Wading through custard - latest blood results, please help

[Annie8ell4]

I've been treated for an under-active thyroid since 2008 and like loads of you, it slowly dawned on me that my thinning hair/aching joints/brain fog could be linked to it, even though I was on a heft dose of levo.

Could someone kindly review my latest blood tests and let me know if I do need to go down the T3 route? I've tried NDT (erfa/armour) and was not convinced. I'm thinking from reading through other threads that my FT is high in range, but my T3 is low in range, which indicates conversion problem. I know my vit D is too low and I'm (fairly) gluten-free. Are there any other mineral deficiencies leaping out? I think folate is within range, but should it be higher? I've been taking ferrous sulphate for years now, but when I stop, my ferritin levels plummet. I'm currently on 150 mg of levo daily (since 1 May 2018 when I switched back from NDT).

I still don't feel fantastic - like wading through custard most days. I have three small children and a busy job and I would love to feel a lot more perky and a lot less custardy. All advice and wisdom is so appreciated.

Annie x

[Nanaedake]

It's no good being 'fairly' gluten free. You've either got to go totally gluten free or don't bother. If being gluten free helps then you need to be totally gluten free. Every time to eat something with gluten in, you give your antibodies opportunity to attack your gut and so you perpetuate the cycle of inflamation.

Your vitamin D is only just within the bottom end of normal and generally on this forum it's advised to be around mid-lab range for normal or around 100nmol/L.

Have you tried probiotics or if you tolerate dairy you could make your own kefir for probiotics to improve gut function and populate it with good bacteria which could help absorption of nutrients. Worth a try.

[Annie8ell4 in reply to Nanaedake]

Thank you! I do take kefir and I've gone totally GF for about a week. I understand it can take a while before feeling the benefits, but I'm now committed!

[Nanaedake in reply to Annie8ell4]

Do you take vitamin D's cofactors magnesium and K2-MK7?

[Annie8ell4 in reply to Nanaedake]

I don't - I'm just reading about it now! Thank you!

[Nanaedake in reply to Annie8ell4]

You might also benefit from adding some zinc and selenium. 100 mcg selenium daily would be sufficient as you'll get some in your diet although absorption may be poor due to thyroid disease. Zinc helps bones, nails, hair. Eating 6 prunes a day will give you boron. You could add them to gluten free muesli and pour some kefir or yoghurt over the top. It will help maintain good bone health and help digestive system too.

[Judithdalston]

Looking at your blood test results I'd start with trying to improve your mins/ vits that aid thyroid health and good T4 conversion: Vit D is low needs to be 100-150nmol/l; B12 should be near top of range, so good ( if supplementing could swop to a general B Complex like Jarrow, Thorne or Igennus); folate and ferritin should both be at or above midway thru range,so your folate is low, also from the sound of it you might still be menstruating so ferritin would be better at 100-130ug/l. I am sure you know you have Hashimoto's which is characterised by low stomach acid and poor gut absorption resulting in all nutrients,whether from food, drink or supplements, being low. I find supplementing with B12 and VitD that can be taken sublingually in the mouth, thus bypassing the gut, work well; you can get sprays and drops of Vit D with K2 (that help calcium get into bones and teeth away from the blood). See SeasideSusie's replies to previous posts on doses, brands etc. And yes gluten free does mean totally gluten free- try it for a couple of months, if it works you antibodies may be limited and you won't get 'flares' etc.

Regarding you thyroid results on 150 mcg levothyroxin; your FT3 is low below halfway in the range, but you could try upping your levothyroxin by 25 mcg just to see if that makes a difference. I have added T3 to my levothyroxin myself early this year, starting with tiny doses of 1/8 th of a 25 mcg pill, rising slowly to the full 25 mcg daily, and reducing my levothyroxin down from 133.5 mcg ( which took the FT4 over range, but still did not get FT3 to halfway) to 75 mcg. When I tested bloods six weeks later my FT3 had gone down, FT4 dropped 10 points and TSH reduced by nearly X10. So now added levothyroxin back again, but not much better than I was 14 plus weeks ago! T3 is strange difficult stuff compared to levothyroxin! Good luck in getting out of that custard Annie.

[Annie8ell4 in reply to Judithdalston]

Thanks Judith - so much to investigate! I'm knee-deep in custard at the moment, but hopeful, especially when there's so much kindness from strangers on the internet!

[Aurealis]

It might be helpful to try more Levo, you may feel much better if you increase fT4 up towards the top of the range.

[Healingcircles]

Hi Annie

The responders on your thread seem very well informed, posting a lot of good information, really hope it helps you. Nanaedake is right, if gluten is an issue, need to remove it completely from diet, is hidden / masked in most processed foods. Anything with sauce / thickeners etc... best approach is a 'clean diet', eating quality whole unprocessed foods.

The cause of Thyroid disorders is an auto immune problem. After developing M.E. in my early 20's my immune system became extremely aggressive (highly sensitive to all foods chemicals etc) I subsequently managed my immune system for 20 plus years through eating a 'clean diet', I cut out grains, dairy, sugars including fruits, alcohol, tea coffee, drank only water, and all processed foods. Reintroducing processed foods and sugar two years ago has caused numerous health problems and realise I have had all the symptoms of an over active thyroid for

sometime. I have just been watching this series on youtube that might be

of interest to you.

Treating the underlying issues that are causing the autoimmune response using a holistic natural approach through diet, supplements, environment, lifestyle etc will correct thyroid problem without the use of medication. I personally prefer the approach of finding and treating the root cause, allowing health to be restored rather than having to depend on medication and deal also with any adverse side effects. This needs careful management and would advise finding a good nutritionist, and also for your medications to be stopped under the supervision of your doctor, if thats the choice you make.

Betrayed Episode 8

youtube.com/watch?v=EM9qWc_...(Not working as expected?)

All the other Episodes should be available on Youtube that will give you more insight into the causes of auto immune disorders and how to correct them.

Good Health

[Furface]

Most have commented on your post already so I wont repeat what they have said. One thing that stands out to me is your over range B12. It looks like you are supplementing B12 but are you supplementing Folate? These two work together and high in one causes imbalance as I understand things. My own B12 was over range (with low range folate) but this is only what floats around in the blood, not what is being used by your cells. Supplementing causes false highs and your personal absorption of B12 is likely to be better if your Folate is halfway in range, this is what my functional Dr told me yesterday. The Medichecks report usually says 'stop supplementing B12 if you are supplementing merely because it is above their 'normal range', they don't know enough. All the B vitamins are water soluble so it isn't dangerous to have above range figures for them, but it is helpful to have balance between B12 and Folate.