Reliability of Blue Horizon?

[NatChap]

Hi everyone Just wanting people's opinions regarding the reliability of home testing with Blue Horizon. Only asking because I have used them and medichecks and never questioned the results but my latest FT3 test has come back much lower than I would have expected. I did the test exactly as I always do so no difference in variables.

These are my FT3 levels for the last couple of years

June 2016 - 5.15 (3.1-6.8)

Nov 2016 - 6.18 (3.1-6.8)

March 2017 - 4.49 (3.1-6.8)

Oct 2017 - 5.43 (3.1-6.8)

April 2018 - 4.7 (3.5-6.5)

July 2018 - 3.54 (3.1-6.8) This is my latest and i'm on my highest dose of NDT that I have ever been on (4.5 grains Nature-throid) and feel generally ok although still having the odd off day (hungover feeling, tiredness,joint pain etc..) and also mood swings but they tend to coincide with periods.

I know that how I feel is the main thing but these results are baffling me a bit.

Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance

Nat x

ps Also my FT4 is low 8.89 (12-22)

[Judithdalston]

Have you tested your VitD, b12, folate and ferritin- poor levels under optimum might be responsible for symptoms , and for eg poor conversion of the T4 element of the NDT? I'd presume using private labs you'd have had more than FT3 tested- how were other thyroid results in comparison with previous ones?

[NatChap in reply to Judithdalston]

Ferritin 80.4 (13-150) Folate 22.30 (8.83-60.8) B12 levels are high (I'm supplementing)

Total T4 44.9 (66-181) Antibodies now within normal range.

The thing is I don't feel under medicated which is what's confusing.

[Judithdalston in reply to NatChap]

Ok, thought you were suggesting your symptoms were from hypothyroidism, thus the post. Have you altered lifestyle eg doing more exercise, or been ill? You could improve your optimum levels of vits/ mins: Ferritin should be 100-150 for menstruating women, folate halfway or above range so say about 35; no Vit D result, and perhaps if supplementing B12 to top of range worth a swop to a B Complex instead. Perhaps as the weather changes towards autumn/winter you will feel the need to up your T3 to have the energy to keep warm.

[NatChap in reply to Judithdalston]

Sorry I think maybe how I wrote the post is misleading? I don't have symptoms indicating I am very under medicated. I still get the odd off day which is due to being hypo but my results indicate I should be feeling absolutely terrible yet I feel pretty good and certainly no better or worse than when I had my last test done.

[DippyDame]

Never had any problems with BH.

Might be better if you list all results with ranges and add dose taken at each test.

With that info someone here will advise

[NatChap in reply to DippyDame]

I have included ranges and my dose has only increased with each test.

[DippyDame in reply to NatChap]

Ok, I see you have now added more results. I think our responses crossed.

[Hashi-Monster]

Hi NatChap

Are these your first tests since you thought that Nature-throid had changed? I remember before you were thinking of swapping to a different NDT.

[humanbean in reply to Hashi-Monster]

I wondered that too. Whether the NDT had changed - new batch, new supplier or whatever.

[NatChap in reply to humanbean]

No, the April ones are also since the change. It still doesn't explain why I feel ok with results that say I should feel terrible?

[humanbean in reply to NatChap]

Have you been taking biotin? It is often included in B Complex supplements.

[NatChap in reply to humanbean]

Damn, I forgot about that Yes I do. Well that was £80 I can't afford down the drain then

[NatChap in reply to NatChap]

Although thinking about it, I'm pretty sure that I used to do tests without stopping b-complex as I didn't know about the link yet this is my lowest result since starting NDT.

[humanbean in reply to NatChap]

Unfortunately I think biotin has an unpredictable response on test results.

ddtjournal.com/action/downl...

I don't think you can assume the interference would always be in the same direction.

[NatChap in reply to humanbean]

Gutted 😢

[humanbean in reply to NatChap]

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

[NatChap in reply to humanbean]

humanbean I have just had confirmation from blue horizon that they don't use biotin in their tests!

[humanbean in reply to NatChap]

That's great news.

[Hashi-Monster in reply to NatChap]

Hi Nat

So what is your conclusion then?

Do you think that Nature-Throid is weaker now?

Interestingly I’ve just increased to 4.25 from 4 and am feeling better

[NatChap in reply to Hashi-Monster]

I don't know, I'm confused!! I don't feel as undermedicated as I should with those levels so whether it's a case of symptoms just not catching up yet I don't know. I have switched to Thai thiroyd anyway but at half a grain less so I'll see how I go. If Nature throid has lost that much potency though then that's a real problem 🤔

[Hashi-Monster in reply to NatChap]

It certainly is confusing but i’m glad you are not feeling unwell.

I’ll follow you to see how you get on with Thiroyd

[wellness1 in reply to Hashi-Monster]

Glad you are feeling better, Missimal. May I ask how long it took you to notice an improvement? (Wondering if I should consider an increase before a brand switch.)

[Hashi-Monster in reply to wellness1]

I was told I was optimal by my endo 2 weeks ago on 4 grains but the last week or so I have been symptomatic again which I think is related to my menstrual cycle so I thought I would experiment with an increase, I’ve tried 4.5 before and gone over so fingers crossed 4.25 will be okay.

[AlisonL]

Hi, I've used Blue Horizon quite a few times and have always found them to be reliable. The last time I used them was in May this year and the FT4 and FT3 results were very similar to ones my GP ordered around the same time. That doesn't mean something has changed with them of course, but up until now they've been fine for me.

[DippyDame]

Just another thought, have you changed/added any other medications?

Certain medications (cholestyramine, colestipol, colesevelam, antacids, sucralfate, simethicone, iron, sodium polystyrene sulfonate, calcium carbonate, orlistat) can decrease the amount of thyroid hormone that is absorbed by your body. If you are taking any of these drugs, separate them from this medication by at least 4 hours

webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-1800...

[NatChap in reply to DippyDame]

No, literally nothing has changed. My confusion isn't so much why the FT3 levels have dropped, rather that if that is an accurate result, why do I feel ok?

[wellness1]

I just had something similar happen, but I used a different lab. My FT3 dropped quite a bit following a dose increase. I was actually considering re-testing, but I don't think it's the lab or the sample and I stopped taking Biotin well before the test. I have been feeling unwell, but I thought it was the crash I'd anticpated following a period of too-intense activity. I did the test to check on my latest increase of Nature-throid and was surprised it had dropped so much after steadily increasing as I raised my dose. I saw a post recently about changes in Nature-throid.

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

It caught my attention, but I didn't know about my drop in FT3 at the time, so I thought my symptoms resulted from overdoing it over a 6-week period. Now I'm wondering if it's the 'new' Nature-throid. I'm unexcited to think about switching and trialling other brands, but I may need to. I think a while back you were experiencing symptoms you thought might be from Nature-throid. It sounds like those symptoms resolved without your needing to make a change. Whatever caused the drop in your FT3, I'm glad you're feeling ok.

[NatChap in reply to wellness1]

Yes I have had to increase due to the new Nature throid (at least I think that was the problem). I'm not enthralled about switching brands either but I have decided to bite the bullet and start on thiroyd whilst I still have a reasonable supply of nature throid left should it all go wrong. I just can't afford Nature throid long term at the dose I'm having to take and I also worry in case the supplier I use ever stops stocking it as I don't know where else to get it from. I'm really hoping I don't regret switching but I'm not confident. I'm not even sure what dose to take as thiroyd is likely to be stronger given my issues with NT so I figure I might start on half a grain less than I'm currently on? Wish me luck, I'll keep you posted 😬

[Hashi-Monster in reply to NatChap]

Good luck and please let us know your progress.

I too am on 4 grains of nature-throid and am looking for a cheaper alternative.

[wellness1 in reply to NatChap]

I do wish you good luck! And I look forward to hearing how you get on. It appears we're on a similar, and yet different, path. And because of my lower FT3 levels and return of symptoms, I'm finding it a bit challenging to sort.

I have to say, *if* a change to the formula has resulted in you having to up your dose substantially or in people's health deteriorating, that is maddening.

[Clarrisa]

Do you have allergies? I was just reading earlier today that thyroid labs can be affected by seasonal allergies. Had not heard that before.

[NatChap in reply to Clarrisa]

No allergies x

[Pastille]

Just a thought/guess, but maybe the presenting of symptoms is not always immediate? So your T3 level could be dropping & given time your symptoms will catch up as your body adjusts/ reacts to the change. Considering an increase/ decrease in dose is not always felt straight away, maybe the same kind of thing? I know you are puzzled at the reading but just thinking about the drop without symptoms side of things, hopefully you can sort it now before they start to appear, or at least lessen them. I know you know your body well enough by now to know how you usually feel at different levels within the ranges but this illness is baffling isn't it, there may be some reason why symptoms are more delayed this time. Sorry! I feel like I had a valid point when I started writing this but now it reads back as no help at all ! Lol

[NatChap in reply to Pastille]

I get what your saying, it is valid and it's something to look out for but I really hope it's not the case. It is getting to the point where I won't be able to afford NDT if my dose needs increasing much more