Hi there, I have been trying to conceive for some time and my GP tested my thyroid and found a TSH of 5.8 and T4 of 11.1 (Range 9-22). After a lot of fighting I managed to convince her to put me on Levothryroxine and after a few spikes in TSH she increased my dosage a few times. My last test result was when I was on 100mcg and my TSH was 1.43 and T4 was 13.1. She put my on 125mcg and my most recent results are TSH 0.12 and T4 15.4.
Obviously my TSH is low but T4 is not yet high enough to be in the optimum range for conception. How do I go about increasing my T4 when my TSH is suppressed? If I increase levothyroxine will it reduce my TSH further and be dangerous? Would T3 help?
My theory is that my body has recognised the synthetic T4 and switched my TSH off. However, this has been too hasty and does not allow my body to make its own t4 in order to reach the optimum levels.
Any thoughts would be very much appreciated.
Thanks!
Written by
Sherywood
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Have you had thyroid antibodies tested or vitamin D, folate, B12 and ferritin?
It's very important to test these and FT3 to see how well you are converting
Suppressed TSH is often due to high thyroid antibodies and/or low vitamins
So for full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4, FT3 plus TPO and TG thyroid antibodies and also very important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12
See what you can get your GP to test
Private tests are available. Thousands on here forced to do this as NHS often refuses to test FT3 or antibodies or vitamins
Medichecks Thyroid plus ultra vitamin or Blue Horizon Thyroid plus eleven are the most popular choice. DIY finger prick test or option to pay extra for private blood draw. Both companies often have money off offers.
All thyroid tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and fasting. When on Levothyroxine, take last dose 24 hours prior to test, and take next dose straight after test. This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, GP will be unaware)
If antibodies are high this is Hashimoto's, (also known by medics here in UK more commonly as autoimmune thyroid disease).
About 90% of all hypothyroidism in Uk is due to Hashimoto's. Low vitamins are especially common with Hashimoto's. Food intolerances are very common too, especially gluten. So it's important to get TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested at least once .
There's no medical treatment to lower antibodies, but many patients find strictly gluten free diet can help slowly lower them
But few traditional medics recognise this, in part because NHS rarely retests antibodies, so never sees this effect
Essential to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12. Always get actual results and ranges. Post results when you have them, members can advise
Hashimoto's very often affects the gut and can lead to low stomach acid and then low vitamin levels.
Low vitamin levels affect Thyroid hormone working
Poor gut function can lead leaky gut (literally holes in gut wall) this can cause food intolerances. Most common by far is gluten. (Dairy or casein in cows milk is second most common.)
According to Izabella Wentz the Thyroid Pharmacist approx 5% with Hashimoto's are coeliac, but over 80% find gluten free diet helps, sometimes 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
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