So a month ago thyroid had only just come onto my radar. I had been putting everything down to my various nutritional deficiencies. It was only when researching those that hypothyroidism KEPT popping up over and over again so I headed over here for advice.
And so it is that I now find myself with a diagnosis of hypothyroidism and a prescription of Levo waiting for me to pick up at the chemist.
My question is this. Should I wait to start the Levo? My instinct tells me yes. My GP seems on board with helping me rule out/in central/secondary hypothyroidism. More blood tests this week (cortisol and prolactin plus a repeat of Hashis and PA antibodies) and depending on those possibly more tests after that. Also have a haematology appt nxt month where I am hoping to get serum gastrin , pepsinogen, MMA and Homocysteine tests as well as (please God) an iron infusion agreed. SO, if I start Levo before all that, am I going to skew results of any of those and ruin my chances of finding the cause of my thyroid issues?
What do you think?
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Portia1974
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I just had a read of your posts. Personally I would want to resolve the issues with the vitamin levels first especially where antibodies came back negative. Problem is you've only been testing four vitamins and these have clearly been chronically low for some time so you clearly have an absorption problem which likely means you've not been absorbing any of the other vits and micro nutrients you need that are not often tested as well including selenium and iodine required by thyroids. You really need to get to the bottom of this regardless of treatment for those four. These came before anything else by the looks of it. So glad an iron infusion has finally been agreed - you need to get them all optimal at the same time.
As already suggested gluten intolerance is the most likely. I know you mention that you've already ruled this out but the NHS website itself states that the blood test for coeliacs is unreliable. It also doesn't rule out NCGS - which the NHS have officially diagnosed me with so they admit it exists - they just don't know how to test for it yet as has multiple issues for different people. Unfortunately my diagnosis came far too late as thyroid already well and truly dead by the time my issues were finaly fixed - did manage to reverse all other autoimmune and health problems though. It most definitely is worth a try. Otherwise they need to be ruling out other gastro issues.
Your thyroid levels can be explained by the nutritional levels and adrenal - you're likely to have high cortisol if you absorb nothing anyway and messed up blood glucose levels.
It would make my day if I could go back to the stage you might be at and see if I could prevent everything that is now irreversible as living with no thyroid will never be great and it might not take that long to be irreversible. I'm not saying you don't need thyroid meds - I just think there's enough other stuff going on that needs to be fixed first to be sure- might be hard to go back once you're on them as thyroid will slack off anyway. I'd also be concerned that trying to speed my body up before the vits are fixed could make things worse possibly as bodies like to go slow if deficient.
I do hope you get better soon though and remember to go with your gut as it's your decision at the end of the day
Apologies for the delayed reply and thank you for responding! By way of explanation blood tests and docs this morning and new patient healthcheck this afternoon and inbetween that home is chaos as having kitchen done, trying to work and have 9 year old on hols who just wants me to play in the pool, lol!
Anyway, I'm of the same mindset as you. Before embarking on what could be a lifelong med....let's just see if sorting the other stuff out turns the thyroid tide. Appt in a month where PRAYING haematologist will agree to an iron infusion. Once I've got blood tests from there am hitting the supplements. Vit D3, K2, & Magnesium to push my level closer to 200. Folic Acid to get me up to the top of that range. Considering SI with B12 depending on tests as the 3 monthly jabs are not enough. (Might see if this new GP will up the frequency🤔). Iron will depend on whether I get this infusion or not. But I want to do that for a couple of months then see where my thyroid is at.
I think you're right. There'll be no going back and I've already had my fingers burned with lifelong meds with my AEDs screwing up my folate and vit d.
So yes. Holding off for a bit. See if the thyroid can reassert itself given the right environment.
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