Blood test update

[Danielj1]

Brief history since feb 2017for tsh

Feb 2017 - 30

May 2017 -13

October 2017 - 4.5

Feb 2018 -13

June 2018 -3.3

Thyroxine now at 75, had been asked to raise earlier from 50 where I started off but felt very uncomfortable to do this.

Anyway we move on. Take this dose every day and feel a lot better.

GP feels 3.3 is fine and I feel much much better.

Please do not respond with only less than 1 is actually a correct result as after a year of trying I am delighted to get back down to

This level.

I will let this run for a bit at this level and then explore other options.

I don’t really post here much any more as I am ticking along and in a steady state.

[Nanaedake]

Glad you're feeling better.

[silverfox7]

Have you had Vit D, B12, folate and ferritin tested? When these are optimal, not just in range, then they help your Thyroid to function better. Given time this could also give your thyroid levels and general health a boost as well.

[Danielj1 in reply to silverfox7]

Tested the following

B12

Zinc

Folate

Ferritin

D

Copper

Magnesium

All fine except zinc and b12 that were much too high and I have been asked to stop taking daily multi vits as diet seems to provide enough.

I am a fairly avid supporter of the concept of taking multi vits and have taken them on and off for decades so I am having to “bite my tongue” and be a good citizen and leave the supplies on the shelf.

I would love to be able to say I had got tsh down further but do not have a lot more options. I can pick up with selenium again that seemed to work really well before Christmas and try gluten free - I find this next to impossible with the lifestyle I lead but am prepared for one final shot.

I take the magnesium oil every day and I am delighted with that.

It is hard to make a huge amount of more effort when I feel a lot better.

My only one lingering query is when I read on these boards that some almost panic when their tsh rises from 1 to 3 and seem to see 3 as a relatively poor outcome ...

[whispers in reply to Danielj1]

People don't panic when tsh raises to 3 but they are aware that at that level they are hypothyroid and usually it means that ft4 and ft3 are out of sync too, in a healthy person around one is the level you would expect to find tsh sitting. If my tsh raises above 2 I used to know it had risen as I felt quite ill, these days I feel ill no matter what level I am at so working on optamising everything else. Its all down to fine tuning.Have you

I am so pleased that you are feeling better as that is what we aim for. As you have asked for people not to comment on your tsh levels then the only thing to add is blood tests for ft4 and ft3 to see where they sit too.And as you are happy that your other results are also fine ( though how your doc can say your diet is providing sufficient when you have been taking multi vits is a puzzle 🙃) I am also wondering on your reluctance to take a hormone suppliment to replace one you are lacking yet happy to take vitamin suppliments? In my opinion there is no difference, i would be interested to hear what other options you might follow, I do hope you continue to improve good luck

[silverfox7 in reply to Danielj1]

Well we can all reacted differently so do what you feel comfortable with. Are you aware that if you take a multivitamin withviton in then iron should be taken well away from the others so it wont be doing a deal to help you.

Gave you got the results and ranges of the ones you tested as being optimal means many need to be high in the range or look at SeasideSusie's posts for advice on where optimal level is and how to improve yours ifcmeed be

[Danielj1 in reply to silverfox7]

Zinc was so far off the scale I can try and dig out the results that I was told to stop multi vits there and then.

That was taking zinc around RDA levels, B12 was circa 20% over the top end of the scale range, D in the upper levels between I think 50 and 75.

Trust me I have been trained from an early age to take vitamins and find it very hard to stop altogether - bar magnesium oil.

[Danielj1 in reply to Danielj1]

If anyone read these earlier threads from 2017, I very much tried to “assist “ my healing of the thyroid with all manner of items including kelp, coconut oil, selenium, black seed oil and kept thyroxine to the lowest dose I felt possible.

I am happy to accept that I have moved on from that approach albeit I may at some point try black seed oil again as I still feel it had important benefits - even if so far I have not conclusively proved what they are.

[greygoose in reply to Danielj1]

There's no reason why you shouldn't take blackseed oil. Especially if you think it helps. The one you shouldn't take is kelp, because it's high in iodine. And, that's another reason not to take a multi-vit.

[Danielj1 in reply to greygoose]

I really do want to take kelp intuitively but I will take all the advice that it is doing me no good. Selenium I also felt helped me and may be add some of this too.

[greygoose in reply to Danielj1]

Intuitively because you've been brain-washed to believe that iodine makes a thyroid 'work' better? A lot of people - including doctors - have. Have you had your iodine tested? If you don't need it, it won't help. More isn't better, but can be dangerous. Large doses of iodine are anti-thyroid. And, besides, you are already getting 48.75 mcg iodine from your 75 mcg levo. So, you won't be going short.

[Danielj1 in reply to greygoose]

Trust me, I really believe what I read over the benefits of kelp. I am not sure I would use your words to the effect I am being duped, but am not significantly confident to go out on a limb. If anyone allowed me the tiniest of chances to take it I would. I feel I am missing out each day. GG, I am following advice given here - somewhat reluctantly

[greygoose in reply to Danielj1]

I know kelp contains a lot of good nutrients. But, nothing you can't find elsewhere, but without the damaging iodine. There is no super food, there are only the basic nutritional elements in smaller or greater quantities. There's nothing magic about kelp.

[Danielj1]

RF123 point noted and thank you. I have so far had t4 right up the scale and t3 middle half especially when taking the right supplements eg selenium and black seed oil. It may be sensible to test for these again at some point to check progress is on track.

[whispers in reply to Danielj1]

You would be better testing these on a regular basis not tsh, these tests are more relevant than tsh, you say you had these optimal at some point? If that's the case why did you change whatever you were doing/taking at that point? Do your levels, like mine, fluctuate regularly so you change? I still can't get my head around your reluctance to take a hormone replacement ( in whatever form that maybe)

[Danielj1 in reply to whispers]

That easy to explain - it raised my HR so much and it reduced my ability to sleep well as I felt out of balance.

I now realise this was linked to taking pills late at night and taking the dose first thing seems to mitigate these effects - magnesium oil has massively helped too.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing - I know it seems trial and error.

Long term I would like to get everything spot on including tpo antibodies and I agree I will keep monitoring.

I want to prove that the black seed oil makes a massive difference in reducing TPO

[silverfox7]

Probably the main thing at the moment is not to slip back and try what you feel may help but only try one at a time so as not to cause confusion.

[Danielj1]

Very much agree - the hardest thing is hearing the “success” stories of those who got tsh under 1 and it all ended happily ever After and those who have found progress on thyroxine wretchedly hard work to deliver decent results ...