Been struggling with some symptoms for a while but no diagnosis. Got to see my results for the first time today since my first thyroid blood test in 2013! Not really sure what is means or what to do next...
Vitamin B12 (180-2000ng/L) - 308 and 276
Serum Folate (2.8-20ug/L) - 3.0 and 3.2
Ferritin (15-200ug/L) - 38 and 29
TSH (0.2-4.5mU/L) - 2.74, 6.4, 3.1, 9.5 and 4.3
Free T4 (9-21pmol/L) - 14,13,11,12 and 11
Anti Thyroid Peroxidase (WHO units 0-100) - 533.1
Any info or help would be greatly appreciated.
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Jennifer55055
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Can you add ranges to results please, so they can be interpreted properly? Looks like likely raised TPO antibodies if so you certainly have Hashimoto's - but need range for confirmation.
Raised TPO antibodies confirm autoimmune thyroid disease aka Hashimoto's which is where antibodies attack the thyroid and gradually destroy it. The antibody attacks cause fluctuations in symptoms and test results. With over range TSH plus raised antibodies you really should have been started on Levothyroxine according to Dr Toft, leading endocrinologist and past president of the British Thyroid Association, as stated in his article in Pulse magazine (the magazine for doctors)
"The combination of a normal serum T4 and raised serum TSH is known as subclinical hypothyroidism. If measured, serum T3 will also be normal. Repeat the thyroid function tests in two or three months in case the abnormality represents a resolving thyroiditis.2 But if it persists then antibodies to thyroid peroxidase should be measured.
If these are positive – indicative of underlying autoimmune thyroid disease – the patient should be considered to have the mildest form of hypothyroidism.
In the absence of symptoms some would simply recommend annual thyroid function tests until serum TSH is over 10mU/l or symptoms such as tiredness and weight gain develop. But a more pragmatic approach is to recognise that the thyroid failure is likely to become worse and try to nip things in the bud rather than risk loss to follow-up."
You can email Dionne at ThyroidUK for a copy of the article
tukadmin@thyroiduk.org
print it and highlight question 2 to show your GP and ask to be started on Levo.
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.
Hashi's and gut absorption problems tend to go hand in hand and can very often result in low nutrient levels or deficiencies and this is showing in your results.
Vitamin B12 (180-2000ng/L) - 308 and 276
I have read (but not researched so don't have links) that BCSH, UKNEQAS and NICE guidelines recommend:
"In the presence of discordance between test results and strong clinical features of deficiency, treatment should not be delayed to avoid neurological impairment."
And an extract from the book, "Could it be B12?" by Sally M. Pacholok:
"We believe that the 'normal' serum B12 threshold needs to be raised from 200 pg/ml to at least 450 pg/ml because deficiencies begin to appear in the cerebrospinal fluid below 550".
"For brain and nervous system health and prevention of disease in older adults, serum B12 levels should be maintained near or above 1000 pg/ml."
You can check for signs of B12 deficiency here and if you have any you should ask your GP for further tests for B12 deficiency/Pernicious Anaemia b12deficiency.info/signs-an...
If you have no symptoms you can supplement with sublingual methylcobalamin lozenges.
Serum Folate (2.8-20ug/L) - 3.0 and 3.2
This is extremely low and should be at least half way through range. I doubt that your GP will prescribe folic acid as you are within range, you could buy your own methlfolate or a B Complex containing methylfolate (eg Thorne Basic B or Igennus Super B) but don't start taking it until further investigation into B12 has been carrie out and B12 injections or supplementation started.
Ferritin (15-200ug/L) - 38 and 29
This is too low and should be half way through it's range. Thyroid hormone - and that's our own as well as replacement hormone - can't work unless Ferritin is at least 70. You can help raise your level by eating liver regularly, maximum 200g per week due to it's high Vit A content, and including lots of iron rich foods in your diet apjcn.nhri.org.tw/server/in...
You also need Vit D testing, if your GP wont do it then you can get a home fingerprick blood spot test with City Assays vitamindtest.org.uk/
Thank you so much for all that info, so helpful. My mum had a B12 deficiency and gets injections (not sure if linked). Also I have had vitamin D checked was low so was given colecalciferol to take.
What was your Vit D result and how much D3 are you taking? They often don't give enough and don't always recheck your level to see whether your level has risen enough, and then they often give too low a maintenance dose. The Vit D Council, the Vit D Society and Grassroots Health all recommend a level of 100-150nmol/L
Your doctor wont know, because they are not taught nutrition, but there are important cofactors needed when taking D3 as recommended by the Vit D Council -
D3 aids absorption of calcium from food and K2-MK7 directs the calcium to bones and teeth where it is needed and away from arteries and soft tissues where it can be deposited and cause problems such as hardening of the arteries, kidney stones, etc.
D3 and K2 are fat soluble so should be taken with the fattiest meal of the day, (D3 four hours away from thyroid meds if taken).
Magnesium helps D3 to work. We need Magnesium so that the body utilises D3, it's required to convert Vit D into it's active form. So it's important we ensure we take magnesium when supplementing with D3.
Magnesium comes in different forms, check to see which would suit you best and as it's calming it's best taken in the evening, (four hours away from thyroid meds if taken)
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