Medichecks Results, Advice Please.

[lucylocks]

Hi

Just received my results and report from Medichecks.

Report.

We note that you are taking this test to monitor you thyroid function.

Here we are looking at your Thyroid Check Ultravit Blood Test

Your thyroid stimulating hormone is very suppressed with a normal thyroxine and liothyronine (T3) suggesting that your thyroid dose may be too high.

You have normal levels of thyroid peroxidase antibodies and thyroglobulin antibodies making your risk of over- or under-active auto-immune thyroid disease caused by these antibodies very low.

Your levels of vitamin B12 and folate are normal.

Your vitamin D levels are bordering on insufficient. This may progress to vitamin D insufficiency or deficiency if you don’t take steps to increase your vitamin D levels.

Low levels of vitamin D can cause fatigue, bodily aches, poor memory and difficulties concentrating.

We recommend supplementing with 400 - 800 iu of vitamin D per day for twelve weeks. If you are already taking vitamin D then I recommend that you increase your dose.

Your CRP level is normal, suggesting low levels of inflammation within the body.

Your ferritin level is normal indicating healthy iron stores.

You may wish to speak with your prescribing doctor about your thyroid dose.

Results.

THYROID STIMULATING HORMONE *0.021 mIU/L 0.27 - 4.20

FREE THYROXINE 17.8 pmol/L 12.00 - 22.00

TOTAL THYROXINE(T4) 78.5 nmol/L 59.00 - 154.00

FREE T3 4.1 pmol/L 3.10 - 6.80

THYROGLOBULIN ANTIBODY 115.000 IU/mL 0.00 - 115.00

THYROID PEROXIDASE ANTIBODIES 21.1 IU/mL 0.00 - 34.00

HAEMATOLOGY

Vitamins

ACTIVE B12 153.000 pmol/L 25.10 - 165.00

FOLATE (SERUM) 7.44 ug/L 2.91 - 50.00

25 OH VITAMIN D 54.5 nmol/L 50.00 - 200.00

Interpretation of results:

Deficient <25

Insufficient 25 - 49

Normal Range 50 - 200

Consider reducing dose >200

BIOCHEMISTRY

Inflammation Marker

CRP HIGH SENSITIVITY 2.67 mg/l 0.00 - 5.00

Iron Status

FERRITIN 120 ug/L 13.00 - 150.00

I currently take 125mcg. levothyroxine and supplement with Vitamin B12, B Complex Vitamin C and Vitamin D.

As you can see Thyroglobulin antibody top of range (does this mean I have Hashi's, even though report says not)

Thyroid Peroxidase Antibody in range but on previous test 32.4, so near top of range.

Vitamin D near bottom of range even though I supplement 2000iu daily.

Folate low, I take one Thorne B Complex which contains 334ug. and I eat lots of leafy greens.

Symptoms are fatigue, insomnia, anxiety (mind racing) nausea, aches and pains, twitching in calf muscle, eczema and hives.

I have seen an Immunologist about the hives and he did lots of blood test and concluded the hives were from high histamine.

He also tested TSH result 0.02 and T4 18, and advised me to reduce levothyroxine but I told him I would not. He also said I should not take more than 800iu Vitamin D, same as Medichecks have said on report. I am taking 2000iu and still my Vit D is low.

So I am going to increase my Vit D supplement but can anyone advise by how much.

Also what should I do about my levo.

Any advice gratefully received, thank you.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Hives can be linked to Hashimoto's and not everyone has high antibodies with Hashimoto's

So you might assume yes you possibly do have Hashimoto's

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

hypothyroidmom.com/chronic-...

Many of us with Hashimoto's need much more that recommended vitamin D dose. 5000iu is not uncommon to increase dose, may be 2000-3000iu as maintenance dose. You may need more in winter than summer. Aiming for level around 100nmol. Testing twice yearly via vitamindtest.org.uk when supplementing. Better You vitamin D mouth spray is good as avoids poor gut function. Look at magnesium too and vitamin K2 Mk7- see SeasideSusie detailed vitamin supplements advice

drgominak.com/sleep/vitamin...

Ferritin and B12 good, yes would agree folate is a bit low. Try adding more folate rich foods.

Though we are what we absorb m not we eat

Your FT3 looks low actually, this may Improve with higher vitamin D level.

You might consider trying strictly gluten free diet

Assume you knew to stop vitamin B complex 3-5 days before blood test? Biotin in B complex can falsely affect test results

Do you supplement selenium? Or zinc?

[lucylocks in reply to SlowDragon]

Many thanks SlowDragon for your reply.

I have read your excellent links, thank you. I did always think I might have Hashi's but was told not, as A.B's were in range, but very near top of range.

I am going to go gluten free.

I have also read hives can be linked to Hashi's, I do hope they disappear once I go G.F.

I will get a Vit B12 spray ( I take soft gels at the moment) with Mk7 and also magnesium, I do use a magnesium spray but only when I remember but will get supplements which I can take along with my others.

I did stop my B Complex 5 days before test as I had read here to do so.

I do not supplement selenium or zinc. My Doctor once did a test for zinc and it was at a good level, but this was a couple of years ago so it could have altered since then.

I seem to think zinc is connected to eczema so will get it tested again.

Many thanks again and best wishes.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Susie on her soapbox, I'm a bit frustrated at the comments by the Medichecks doctor, they just follow the same old line as our GPs (because they were trained by the NHS).

Your thyroid stimulating hormone is very suppressed with a normal thyroxine and liothyronine (T3) suggesting that your thyroid dose may be too high.

Well, we all know that's cobblers!

You have normal levels of thyroid peroxidase antibodies and thyroglobulin antibodies making your risk of over- or under-active auto-immune thyroid disease caused by these antibodies very low.

TG antibodies right on the upper limit of 115, I don't think your risk is very low at all!

Your levels of vitamin B12 and folate are normal.

Yep, B12 is good, but folate is far too low, but there's that word "normal" again just because it falls within the range.

We recommend supplementing with 400 - 800 iu of vitamin D per day for twelve weeks. If you are already taking vitamin D then I recommend that you increase your dose.

With a level of 54.5? They're having a laugh. That amount will never raise the level of a sunburnt flea so you don't have much chance of it raising yours.

*Off soapbox*

**

FOLATE (SERUM) 7.44 ug/L 2.91 - 50.00

Folate should be at least half way through it's range. I think you may be taking Thorne B Complex #6. That one contains a very high amount of B6 (100mcg). Large amounts of B6 over time can cause tingling of the extremities and other problems. I would change to Thorne Basic B which has a much more sensible 10mcg B6 and 400mcg methylfolate. This supplement increased my folate level from bottom of range to top of range in 2.5 months.

**

25 OH VITAMIN D 54.5 nmol/L 50.00 - 200.00

I suggest you increase to 5000iu daily and retest in 3 months. Also use an oral spray for better absorption as I do think you have Hashi's.

There are important cofactors needed when taking D3

vitamindcouncil.org/about-v...

D3 aids absorption of calcium from food and K2-MK7 directs the calcium to bones and teeth where it is needed and away from arteries and soft tissues where it can be deposited and cause problems.

D3 and K2 are fat soluble so should be taken with the fattiest meal of the day, D3 four hours away from thyroid meds.

Magnesium helps D3 to work and comes in different forms, check to see which would suit you best and as it's calming it's best taken in the evening, four hours away from thyroid meds

naturalnews.com/046401_magn...

Check out the other cofactors too.

BetterYou do a combined D3/K2-MK7 spray which you could use rather than 2 separate supplements. As it comes in 3000iu dose, I would take 2 sprays - 6000iu daily - until you retest, then find your maintenance dose once you've reached the level recommended by the Vit D Council which is 100-150nmol/L.

**

FREE THYROXINE 17.8 pmol/L 12.00 - 22.00

FREE T3 4.1 pmol/L 3.10 - 6.80

Your conversion isn't the best with our FT4:FT3 ratio being 4.34 : 1 as good conversion takes place when the ratio is between 3:1 and 4:1

I would concentrate on improving your Vit D level, start upplementing with selenium l-selenomethionine 200mcg daily wich can help conversion and also help reduce the antibodies. Address the Hashi's with a strict gluten free diet

Gluten/thyroid connection: chriskresser.com/the-gluten...

stopthethyroidmadness.com/h...

stopthethyroidmadness.com/h...

hypothyroidmom.com/hashimot...

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

and see how everything is in 3-4 months' time.

[lucylocks]

Many thanks SeasideSusie for your reply and Congratulations on becoming an Administrator.

I agree with you about Medichecks following the same lines as G.P.'s, it is annoying especially when we are paying for these tests and receiving the same advice as we would get from our Doctors.

I always wondered if in fact I did have Hashi's as A.B's although have been in range on previous tests have usually been top end of range.

I take Thorne Stress B Complex (sorry should have said) which contains 334ug. folate and 28.4mg B6 but will get the Basic B Complex as you suggest.

I have been taking 2000iu Vit D softgels but will get the Spray. I do have some concern about Vit K Mk7 as I do worry if it thickens blood, having said that when I did my finger prick test the blood r came out really easily.

I will also start taking Selenium.

Should I just leave my levo. dose as it is and hope the increase in Vit D and Folate, additional supplements and going G.F. will hopefully help my T3 and T4.

What I do not understand is as my T3 is low and T4 mid range, then how is my TSH so suppressed?

Many thanks for the links, I will have a good read this evening.

Thank you for excellent advice and best wishes.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Thank you for the congrats

TSH will be low purely because you are taking Levo. TSH isn't a thyroid hormone, it is a signal from the pituitary for the thyroid to produce some hormone if it detects there is none/not enough there. As you are taking Levo the pituitary knows that so it doesn't send the signal so TSH is low. Unfortunately most doctors don't seem to understand that this is how it works.

It's Vit K1 that is the blood clotting vitamin.

I would leave your dose of Levo as it is for now, concentrate on the other things, and see how your levels are when you retest in 3-4 months when the supplements have had a chance to start working.

[lucylocks]

Thank you SeasideSusie,

you have really explained the TSH well, I understand now.

Thank you for clarifying about Vit K.

I will concentrate on the supplements and go G.F. and retest.

Thank you again for all your excellent advice, and hope you are keeping well.

Best wishes.