Latest results & a few questions (Take 2)

[janey1234]

Hello, I did post this late last night so it's possible my post was missed as no replies, so here it is again, copied & pasted Grateful for any feedback, thank you.

I've just received my latest results from Medichecks and would be grateful for any input on the way forward now.

Just to recap (have posted several times before), I'm 51 and was diagnosed hypothyroid just over 2 years ago. I am currently taking 125 Levo daily and have been for the past year & am eating 3-4 brazil nuts for selenium.

Here are the last 2 set of results...

Dec 2017

TSH 0.044 (0.27 - 4.20)

FT4 16.9 (12.00 - 22.00)

TOTAL T4 101.0 (59.00 - 154.00)

FT3 4.6 ( 3.10 - 6.80)

THYROGLOBULIN ANTIBODY 76.500 (0.00 - 115.00)

THYROID PEROXIDASE ANTIBODIES 209 (0.00 - 34.00)

ACTIVE B12 247.6 (25.10 - 165.00)

FOLATE (SERUM) 11.57 (2.91 - 50.00)

VITAMIN D 24.7 (50.00 - 200.00)

CRP - HIGH SENSITIVITY 0.5 (0.00 - 5.00)

FERRITIN 106 (13.00 - 150.00)

April 2018

TSH 0.048 (0.27 - 4.20)

FT4 19.4 (12.00 - 22.00)

TOTAL (T4) 106.0 (59.00 - 154.00)

T3 4.19 (3.10 - 6.80)

THYROGLOBULIN ANTIBODY 37.000 (0.00 - 115.00)

THYROID PEROXIDASE ANTIBODIES 199 (0.00 - 34.00)

ACTIVE B12 186.000 (25.10 - 165.00)

FOLATE (SERUM) 8.98 (2.91 - 50.00)

CRP - 0.44 (0.00 - 5.00)

FERRITIN 116 (13.00 - 150.00)

VITAMIN D 141 (50.00 - 200.00)

Thanks to SeasideSusie I have managed to raise my Vit D levels from 24 to 141 in 12 weeks using 9000ui (4 weeks), 6000ui (4 weeks), 3000ui (4 weeks) Betteryou spray + K2 & Magenesium.

I had stopped taking B12 (1000) as my active levels in December 2017 were over range and also my Thorne Basic B Complex.

My antibodies have continued to fall, hopefully from being gluten free. Considering they were orginally 1150 and are now 199 I'm chuffed with the decrease.

I'm still stumbling with my words, my husband says it's because my anxiety levels are through the roof because of my fear of alzheimers. (My mother and several clients have been diagnosed and fear & anxiety has been overwhelming me). There was a post on this subject before with reassuring comments from so many but I've got my knickers, and everything else, in a twist. The pains in my arms and legs when in bed have returned and wake me up. I am a gardener and always wonder if this is my body adjusting to a return to work after a winter break or if it's my thyroid levels being used up through over exertion. I'm also waking in the night baking hot, not sweating, just baking hot despite wearing next to nothing, a summer duvet or just a sheet. My periods are quite random now, missing months here and there, so suspect I am officially perimenopausal too.

So my questions are...

1. Should I lay off the Vit D completely now or continue with a maintenance dose, bearing in mind I'm outside for my work everyday?

2. Medichecks have commented on my low folate and given food suggestions. Would you recommend I start taking my Thorne Basic B Complex again which contains a good dose of folate, a smaller amount of B12 + all the other Bs?

3. Do you think my declining FT3 levels are to do with my decling folate levels? My FT4 level has gone up to its highest level but FT3 gone down. I understand it's about trying to get these main ones balanced. Last time my Vit D was deficient, I've sorted that out but now my folate level has reduced. If my declining FT3 hasn't reduced because of my folate what do you recommend I do as my TSH is already quite low so I wonder if an increase in Levo would a) help raise my FT3 & b) will my GP agree, bearing in mind my very low TSH or do I need T3 seperately now?

I am, as a lot of us are, totally reliant on this forum for guidance and support. Contact / help from my GP is zero so I am hugely grateful for your help.

Thank you

[greygoose]

If nobody replied, it's probably because no-one had any answers. But, I'll give it a shot...

1) I don't know, I'm afraid.

2) I very much doubt it.

3) Your conversion of T4 to T3 has reduced because your FT4 is now too high and is converting more to rT3 and less to T3 - that's the way it works in order to not make you hyper and/or not waste good T4.

Yes, you need T3 seperately. Increasing your levo is not going to work very well, because it would need to be very high to give you enough T3 to make you well. Which will mean that your rT3 will be very high, and nobody really knows what effect that has. Far better to reduce your levo and add in some T3.

Your TSH doesn't really enter into the equation. It will drop even lower when you add T3, but it doesn't matter. It's low because you don't need it. Thyroid Stimulating Hormone - what's the point of stimulating your thyroid when it can't respond? The pituitary knows there's a good amount of thyroid hormone circulating in the blood, so it produces less and less TSH. Unfortunately, doctors don't seem to understand that, in general.

TSH also plays a role in conversion, but obviously didn't help very much in your case. And, it's only one factor amongst many. Another factor being that you have Hashi's, and Hashi's people often don't convert very well.

[janey1234 in reply to greygoose]

Thank you greygoose ☺

[greygoose in reply to janey1234]

You're welcome.

[janey1234 in reply to greygoose]

Just reading through your reply again and wondering how I'm going to explain this to my GP (bearing in mind they have been totally hopeless so far) How do I prove my FT4 is now converting to RT3 instead of FT3 to my GP with the results I have? Do I need to find another bloodtest that will confirm the RT3 bit?

Thank you

[greygoose in reply to janey1234]

Well, that's one solution, but I doubt that will cut any ice with your GP. Doubt he'll have the slightest idea what rT3 is. I just said that for your information, I don't think there's much point in telling him.

Just say that you are quite obviously poorly converting, the FT4 being so much higher in range than the FT3 - they should be about equal. But, frankly, I'd be surprised if he understood any of that.

Of course, if he's more clued up than average, offer to test the rT3 to prove it, but if he's really clued up, he won't need the tests. He'll know that when the FT4 reaches a certain point, it converts more to rT3 than T3.

[janey1234 in reply to greygoose]

Ok...not sure how far I'm going to get in my quest for T3 with my GP, wish me luck and thanks again.

[greygoose in reply to janey1234]

I do indeed wish you luck. But, if he refuses, you could always buy your own.

[janey1234 in reply to greygoose]

On the assumption he refuses, which seems to be the norm these days, will I still need a prescription from him to buy abroard myself? I'm sure I've seen this mentioned somewhere or can I completely go it alone with the support of this forum for sources and dosages?

I do appreciate you being around tonight ☺

[greygoose in reply to janey1234]

You're very welcome.

Both is possible. You could get a prescription to buy from France or Germany, but you would have to come to an arrangement with your pharmacist. Or, you could write a new post, asking people to PM you their trusted sources to buy on-line without a prescription.

[janey1234 in reply to greygoose]

Ok...thank you. Will try GP first and take it from there. 😊

[greygoose in reply to janey1234]

You're welcome. Good luck.

[silverfox7]

I would question your low folate any way. I had folate under range and bad conversion but rectified when I finally got it to rise and I still supplement every other day though due a retest soon. My D was a little low but it was the folate that had caused me the problem. It's also making me think I should query mine!

[janey1234 in reply to silverfox7]

I think silverfox7 I'll just start taking my B Complex again and see how it looks next time. Not had a problem with it before. Just as you get one thing balanced another one drops. I wish you well ☺