Can anyone help with my results???

[xdianex]

Had my bloods done privately. Didn’t bother with vitamin D as I already know that’s really low. I’m guessing I have Hashimotos with the antibodies but can’t really work the rest out. I’m currently on 100mcg of levothyroxine. Mum and sister both have PA so wanted my B12 checking. Any help and suggestions would be greatly appreciated 🙂

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

diane

I'm on my PC and it's too small for me to make out the figures accurately. If you could zoom in so the actual results are bigger, that would be helpful.

[xdianex in reply to SeasideSusie]

TSH 2.16 mIU/L 0.27-4.20

Free thyroxine 16.200 pmo1/L 12.00-22.00

Total thyroxine (t4) 101.0 neol/L 59.00-154.00

Free t3 4.41 pmo1/L 3.10-6.80

Thyroglobulin antibody 513.000 IU/ml 0.00-115.00

Thyroid peroxidase antibodies 600 IU/mL 0.00-34.00

Active B12 73.800 pmo1/L 25.10-165.00

Folate 8.01 ug/L 2.91-50.00

Crp high sensitivity 2.95 mg/1 0.00-5.00

Ferritin 15.8 ug/l 13.00-150.00

Sorry seasideSusie had to write them 😂

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to xdianex]

Thanks Diane

Your thyroid results show that you are undermedicated. The aim of a treated hypo patient generally is for TSH to be 1 or below or wherever it needs to be for FT4 and FT3 to be in the upper part of their respective reference ranges when on Levo, if that is where you feel well. You could do with an increase in Levo so I would ask for 25mcg and retest in 6-8 weeks.

**

Thyroglobulin antibody 513.000 IU/ml 0.00-115.00

Thyroid peroxidase antibodies 600 IU/mL 0.00-34.00

Raised antibodies confirm autoimmune thyroid disease aka Hashimoto's. Did you know you have this? A strict gluten free diet and supplementing with selenium l-selenomethionine 200mcg daily can also help reduce the antibodies, as can keeping TSH suppressed - so a good reason for the increase in Levo.

Hashi's and gut absorption problems tend to go hand in hand and can very often result in low nutrient levels or deficiencies and it looks as though this is reflected in your results below.

SlowDragon has lots of information about Hashi's/gut problems so it's worth checking out her reply towards the bottom of this thread, check out the links too

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

**

Active B12 73.800 pmo1/L 25.10-165.00

A bit on the low side. If the result was <70 it's recommended to test MMA to see if there is any B12 deficiency indicated.

You can check for signs of B12 deficiency here b12deficiency.info/signs-an... If you do have any then list then and discuss with your doctor and ask for testing for B12 deficiency/pernicious anaemia.

If no signs then you could supplement with sublingual methylcobalamin lozenges 1000mcg daily, along with a good B Complex to balance all the B vitamins.

**

Folate 8.01 ug/L 2.91-50.00

Folate is too low, it should be at least half way through it's range. Eating folate rich foods will help, as will the B Complex - I suggest Thorne Basic B or Igennus Super B.

**

Crp high sensitivity 2.95 mg/1 0.00-5.00

This is an inflammation market and is within range.

**

Ferritin 15.8 ug/l 13.00-150.00

This is a big problem, so low that your GP should do a full blood count and iron panel. If you are diagnosed with iron deficiency anaemia and prescribed iron tablets, then take each one with 1000mg Vit C to aid absorption and help prevent constipation. Always take iron 4 hours away from thyroid meds and two hours away from other medication and supplements as it will affect absorption.

I think your ferritin is low enough to warrant an iron infusion, whether your GP will agree is another thing.

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. You can help raise your level 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...

[xdianex in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you seasideSusie my doctor never tells me anything... I was just told I had an underactive thyroid no explanation. I know my vitamin D is around 20 and it should be over 70. Been feeling really tired lately and a bit breathless so thought maybe my irons low..... but then I don’t think I’ve ever felt right for the past 10 years. I will make an appointment with my doctor and see what he says with these results..... not holding my breath though! Shall also buy the supplements you mentioned and lay off gluten..... can’t do the liver though haha

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to xdianex]

Diane

Something must be done about your ferritin level, insist on the other tests, don't just let your GP give you iron tablets without testing anything else. And if iron tablets constipate you and cause other digestive upset, you may have to consider iron rich foods. Your low ferritin could very well be the cause of your breathlessness and fatigue.

According to the Vit D Council, the recommended level is 100-150nmol so 70 is rather low to aim for. Have you been prescribed loading doses for your level of 20?

[xdianex in reply to SeasideSusie]

Been on vitamin D awhile at 800 been told to double it. I started on 20000 a year ago for a month. Sure my doctor thinks I’m exaggerating I went last month with really bad back pain, could hardly move and he just wanted me to have physio. I will push for more tests though, like I said my Mum and sister have to have B12 injections so dodgy iron runs in the family. Thank you again Susie

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to xdianex]

Diane

Oh dear.

Loading doses should total about 300,000 over a few weeks and then we need a decent maintenance dose to keep our level within the recommended range. 800iu is very unlikely to do that, pity doctors don't seem to know this. No wonder your level has plummeted. And with Hashi's and gut problems, that all adds to the problem.

With a level of 20 you need the loading doses again, you will never raise your level with 1600iu daily. I would ask your GP to follow the NICE treatment summary for Vit D deficiency:

cks.nice.org.uk/vitamin-d-d...

"Treat for Vitamin D deficiency if serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) levels are less than 30 nmol/L.

For the treatment of vitamin D deficiency, the recommended treatment is based on fixed loading doses of vitamin D (up to a total of about 300,000 international units [IU] given either as weekly or daily split doses, followed by lifelong maintenace treatment of about 800 IU a day. Higher doses of up to 2000IU a day, occasionally up to 4000 IU a day, may be used for certain groups of people, for example those with malabsorption disorders. Several treatment regims are available, including 50,000 IU once a week for 6 weeks (300,000 IU in total), 20,000 IU twice a week for 7 weeks (280,000 IU in total), or 4000 IU daily for 10 weeks (280,000 IU in total)."

Each Health Authority has their own guidelines but they will be very similar. Go and see your GP and ask that he treats you according to the local guidelines or this summary and prescribes the loading doses. Once these have been completed you will need a reduced amount (more than 800iu so post your new result at the time for members to suggest a dose) to bring your level up to what's recommended by the Vit D Council - which is 100-150nmol/L - and then you'll need a maintenance dose which may be 2000iu daily, maybe more or less, maybe less in summer than winter, it's trial and error so it's recommended to retest once or twice a year to keep within the recommended range. You can do this with a private fingerprick blood spot test with City Assays vitamindtest.org.uk/

If he wont prescribe them, come back and I will work out what you need and recommend what to take.

Your doctor wont know, because they are not taught nutrition, but there are important cofactors needed when taking D3 as recommended by the Vit D Council -

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.

[xdianex in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you Susie

I’ve learned more from you today than in the whole time having hypo!

Reason I paid for tests is because the doctor told me I wasn’t “old” enough to worry about B12 ect. Oh I did get told once that being a stay at home Mum meant I was closer to the fridge 😐 when referring to my weight once.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to xdianex]

"Oh I did get told once that being a stay at home Mum meant I was closer to the fridge 😐 when referring to my weight once."

😲

Jeez, how flipping rude, I'd have wanted to sock him one!

And age hasn't got anything to do with B12, there's a young Health Care Assistant at my surgery, early 20s, and she has PA and on regular B12 injections.

Really, is there no end to their stupidity and rudeness!

[xdianex in reply to SeasideSusie]

I was that shocked I laughed! Didn’t even mention I was at college on a night at the time doing a diploma as well as volunteering at a local school during the day 😂 just thought cheeky bu@@er

[Gambit62 in reply to SeasideSusie]

SeasideSusie - if someone doesn't have signs of B12 deficiency then there is unlikely to be a B12 deficiency so I wouldn't advise supplementation with the levels suggested above which are the levels needed by someone who has an absorption problem and even then may not be work as a way round the problem. In someone without an absorption problem they could lead to raised serum B12 levels and in a significant number of people that can lead to a functional B12 deficiency (plenty in blood but something is going on that stops it getting through to the cells where it is needed).

I would advise continuing to monitor B12 levels to see if there are any significant drops (>20% in the case of serum B12 - not sure what the range would be for active B12)

If no signs then you could supplement with sublingual methylcobalamin lozenges 1000mcg daily, along with a good B Complex to balance all the B vitamins.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Gambit62]

Hopefully Diane will see your message and she can then make up her own mind.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Your TPO antibodies are very high this is Hashimoto's, (also known by medics here in UK more commonly as autoimmune thyroid disease).

About 90% of all primary hypothyroidism in Uk is due to Hashimoto's

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

Low vitamin levels can 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.

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)

Changing to a strictly gluten free diet may help reduce symptoms, help gut heal and slowly lower TPO antibodies

Ideally ask GP for coeliac blood test first or buy online coeliac blood test - £20

amymyersmd.com/2017/02/3-im...

chriskresser.com/the-gluten...

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

scdlifestyle.com/2014/08/th...

drknews.com/changing-your-d...

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

But don't be surprised that GP never mentions gut, gluten or low vitamins. Hashimoto's gut connection is very poorly understood