Hi All
Would someone in the know be able to read my recent results please. I'm on 100mcg but feel either high anxiety and low moods most of the time - it's very life limiting I've got a scan appointment coming up with an edemetriologist soon.
My recent results are:
TSH 1.64 0.35-4.94MU/Le
Serum free T4 15 9.00 - 19.00pmol/L
My gp does not offer T3 test
Ferritin 105 16 00-204.00ug/L
Folate 11. 5 3.10-20.50ug/L
B12 660 187.00-883.00ng/L
Vitamin D 83 0.35-4.94mu/L
Many thanks
Hi Mishky
Shame you haven't got a T3 result as this would complete the thyroid picture. Though the other 2 results look pretty good for someone taking Levothyroxine.
Wonder what else is going on in your life? Perhaps some stressful situations which might be causing your anxiety?
When I was taking Levo (I'm taking NDT now) I was 75mcg for some time, but never felt 'well' eventually persuaded one GP to allow me a trail increase to 100mcg. Within 2 weeks I had awful symptoms of anxiety which I hadn't had for years. Felt very 'jittery' and also tearful. Also felt a bit breathless now and then. Went to GP saw someone different to normal. He was very concerned about the breathless thing and asked me to go directly to a walk in chest clinic at the hospital. I heard him say on the phone he wanted to rule out embolisms! Asked him if it could be related to the increase in Levo. Definitely not he said.
Went to the clinic, a lot of waiting around but eventually seen and very thoroughly checked over,chest x ray, ECG, bloods etc. Lastly saw a consultant and dropped in about the increase in Levo. He said from 75 to 100 was quite a jump and could definitely be the cause of all the symptoms! He suggested trying 75 /100 alternate days. But I just dropped back to 75mcg and within a few days, all the horrid symptoms dissipated.
Many thanks for your reply. Very interesting. Glad you're feeling a lot better now. I've been on 100 for a long long time now. I don't think it's that. I've had a few traumatic experiences in my life that have probably triggered the anxiety. I have been on anti depressents but would prefer not too but feel I still suffering. Hopefully the endocrinologist will help shed some light too xx
Poor you Mishky.
I have also had some bouts of anxiety recently though there is a reason for mine I believe, but its too long to explain here, almost akin to post traumatic stress disorder. But I have found some good ways of dealing with it.
This breathing exercise has helped me a great deal over the years but particularly now. Although it says its for 'panic attacks' but it also works very well for generalised anxiety. Though its good to practice it regularly when you haven't got anxiety so that it becomes a very familiar technique. That way you can bring it in as soon as you feel that awful wobble approaching.
I also went to see a private counsellor for a couple of appointments and she showed me some ways of changing my thinking which I found helpful. Part of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.
Also look at current stressors and try and reduce them as much as possible.
Practice relaxation alongside the breathing exercise. I also went for a very reasonably priced private yoga lesson. It was wonderful. I slept very soundly that night. The yoga teacher has also done some private relaxation and meditation sessions for me which I've found very helpful. SHe charged £10 for an hours session which I thought was well worth it. I had no idea how to start meditating, but she gave me some starting points.
anxietycoach.com/breathinge...
Many thanks for your reply. I see a counsellor and have moments of clarity calm and happiness but then suddenly this red mist comes down and I feel tired low energy angry irritated and almost have an urge to sabbatage all the good I've done to help myself prior
Anxiety is a symptom of thyroid, before I realised my symptoms were thyroid related I saw a counsellor, it helped, but I had many other symptoms which turned out to be thyroid.
Anti depressants and thyroid don’t mix very well either. I’m not suggesting you stop your anti depressants please don’t think I am, but, I would guess your not on the correct dosage of thyroid medication and this is why your not feeling good.
I was offered anti depressants by an Endocrinologist, but I refused them, I knew I was depressed due to my symptoms.
Is there anyway you can ask for an increase of Levothyroxine to 125mcg?.
Have you had your antibodies checked to see if you have an autoimmune disease?
If the GP/Endocrinologist will not do a T3 or anti bodies blood test, it maybe a good idea to pay to have them done privately, medi checks and blue horizon offer thyroid testing.
Best wishes
Peanut31
Thanks for your reply. I could ask my gp to increase the dose. Reading bad things about TEVA brand (it really is a mind field) what brand are you on? Re the anti ds. I came off them months ago
You definitely need an increase of Levothyroxine, your GP should of increased your Levothyroxine every 6 weeks. Tell your GP you feel dreadful and all your symptoms are thyroid related. Thyroid U.K. have a list of thyroid symptoms print this off and tick which relates to you. Hopefully your GP will increase without a fuss, but be very insistent about the increase then after another 6 weeks ask for a further increase by 25mcg.
Teva has very bad reviews, it wasn’t until I noticed how angry and ratty I was I did further research and there were loads of negative posts on Teva.
I’m on Northstar at the moment and it’s agreeing with me better than Teva. When I was on 75mcg I was on 50 mcg Northstar and 25mcg Wockhardt and this was fine.
When you get your increase prescription and providing you haven’t allocated a local chemist for your prescription to be sent electronically from your surgery, take your prescription to the chemist and ask what brands of Levothyroxine they have.
If they say Teva take your prescription to a different chemist and ask the same. Don’t let them issue your Levothyroxine before you find out the brand.
I mentioned if you had your antibodies checked, as if you have an autoimmune disease, it’s important that you address your vitamin levels and it can help going gluten free if you have Hashimoto’s.
Best wishes
Peanut31
Thanks you've been so helpful. I've got an appointment with an endocrinologist in 2 weeks. Going to ask for t3 and anti bodies but I'm the mean time on Monday I'm going to try to change to a different brand other than Teva. Just filled in a yellow card
Before you ask for T3 and as the NHS are not keen handing T3 out, get an increase of Levothyroxine, 8 years on 100mcg is far too long and 100mcg is still a low dosage.
Without having bloods being tested for T3 the Endocrinologist May not agree to adding T3 anyway as you can’t see if your converting.
Yes I filled out a yellow card with teva.
Good luck, night night.
Peanut31
I filled in a yellow card for Teva recently. Within 5 days of taking it I felt like ending it all. 2 days of nothing over the weekend, slightly better. 20 minutes after taking 25mcg of Mercury Pharma I felt like a new woman.
Hi
You need your T3 testing most definitely to get the whole thyroid picture.
It could be your not converting T4 to T3 very well, and without the T3 being tested there is no way of knowing.
Levothyroxine only contains T4 and T4 converts to T3, but some patients struggle to convert, especially if they have Hashimoto’s which I have.
How long have you been on 100mcg of Levothyroxine?
Normal procedure is that you increase your dosage every 6 weeks by 25mcg by having a blood test, testing TSH, T3 and T4.
Bloods taken first thing in the morning ideally no later than 9am, why? It gives you the highest TSH reading in order to obtain an increase (thyroid patient tip) don’t take Levothyroxine that morning and only drink water no food.
You may find your GP/ Endocrinologist is obsessed with lab results and only TSH rather than how the patient is feeling.
Have you been tested for antibodies?
I’m currently on 100mcg of Levothyroxine and starting to feel a lot better.
Sometimes the brand of Levothyroxine may not agree with you as well. I was on TEVA at first, it made me ratty, angry and I was basically biting everyone’s head off.
Anyway once I was given a new increase prescription I made sure before I handed over my prescription it wasn’t TEVA they were giving me.
Best wishes
Peanut31
Thanks for your reply. I think I've been on 100 for about 8 years plus my bloods are always done first thing. I take my pill first thing too although some people take it at night. Funnily enough I'm on TEVA at the moment. Which one are you on?
Just seen your post about 8 years on 100mcg Levothyroxine, no wonder you feel so unwell.
Best wishes
Peanut31
Hi mishky. I'm sorry you are not feeling well. I hope your vitamin D level is a typing mistake. If it's not, then many your symptoms could be from D toxicity, which causes blood calcium toxicity and many of the symptoms that you have. Is your vitamin D level listed above correct? It says: Vitamin D 83 0.35-4.94mu/L, so your D is 83? If it's correct, this is catastrophically severe vitamin D toxicity. If this is wrong and your level is 8.3, this is still a severely toxic level. The top of your lab range is 4.94. If your D is either 83 or it is 8.3, you will need to stop taking D supplements immediately.
Vitamin D toxicity, or hypervitamintosis D, leads to toxic levels of blood calcium, or hypercalcium. Is there any chance you've had your calcium tested recently? High blood calcium can cause depression, irritability, fatigue, memory loss, head aches, and can cause muscle, abdominal, kidney, heart, bone pain and fractures,
I really hope that your actual level is within the 0.35-4.94 range. If it's above that, then you may have just found the source of your unusual symptoms.
healthline.com/health/hyper...
healthline.com/health/hyper...
About your thyroid results: you are under medicated with T4, and possibly T3 (need to test FT3 to know if your level is good or not). Do you know about your thyroid antibody status, if you have Hashimoto's? There are two antibodies that have to be tested, not just one. They are called TPO/ab and TG/ab. It's possible you might also be experiencing autoimmune symptoms, in addition to the possibility of D toxicity.
Her VitD is fine - in the UK the measurement is different to yours in the US. Divide the result by 2.5 and you have the US equivalent !
Hi Marz. It’s 83. Top number of range is 4.94. How can that number be fine? It’s way beyond the top of the lab range, which means toxicity. Lab results are read the same in every country; there’s a result and there’s a range it’s measured against. Lab ranges are individual to each lab, not to a country.
The concern is not with the unit measurement. Not every lab in the US uses the same measurement and there are thousands of different labs, each with their own range. The concern is with the result being far beyond the top of the highest range number.
Any type of lab result way beyond the top number of range, is never a good thing.
I’m sure mishky will tell us if it’s correct or not. If correct, her symptoms certainly sound like they could be related to D toxicity, and the resulting calcium toxicity. Hopefully she’ll let us know if it’s a typing mistake soon.
Yes but if you look at her TSH result AND range you will see it is the same as the one she has mistakenly written for the VitD range .... so my comment stands
Well spotted Marz!
The range must be a typo... vitamin D usually has several ranges with 70-200 as sufficient
Precisely! So well spotted to Marz for drawing our attention to that and I see mishky has realised what went wrong as well! Easy mistake to make when we are rushing.
Without the correct range, there is no way to know what her D status is.
Good thing I read her results and noticed an oddity in her vitamin D results! 🧐
If the lab range is similar to the one that Hashi-Monster has noted, then her D is much too low, and I stand by my concern for her D level.
😊
I think most of us from the UK know the range for VitD in nmol/L and know that one should aim for 100 and more - so would not have thought it odd at 83 in spite of the TSH range given by mistake. Again many regulars would have realised. Her VitD is not MUCH too low - a maintenance dose of 2500 IU's should crack it - to bring it up to a 100 + .... not far to go, subject to absorption of course. Also testing before winter sets in - in case an increase in dose is needed when the sun disappears
Thanks Marz. You seem to know more than my doc. She is clueless. I have got this far (asking for full blood panels and pushing to see an endo by what I have read online). Do you think a week before my endo appointment I should go back to the doc and increase my dosage to 125 or change brands from Teva or leave it for a week.
I think an increase would be in order. When were the last tests done as 6/8 weeks is the usual gap for testing so dosages can be adjusted. I have read that the Levo you are taking can cause problems - type Teva into the Search Thyroid UK Box and see what comes up. Changing the brand could be a positive thing to do and could help your symptoms.
Have you researched your Endo ? - so many people are so disappointed when seeing these experts as they mostly specialise in diabetes and know very little about the thyroid.
I live in Crete so mainly take care of myself !
healthunlocked.com/search/t...
Over 1300 posts mentioning Teva in the above link
Apologies yes you are right. Its serum vitamin D 83. That range 0.35 - 4.94 was my Serum TSH level. It dropped down a line when I was typing. On the print out it says normal.
No worries. ☺️ Good thing I noticed it. I’m so glad you are not toxic! What is the lab range for your D? Some docs think “normal” is anything between the lowest and highest number. Even if you’re in the very middle, this is not optimal, and you could feel depressed or have other symptoms.
It doesn't give me a range just says 83. In the 🇬🇧 it might be a different set of numbers/ranges they use
That’s odd. Other people in the U.K. have used various labs with published ranges. How do doctors know if a patients level is high or low? The principles in reading labs universally are the same with each lab range. Even the U.K. has different labs with different lab ranges. Always a low and high number to measure when it’s too low or too high.
Hopefully it’s not the 70-200 range Hashi-Monster references.
Apologies yes you are right. Its serum vitamin D 83. That range 0.35 - 4.94 was my Serum TSH level. It dropped down a line when I was typing. On the print out it says normal.
Some antidepressants can block or interfere with absorption of thyroid hormone. Maybe your thyroid medication is fine but isn't working as well due to the other meds that you are on.
They is room to increase your dose by 25 as your TSH is still a little high and FT4 not higher in the range. The problem is that seeing the Endo in two weeks won't give him accurate readings so may be better to leave that till you see him. At least then you will have meaningful results.
Also I don't feel TEVA isn't necessarily a problem as it could be down to taking too low a dose. I would leave as is but take an antihistamine one hour before your thyroid medication and again tell the Endo what you have been feeling and what you have tried to do to see if it's the brand or something else. TEVA does work very well for some so the ones for whom it doesn't it's more likely the fillers that are the issue. Taking an antihistamine one hour before should make you feel much better if you have an issue with the brand. But tell the Endo what you have tried and why. He should be there to help you so you must voice your concerns and he should do what is best for you. If your appointment had been 2 months hence then you could have made the changes and have two sets of results under different circumstances to show him. So he should discussed these things with you and tell you what he prefers you to do and let your GP know what to do next. Ask him to be copied into the letter and if he asks why tell him you want to learn more about your condition and file your results for future reference. Also write down anything else to what to ask as often under the stress of the meeting our minds annoyingly go blank. Be prepared for having bloods taken when you get there so no food beforehand or medication.
Let us know how you get on.
Thanks everyone for your comments and support. The only other pills I take is vit d and a multivitamin with iron. I may stop the vit d until then. Actually seeing my endo next Sunday (time flies). What's everyone's views on St John's worts. I heard that you can't take it with levothyroxin, however my friend sent me a recent article from the daily "fail" to suggest otherwise
What else is in the Multi Vit ? Sometimes there are things in them that we do not need and not enough of things we do. Iron should be taken 4 hours away from Levo as it too can block the uptake. No need to stop your VitD - just wondered if you are taking the important co-factors - magnesium and VitK2-MK7.
hollandandbarrett.com/shop/...
I really think you would be advised to look at all the ingredients to the right of the H&B page - so many fillers. So little VitD and other vitals and yet if you increase you could well overdose on some.
Mishky
£3.99 for 60 tablets. That should be ringing alarm bells. It really is a cheap, rubbish supplement, like most of H&B own brand. It contains cyanocobalamin B12 rather than methylcobalamin, folic acid rather than methylfolate, such tiny amounts of some active ingredients yet 14mg of iron which will affect the absorption of everything else, plus all the fillers, etc. There's only one place that supplement belongs.
Well, you won't absorb anything from that, the iron will block the absorption of all the minerals.
Look at the price. With supplements, you get what you pay for. They don't give a break-down of the ingredients, either, which is a bad sign! What sort of vit D? D3 or the cheaper, less absorbable D2? What sort of B12? Methylcobalamin or cyanocobalamin? Judging by the Folic Acid, it will be cyanocobalamin. And just 60 mg of vit C is not even worth taking. So, even if the iron didn't block the absorption, these vitamins wouldn't do you much good. It's just a huge great con for the Worried Well, not people who actually need vitamin supplements.
No need to stop the vitamin D ideally you want it between 100-150 to support your thyroid
I had terrible anxiety when I first went on T4-only (levothyroxine) replacement. This is because I had very deep nutritional deficiencies (from gluten enteropathy) and adrenal level/rhythm problems. (My adrenals were running all night long.) I temporarily solved the anxiety problem by going on T3-only, since my body would not convert T4->T3. After getting most deficiencies fixed, my final step was determining that the usual adrenal remedies (adaptogenic herbs, licorice, vitamin C, etc.) were not the solution: what my adrenals needed was a blend of free essential amino acids, because enteropathy had messed up my gut to the point where I could not efficiently digest protein foods. You should check your Albumin and Total Blood Protein (TBP) to make sure you are in the upper half of the "normal" range on both of them. Have you already looked at the essentials like B12, folate, D3, ferritin?
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