So I had an app with dr today to review my blood results I had a while ago and talk about my symptoms ect. His words were we don't treat underactive thyroid unless levels reach 10mIU/L or higher. I just came out of there crying and felt like crap. My most recent symptom along with everything else is the feeling of having low blood sugar. Other symptoms are a feeling of pressure on my throat, extreme tiredness, hair falling out, brittle nails, low sex drive, heart palpitations. But his words were do more exercise it will make you feel better. I said I don't drive so I walk everywhere. He also said if you are feeling that bad would you like me to sign you of work for a few weeks. I said know I don't want that and that's not why I'm here. So I suppose I have to look to natural ways of improving my thyroid function. Any ideas?
Feeling annoyed: So I had an app with dr today to... - Thyroid UK
Feeling annoyed
Post your test results, with reference ranges, for members to comment and maybe come up with suggestions to help. If you don't have your results, ask at your surgery's reception for a print out, don't accept verbal or handwritten results (mistakes can happen), it must be a print out and make sure the reference ranges are included. They should look something like
TSH: 2.5 (0.2-4.2)
FT4: 15 (12-22)
My results are
T4 13.4 range is 12.00-22.00
THS 5.64 range is 0.30-5.00
B12 330 range is 200-960
Ferritin 59 range is 15.00- 350
Folate 3.5 range is 3.00-18.00
Your nutrient levels are very low and this could be part of your problem. Sorting these out as a first step is a good idea.
Ferritin 59 range is 15.00- 350
For thyroid hormone to work (that's our own as well as replacement hormone) ferritin needs to be at least 70, preferably half way through range although I have seen it said that for females 100-130 is best. You need to increase your ferritin level and this can be done by eating liver regularly, maximum 200g per week due to it's high Vit A content, and including lots of iron rich foods in your diet apjcn.nhri.org.tw/server/in...
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B12 330 range is 200-960
Do you have any signs of B12 deficiency b12deficiency.info/signs-an...
I have read (but not researched so don't have links) that BCSH, UKNEQAS and NICE guidelines recommend:
"In the presence of discordance between test results and strong clinical features of deficiency, treatment should not be delayed to avoid neurological impairment."
And an extract from the book, "Could it be B12?" by Sally M. Pacholok:
"We believe that the 'normal' serum B12 threshold needs to be raised from 200 pg/ml to at least 450 pg/ml because deficiencies begin to appear in the cerebrospinal fluid below 550".
"For brain and nervous system health and prevention of disease in older adults, serum B12 levels should be maintained near or above 1000 pg/ml."
If you do have signs of B12 deficiency you need to speak to your GP about further testing, some people have been known to need B12 injections with your level although generally it's lower levels that require that.
If you definitely don't have any signs of B12 deficiency then you will be fine to supplement with sublingual methylcobalamin eg Jarrows. I would start wth 5000mcg daily and when the bottle is finished change to 1000mcg daily. When supplementing with B12 we need a good B Complex to balance all the B vitamins, see below *.
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Folate 3.5 range is 3.00-18.00
This is extremely low, just 0.5 within the range. I dare say your GP could prescribe folic acid at this level but you could use a good B Complex containing 400mcg methylfolate which will increase your level *Thorne Basic B is a good one containing active ingredients.
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Did you have Vit D tested? This is also important. You can do this with a home fingerprick blood spot test from City Assays vitamindtest.org.uk/
Post the result when you have it, I have a feeling your level will be low and you will need to supplement with D3 and it's important cofactors.
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Ideally you need thyroid antibodies testing as well - Thyroid Peroxidase (TPO) and Thyroglobulin (TG) to determine whether or not you have autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's). NHS rarely do TPO and almost never do TG but you can be negative for TPO but positive for TG. These can be done with a private fingerprick test at home but see if yourGP will do them for you first.
To complete the picture testing FT3 would be good but again rarely done in primary care unless TSH is suppressed, but again can be done as part of a test bundle with one of our recommended labs.
I had anti TUG done that was
0.9 range is 0.10-3.90
I'm not familiar with that test, can you explain what it is. It's not Thyroglobulin antibodies as the range for that is something like <115
Sorry meant to say TTG
Anti-tissue Transglutaminase
That's to test for coeliac disease.
I don't eat alot of foods with iron as I'm mostly dairy free and only eat chicken really. I can't take iron supplements as I get awful stomach problems even at the smallest dose.
Well, you'll have to find a way to get your ferritin level up and there's only those two ways really.
If you don't want to eat liver, there is one way I've heard of but not tried, and that is to cook some liver, cut up into very small tablet sized pieces and freeze. Then take them as tablets making sure that you don't have more than 200g worth a week.
Other than that there is desiccated liver tablets that you can buy and I haven't tried those either.
Hi Abi, you can ask your doctor for a trial of Lexothyroxine, (LT4) to see if it helps with the symptoms. NICE guidelines state:
cks.nice.org.uk/hypothyroid...
oIf TSH is between 4 and 10 mU/L and FT4 is within the normal range
In people aged less than 65 years with symptoms suggestive of hypothyroidism, consider a trial of LT4 and assess response to treatment 3–4 months after TSH stabilises within the reference range — see the section on Prescribing information for further information on initiation and titration of LT4. If there is no improvement in symptoms, stop LT4.'
Many doctors don't know about this and it may give your G.P. the permission he needs to prescribe because he doesn't know much about thyroid treatment.
Hi abichesh101.
You are not on your own, hence why this forum is so popular.
I wasn’t offered any Levothyroxine until my TSH went to 12.2 despite me paying to see a private Endocrinologist and feeling like you.
It’s seems this is standard practice that until your TSH is over 10 they will not treat you.
I thought seeing an endocrinologist would help, but, no, told me nothing he could do and no medication would help.
Obviously, my TSH has risen and so had all my other thyroid results, hence now on Levothyroxine.
It’s early days, and at first I started to feel better, but god, I’m moody, angry and biting everyone’s head off at the minute, still freezing cold, no sex drive, brittle nails etc, dry skin, brain fog.
As others have mentioned you have to get all you vitamins levels up as no medication will help if they are low.
SeasideSusie and others have offered me brilliant advice and I see she has replied to you.
I also take selenium daily as well as vitamins mentioned on other replies to you.
Once you have sorted out that and no joy from the GP, the only option is self medicating, but you need to do research into this and pay for private bloods to keep an eye on yourself.
Best wishes
Peanut31
Thanks for the reply. I recently started taking a liquid vitamin which has calcium magnesium vit d & zinc. I will get some b12 vitamins tomorrow and go from there.
calcium magnesium vit d & zinc
Have you had calcium tested and are you deficient? If not then you shouldn't be taking calcium.
The trouble with most multivitamins is that they contain too little of anything to help, they use the cheapest and least absorbable form of ingredients, and often contain calcium, iodine and iron, none of which should be taken unless tested first. Iron in a multi will stop anything else being absorbed, iodine is anti-thyroid and used to be used to treat over-active thyroid, should only be supplemented if found deficient and then under the guidance of an experienced practioner.
Vit D needs testing before supplementing. Excess gets stored and can reach toxicity level, there are also important cofactors needed when taking Vit D. Supplementing with D3 aids uptake of calcium from food, one of the cofactors ensures that the calcium goes where it is needed - bones and teeth, and away from where it can cause problems - arteries and soft tissues. This is why it's so important to know your calcium level as well, because it can be deposited in the wrong place and cause calification of arteries, kidney stones, etc.
You really need to supplement only where tested and levels are low so individual supplements are generally best.
For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4, TT4, FT3 plus TPO and TG thyroid antibodies. Plus vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12.
Essential to test thyroid antibodies, FT3 alongside FT4 plus vitamins
Private tests are available. Thousands on here forced to do so as NHS often refuses to test FT3 or thyroid antibodies
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 ideally be done as early as possible in morning and fasting. This gives highest TSH, and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, GP will be unaware)
If 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
Dairy and gluten intolerance are common with 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 and dairy second.
Getting vitamins optimal is first step, then retesting including thyroid antibodies
The fact GP has tested for coeliac underlines they recognise you have gut problem going on
You might want to go investigate your adrenal function. Dr Lam on the web is a great source of information. Sometimes what you think is a thyroid problem can be part of what he calls the ovarian adrenal thyroid axis.
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