This is my first time of posting. This site has been amazing. In just a short time I have found so many people in the same situation as me!
I have been exercising for the last 25 years and have continued to put on weight despite eating all the right things! My cholesterol level is high(saving grace is because it’s the good cholesterol) . I’m apparently as fit as a 32 year old despite being 55! However I’m 5 foot and 76kg so with a BMI (which Doctors still use even though it is discredited as a measure) of 31, I’m considered obese and I’m advised to loose weight! I wish I could! I’ve exercised more eaten less and nothing works!
A work colleague encouraged me to have a private blood test and recommend this site! I cried when I read Dr John C. Lowe’s article under the Hasimoto’s disease section! He described my symptoms exactly! My basal body temperature is between 35.6-35.8 and as mentioned above I am overweight.
My latest blood results are
TSH 1.58 mIU/L 0.27 - 4.20
Free thyroxine 18.6 pmol/L 12.00 - 22.00
Free T3. 4.14 pmol/L. 3.10 - 6.80
Reverse T3. 15 ng/dL. 10.00 - 24.00
Reverse T3 ratio. 17.97. 15.01 - 75.00
TgAb 27.500 IU/ml. 0.00 - 115.00
TPOAb 362 IU/mL. 0.00 - 34.00
I have an appointment with an endocrinologist on Monday to discuss these results. Any advice on what to ask?
I am currently taking Levo 50mcg and 75mcg every other day.
Thank you to you all!
Written by
Mindy648
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Well, it's as clear as a bell what's wrong. You have Hashi's and a conversion problem.
So, did you know you have Hashi's? Do you know much about Hashi's? Are you gluten-free? Taking selenium?
So, what you need to do firstly is stop the dieting - eat more calories and more carbs because you need them to convert. Reduce the heavy exercising to just gentle walking and swimming, because you're using up too many of your calories. And, adopt a 100% gluten-free diet.
Then, you should get your vit D, vit B12, folate and ferritin tested, because they are probably low and will be causing all sorts of problems. Then supplement according to the results - we can help you with that.
And then wait and see how all that helps. If none of it helps, we'll think again.
Thank you for the response. My GP mentioned Hashimoto ‘s but I haven’t been officially diagnosed yet. I have just started a gluten free diet but I didn’t know about taking selenium. I know it’s in Brazil nuts which I do eat.
I recently read Amy Meyer’s book which mentioned about over exercising so I have backed off a lot. It’s very hard though because it goes against all the “advice”!
So do you think my problem is conversion rather than a lack of T4? Is this caused by not eating enough? I’ve been eating between 1200 - 1400 calories despite burning 400 each time I go to the gym. Which was about 4/5 times a week.
I will ask for the other tests you recommend! My brother has to have B12 injections but never thought to ask my doctor! It was a fight to get put on Levo in the first place!
There’s obviously a history in my family as both my Grandmother and Mother were/are thyroid sufferers and from what I have read Hashimoto sufferers despite having never been diagnosed!
Brazil nuts don't contain that much selenium, these days. Always look at the packet to see if it mentions being grown in a selenium-rich area. If not, there will be no selenium.
The 'advice' is for euthyroid people, not hypos - and probably isn't that much good for euthyroid people, either! Once you become hypo, the rules change drastically.
You do not lack T4. Your FT4 is quite high. But, the problem is actually the Hashi's. Hashi's people are often poor converters. But we still need to make sure the conditions for conversion are as favourable as possible.
You should be eating over 2000 calories. Low-calorie is bad for everyone. This calories is vs calories out is just a bunch of rubbish. The human body doesn't work like that.
From what I've seen on here - I've never been to a Naturopath myself - it's a bit of a waste of time. They don't know much about thyroid, but have some very strange ideas about treating hypo. They often like to give iodine, which is an absolute no-no unless you have tested deficient. I wouldn't bother, myself.
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