My Eleven BlueHorizon Blood Test results

[PizzlieBear]

This was with BlueHorizon. They could not have been more helpful, getting the sample was not so easy for an eighty five year old so we opted for a nurse to come take the sample. It happened within two days and the nurse was very kind and accommodating. The results were emailed back very fast with Doctors comments that were a. Very good explanation of the results along with comprehensive advice on all points. We were advised to take the results to her usual doctor but cannot do so as it will cause problems due to the attitude of the doctor.I might explain this in more depth later but for now I would appreciate any advice from the people here. She has been on 75mg Levothyroxine for 20 years and alendronic acid 70mg for Sixteen years. 85 years old. Tried 100 mg Levothyroxine for three weeks and felt much better but still feeling symptoms and tiredness sleeping in the afternoons. Sleeping 4 hours then awake 4 hours. Awake 1.00am until 4am sleep 4am until 9am awake 9am until 1pm then sleep again 1.00pm until 4pm awake until 9-10 sleep a few hours then up at 1-2am. Always tired has a very nervous disposition jumpy fearful extremely Irritable. This fear is extreme to the point where a slight sound will leave her shaking for minutes.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Her B12 is very low. She should really be tested for Pernicious Anaemia before starting B12 injections or certainly daily supplements. Eg Jarrow sublingual lozenges

Likely to also benefit from good quality daily vitamin B complex, one with folate in not folic acid. Eg Igennus Super B complex or Jarrow B-right

If taking vitamin B complex, or any supplements containing biotin, remember to stop these 3-5 days before any blood tests, as biotin can falsely affect test results

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Presumably she is not taking any iron supplements? Her ferritin is very high. May be needs investigation for possible hemochromatosis

High iron can be a cause of hypothyroidism

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You may want to ask similar question on PASOC healthunlocked

Her vitamin D needs a little improvement. Is she taking any vitamin D supplements?

Improving her vitamin levels should improve her conversion of FT4 to FT3. Currently her FT3 is very low and very likely contributing to her symptoms

[PizzlieBear in reply to SlowDragon]

She takes no vitamins and has just dropped her Levothyroxine back down from 100mcg to 75mcg which is what the doctor says is the correct amount and has been for 20 years. She was feeling better on the 100mg but on doctors orders he warned her of the dangers of upping the dose herself. Now she is feeling more fatigued again and hot cold extremities which he says is bad circulation and she is given the tight stockings to wear for that. She take something to lower her blood pressure to and until yesterday was on Alendronic Acid for sixteen years and has jaw problems so stopped taking it. I would like to know if her Levothyroxine dose is correct at 75mcg. She has to go to bed after four hours due to exhaustion. She says her body feels like a dead weight. But felt better on the 100mcg a day Levothyroxine.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to PizzlieBear]

This result is from when on 100mcg?

TSH is very low - which is all most GP's look at. He thinks it means she's on too high a dose.

But her FT3 is far too low. Should be at least 5 - 5.5

A dose reduction will make this even worse.

Her conversion of FT4 to FT3 is terrible. In part because her vitamin B12 and vitamin D levels are poor

But also with Hashimoto's we often have poor gut function and poor conversion

Low stomach acid is common problem and often with Hashimoto's we are frequently gluten intolerant too

According to Izabella Wentz the Thyroid Pharmacist approx 5% with Hashimoto's are coeliac, but over 80% find gluten free diet helps significantly. Either due to direct gluten intolerance (no test available) or due to leaky gut and gluten causing molecular mimicry (see Amy Myers link)

Changing to a strictly gluten free diet may help reduce symptoms, help gut heal and slowly lower TPO antibodies

Ideally ask GP for coeliac blood test first

amymyersmd.com/2017/02/3-im...

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Her very low B12 and very high ferritin needs investigation by GP. Likely referral to haematology for high ferritin

Ask advice about high ferritin and low B12 on healthunlocked.com/pasoc

[PizzlieBear in reply to SlowDragon]

Mum was on 75mcg for 20 years, she was very uncomfortable cold hot all the symptoms and diagnosis was Hypothyroidism. Her decline was all put down to her age being 84, I suggested she try with 100mcg just for a week or two to see if she felt better or worse.

She felt quite a lot better she said as if she were not dragging herself around. After this blood test she decided to tell a different doctor (as hers was on holiday) about the test with Blue horizons, she was told by this doctor to go down to just 25mcg. Mum is away for a holiday cruise this week.

I told her to have some spare Levothyroxine with her just in case she felt terrible while on the 25mcg per day. I look forward to seeing if it has done her any door. They took her off the Salicilic Acid which she was on for the past Sixteen years.

Thanks for your input. She has decided to strictly change her diet to cut out dairy products and gluten and all that might be bad for her. We are out of contact this week I hop for good news on her health soon.

I am a little doubtful about the Levothyroxine 25mcg dose but she was once a nurse for 30 years back in the 1970s so thinks doctors are Gods and feels guilty about taking a different dose even for a day or two.

She has been taken off her salicylic acid medication after 16 years, she read about the affects of it and felt it might have been the cause of many problems she suffered with her jaw and teeth. Is made her sick every time she took it and she was frothing at the mouth each time. I am so happy she has told the doctors she does not want to take it.

I want her Levothyroxine dose to be right, if she needs it but I am not sure what to make of it all. The doctor said her D and B12 T3 and T4 and all the other in her test will all balance out this 25mcg dose start to take effect. She has lived in discomfort for so many years. I want her to have some good ones as her last.

I must say that BlueHorizons have been so accommodating and helpful, she could not get a blood draw on the first attempt and they sent another test but we decided to have a nurse come and do it. It was very efficient and the nurse was lovely and kind to Mum. All contact with Blue horizon was very professional and courteous. The eleven test was chosen and the value was exceptional with the doctors report explaining the test results in good time. BlueHorizons, 10 / 10 thank you so much.

Special thanks to SlowDragon for taking time to look at this test. I am so grateful you are a real gem.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to PizzlieBear]

Her doctor is only looking at low TSH

Reducing her dose will lower her FT3 even further. Dose should only ever be decreased by max 25mcg in one go.

But she was not over medicated, her FT3 was already too low.

Her vitamin D and b12 will probably drop even lower on lower Levothyroxine

High ferritin (iron overload) can cause thyroid problems

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[PizzlieBear in reply to SlowDragon]

I do understand that but she trusts the doctors more than me. I really did repeat what you advised many times to her yet she looks up to doctors and so I told her to take with her the extra Levothyroxine and take it if she felt worse. I think she will take it and I am angry at her doctors for the way they treat her. When she told them she had increased her 75mcg dose to 100 mcg they told her off and made her cry. They made her feel she was nothing and past her sell by date (that was what the receptionist told her). But the doctors treat her like a ten year old but inside she is all there, we chat for hours and hours and she is so lovely but this thyroid problem brings her to her knees. She is so tired and feel as though she is dragging herself from here to there so goes to bed ever four hours day and night with the hot and cold making her miserable. I will trust what you sat rather than the doctors so please tell me as much as you can so I can get her to read it and do what is needed. What will drop her ferritin?

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to PizzlieBear]

i suggest you go with her to GP next visit and insist on referral for high ferritin

If she does have hemochromatosis then regularly donating blood is the main thing I believe. Avoiding iron rich food other option

Ferritin may not be high enough for hemochromatosis

Her results will very likely be terrible on just 25mcg Levothyroxine. Get retesting after 6 weeks (assuming she sticks at it that long) including vitamins

[PizzlieBear in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you I will look into doing that. I will also read up on this condition. Thank you again.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to PizzlieBear]

Similar post this afternoon

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[PizzlieBear in reply to SlowDragon]

Reading it now thanks for the links.