Help with my Thyroid Check Results

[Elle_9]

Hello everyone,

I posted a while back new to the site and was kindly steered towards taking a private thyroid function test. I’ve now done this and included the results attached.

Any help in translating this alien language would help! I’ve been on Levo since Sept 2017, don’t feel great especially after taking it in the morning and never had my antibodies checked.

Thanks all

Louise

[Judithdalston]

You could do with more 'medication': your important active FT3 needs upping to 5+, and your FT4 could go upto 17, and most feel better if TSH at 1 or below. You don't say what dose you are on, I assume levothyroxin, add another 25 mcg then wait another 6 weeks to get tested. Your doctor will probably only do a TSH test. You now have confirmation of raised thyroid autoimmune antibodies, showing you have Hashimoto's, and so might have poor gut absorption. So it is also worth getting your Vit D, B12, folate and ferritin levels tested to support good thyroid health. Look at SeasideSusie's replies today to Mozart and others re. good vitamin and mineral levels. Think about adding selenium, magnesium, zinc etc. Some people find going gluten free , even dairy free, helps with gut issues.

[Elle_9 in reply to Judithdalston]

Thank you for this detailed reply. I have actually started to notice that dairy seems to make me feel worse and naturally I’ve

eaten a low gluten diet for years as known it doesn’t agree with me.

I am on 75mcg Levo, my doctor is quite staunch as as long as I’m ‘within range’ would be very reluctant to increase.

I am wondering if now is the time

to bite the bullet and pay for a private endocrinologist.

Thanks again.

Louise

[Judithdalston in reply to Elle_9]

Must admit when I had a Gp with similar opinions re upping levothyroxin dose but reluctant to as he was frightened you would go out of ranges, I upped them myself by chopping up existing pills ( ie you quarter them) and took extra 25 mcg for 2 weeks then saw Gp and told him what I'd done, and told him I'd continue and get tested in 4 weeks. The tests were better, and still within ranges so he gave me the prescription for the 25 mcg to go with the 100 mcg. Perhaps when you have those results he will see even another 25 mcg ontop of that might well still be 'in range'. I eventually added T3 privately, but I poorly converted T4 to active T3. Your results currently do not look 'odd' (eg bad conversion of T4), so I think considering a private endocrinologist, with high costs, is unnecessary just for upping levothyroxin.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Elle

Your raised antibodies confirm autoimmune thyroid disease aka Hashimoto's. This is where antibodies attack the thyroid and gradually destroy it. The antibody attacks cause fluctuations in symptoms and test results.

Most doctors dismiss antibodies as being of no importance and know little or nothing about Hashi's and how it affects the patient, test results and symptoms. You need to read, learn, understand and help yourself where Hashi's is concerned.

You can help reduce the antibodies by adopting a strict gluten free diet which has helped many members here. Gluten contains gliadin (a protein) which is thought to trigger autoimmune attacks so eliminating gluten can help reduce these attacks. You don't need to be gluten sensitive or have Coeliac disease for a gluten free diet to help.

Supplementing with selenium l-selenomethionine 200mcg daily can also help reduce the antibodies, as can keeping TSH suppressed.

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

stopthethyroidmadness.com/h...

stopthethyroidmadness.com/h...

hypothyroidmom.com/hashimot...

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

Hashi's and gut absorption problems tend to go hand in hand and can very often result in low nutrient levels or deficiencies. Pity you didn't choose the Thyroid UltraVit test which includes Vit D, B12, Folate and Ferritin, they would have been far more useful than reverse T3. It's important that you now get these tested.

Your results show that you are currently 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 of 25mcg immediately, retest in 6 weeks to see how your levels are then and to see if you need a further increase.

[Elle_9 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thanks so much for the information, I am kicking myself for picking the wrong test as followed your link, then must have got distracted and picked the wrong one. I will certainly look to get my levels retested as the way I feel it’s a priority to tick all the boxes.

Thanks so much for all of the links.

I will take my time to understand exactly what hashis is all about as well as really familiarising myself with what my blood levels should be.

I posted previously about T3 but I presume my results have shown this isn’t needed?

I am considering taking my levo at night as have noticed considerable unpleasant mood changes about an hour after I wake. A feeling of extreme low tolerance and irritability, similar to getting extreme hunger anger but it’s not hunger.

Thank you once again, I’m so incredibly grateful people like you who take considerable time share precious knowledge and experience.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Elle_9]

Elle

I posted previously about T3 but I presume my results have shown this isn’t needed?

Normally we'd see what conversion was like when TSH is down to about 1. Your results at the moment show your FT4:FT3 ratio is 14.5 : 4.58 = 3.16 : 1 which is really good as good conversion takes place when the ratio is between 3:1 and 4:1 although it would be interesting to see what it's like when your TSH is lower but I doubt it would be very much different. It seems as though you do well on Levo, you just need enough of it and, of course, to address the Hashi's and any nutrient deficiencies that may show up.

Quite a few members take their Levo at night, you might find that this is better for you too.

If your GP is reluctant to increase your Levo, use the following information from thyroiduk.org/tuk/about_the... > Treatment Options

Dr Toft states in Pulse Magazine, "The appropriate dose of levothyroxine is that which restores euthyroidism and serum TSH to the lower part of the reference range - 0.2-0.5mU/l.

In this case, free thyroxine is likely to be in the upper part of its reference range or even slightly elevated – 18-22pmol/l. Most patients will feel well in that circumstance.

But some need a higher dose of levothyroxine to suppress serum TSH and then the serum-free T4 concentration will be elevated at around 24-28pmol/l.

This 'exogenous subclinical hyperthyroidism' is not dangerous as long as serum T3 is unequivocally normal – that is, serum total around T3 1.7nmol/l (reference range 1.0-2.2nmol/l)."

Dr Toft is past president of the British Thyroid Association and leading endocrinologist.

You can obtain a copy of the article by emailing Dionne at [e-mail] print it and highlight question 6 to show your doctor.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Taking Levothyroxine at night is often an improvement. See how you get on

Highly likely to have low vitamin levels as you have Hashimoto's (GP will call it autoimmune thyroid disease)

Ask GP to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

holtorfmed.com/vitamin-d-au...

You need Levothyroxine dose increase, see if you can persuade GP. FT4 should be nearer top of range and TSH around 1.

You might need to ask for "trial" increase of 25mcg to bring dose to 100mcg......or even alternate days 75mcg/100mcg

Always make sure to stick to same brand of Levothyroxine, especially watch out with dose increase.

Very common to be dairy intolerant as well as gluten intolerant

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...