FT3) 4.26 is quite good for someone not on thyroid replacement.

Reverse T3 is within range as is expected for some not taking Levothyroxine. The low rT3 ratio is not significant tiredthyroid.com/rt3-3.html

Thyroid antibodies are negative for autoimmune thyroiditis (Hashimoto's).

Your thyroid results don't indicate thyroid dysfunction.

Ask your GP to check ferritin, vitamin D, B12 and folate. Low iron and vitamin D deficiency can cause musculoskeletal pain and low B12 and folate can cause scalloped tongue and mood disorders. See symptoms in b12deficiency.info/signs-an...

[WhiteCanary]

Thank you Cassie (The medichecks was a regular blood test by the way) and thank you for your analysis Clutter, I'm truly grateful, and for the link too. Yes, not on any medication, just investigating symptoms. So it appears my thyroid is okay, which is good news but also leaves me wondering how to help what must just be my crazily imbalanced hormones.

I also had ferritin, vit b12, vit D and folate checked, I should have mentioned. My ferritin was 40. (Which has risen from 22 last year) My b12 was too high due to supplementing - 300 pmol - so I've stopped taking it. My vit d was 102 nmol (I take 5000iu a few times a week - I took too much last year and got super itchy so reduced) My folate was about 20.

I'm not sure if I'm deficient in zinc I don't really supplement it (I have taken a little in the past) I feared it would raise testosterone .

Sometimes I actually feel like vitamin D affects my moods, and thought that was because of it's effect on hormones, but I know it's important to be in range so I do take it.

Even a small amount of B6 or p5p makes me anxious and moody and affects mental health. So I stopped that. (P5P actually made my hair shed too which I believe is related to changes in estrogen levels.) I stick to food now for B6.

I'm doing a cortisol test tomorrow to see if that is having an impact. (Though I'm not even sure how I'd even fix that if it were.)

I can not seem to figure out how to fix myself. (I sometimes wonder if it is just permanent damage from accutane) 😢 I just can't cope with life for a large part of the month - it used to just be this way for several days. Natural progesterone cream helped depression but made my mood swings so much worse and it also caused hair to recede front and back. I have hair loss anyways. I just can't seem to win this hormone game. I'm very sensitive to things. I don't want to spend my life on any depressants to get by but it's starting to look like my only choice.

Just can't imagine living the rest of my life like this, it's not fun for my family either.

I'm still trying to understand how to navigate this site, I believe this is just the thyroid section so will try to find similar people with hormone issues in another place.

Regarding the ratio I will attach a screenshot of the gp's comment for anybody interested. (I have none of the issues they describe.)

Thanks again.

[WhiteCanary]

Had to copy and paste, here is the gp's comment -

Your FT3/rT3 ratio is low which could suggest that you are not getting sufficient free triiodothyronine (FT3) into your cells. Other conditions can cause difficulties converting thyroxine to T3 and cause rT3 to rise. These include COPD, liver disease, diabetes, heart failure and low calorie diets. If you are experiencing difficulties with any of these then I suggest you discuss this further with your GP.

There is currently little scientific research into the FT3/rT3 ratio, but some experts believe that this could lead to symptoms of hypothyroidism (slow metabolism) even though your thyroid hormones are at normal levels.

You may wish to discuss these results with your GP although you should note that it may be difficult to get advice and treatment for elevated rT3 or an abnormal ratio through conventional channels.

[WhiteCanary]

Supplements I take now include C, D, Selenium with E, Beef Liver pills, ionic magnesium and recently started on ionic manganese. Occasionally take niacinimide and K.

Tried copper and tried iodine but stopped. The iodine gave some energy and skin improvements but whenever I take it I get tons of new freckles/moles so I figured that was bad. (I used the Survival Shield Nascent one) After these results I don't think my thyroid needs that much iodine anyway.

[Lisaf01]

I have very similar issues, albeit with higher rT3 and significantly overweight, and I haven't managed to find a solution yet either. I did an NDT trial and felt so much better, but I panicked and came off it because I knew the docs would be concerned if they'd seen my suppressed TSH on it. I am doing IVF treatment, and was worried about the awkward questions and didn't know how best to monitor and dose during pregnancy (if I am lucky enough to be successful).

I found some improvement when I first corrected my vitamin deficiencies, but since having come off the NDT, I feel much like you do again, despite my bloods looking OK (apart from rT3).

I am at a loss too and really feeling like crap and it's causing me great anxiety.

If you find a solution or anything that helps you feel better, please let me know.

[WhiteCanary]

Hi Lisa, sorry you are suffering. Of course I will, if I find anything that helps I will message you and update this thread also. I know how it feels to be desperate to feel better. I completely understand you not wanting to self medicate under the circumstances. Interesting that you felt better on the ndt though isn't it. Do you know your tsh on/off it?

IVF alone will be challenging for your body, in fact that could be contributing to how rubbish you are feeling as well. I have not experienced it, but it can be a hormonal rollercoaster from what I hear.

I do know I feel ten times worse mood wise and energy wise when I eat a lot of pufa foods, so I drastically reduced them, and added coconut oil. I sometimes veer off course (because sometimes I just want pizza and stuff) and I feel mentally even worse within a couple of days. I also get worse if I don't eat regularly, so I eat within 30 mins of waking and I never go longer than 2 hours without anything. My mood swings worsen significantly and I feel even more depressed/anxious/unable to cope with stress if I'm not careful with all these things. (Seems a bit crazy to some people I know.) Perhaps these things may help you though.

Best wishes and I do hope you have success with your ivf.