I was born without a thyroid, so Ive taken synthroid for the first 34 years. Not on NDt Thyoid by Erfa, I take 5 half grain pills per day (so 2.5 grains). They only have 30 MG tabs available so I have to take 5 to get the amount I need. Here are my blood test results:
Thyroid Stimulating Hormone [TSH]
LO
<0.01 0.32-4.00 mIU/L
Thyroxine Free [Free T4]
13 9-19 pmol/L
Triiodothyronine Free [Free T3]
5.9 3.1-6.2
pmol/L
Vitamin B12
268 138-652 pmol/L
Ferritin
22 5-272
ug/L
Hemoglobin
LO 119 120 - 160 g/L
Written by
webster0915
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Well, your thyroid tests are about where one would expect to see them when taking NDT.
You have problems here
Vitamin B12 268 138-652 pmol/L
That is 363.14pg/ml. According to 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 may want to consider supplementing with sublingual methylcobalamin lozenges 1000mcg to raise your level. If you do, then take a good B Complex as well to balance all the B Vitamins, eg. Thorne Basic B or Igennus Super B.
You could do with folate testing as well, folate and B12 work together and folate should be at least half way through it's range. Folate should rise with a good B Complex, both of those suggested contain 400mcg methylfolate at the recommended doses.
Ferritin 22 5-272 ug/L
This is low and it would be a good idea to do an iron panel and full blood count. Low ferritin can be suggestive of iron deficiency anaemia.
For thyroid hormone to work (that's our own as well as replacement hormone) ferritin needs to be at least 70, preferably half way through range.
thank you. I just feel awful. My hair is coming out in massive amounts, my scalp is itchy (for no other reason), I cant sleep and when I do its a little bit at a time, headaches all day everyday. Muscle weakness, achiness all over my body. and for the first time in my life I have depression symptoms. Depressive is deep routed in my family but it has never affected me (Im 37) until now. I'm a tad concerned.
I dont suspect Vitamin D is low, I live outside and spent alot of time outdoors in the pool, its still 23-29 c here.
Ihave had low iron since I was a child, and the hair always comes out when thyroid is low. Otherwise wouldnt it be falling out my whole life in clumps?
Im going to make sure I remember my B12 supplement. It only has 333mcg in it. Should I take more?
Marz has lived in sunny Crete for quite a long time. She has posted about having low vitamin D despite spending lots of time outside, and her husband has the same problem.
I wouldn't assume that vitamin D is good without getting it tested. You would need to get vitamin D3 tested and supplement with vitamin D3 if necessary. Some countries test vitamin D2 as well, but D3 is the most important. Personally I've never worried about my level of vitamin D2, nor do I supplement it.
Yes hb - well remembered. 😊 We both tested insufficient after being here for four years - some ten years ago. I swim a kilometer a day and live outside most of the year ! - as does hubby. We both have Hashimotos too - perhaps that is the issue somewhere along the line. Does webster0915 have Hashimotos ?
Oh dear - sorry - had not read your previous posts. Not sure if you can have Hashimotos without a thyroid. Others may know. Maybe a new post with the question would be interesting. 😴
Not everyone makes Vit D from the sun, you wont know your level unless you test. I would get a full nutrient panel done, these are the optimal levels you need to aim for for thyroid hormone to work
Vit D - 40-60ng/ml (100-150nmol/L)
B12 - top of range
Folate - at least half way through range
Iron panel:
Serum iron: 55 to 70% of the range - higher end for men
TIBC (total iron binding capacity) or Transferrin: Low in range indicates lack of capacity for additional iron - High in range indicates body's need for supplemental iron
Saturation: optimal is 35 to 45% -higher end for men
Ferritin: half way through range
Your thyroid hormones aren't low:
TSH LO <0.01 (0.32-4.00) - where one would expect to see it when on NDT
Free T4: 13 (9-19) - 40% through range, FT4 is often on the lower side when taking NDT but we are all different as to where we need our FT4 to be when on combination treatment.
Free T3: 5.9 (3.1-6.2) - 90% through range. Low FT3 causes symptoms, yours is near the top of the range
Your thyroid results are good. The only thing that can be said about your thyroid results is that you might be one of those people (like me) who need both FT4 and FT3 in the upper part of their ranges when on combination treatment. The only way you can achieve that is by using synthetic Levothyroxine and T3, or adding synthetic Levo to NDT, then tweak doses to find what's best for you.
Hi I'm new at this but I gather Hashi like other ones, is autoimmune, (and attacks your own thyroid as the immune system is confused). Which I've read is helped tremendously by being gluten free and by healing the gut flora, making the lining solid, so no particles leak out into the system causing the immune system to get confused and 'invade' you basically but unsure if is the only cause, and genetics comes in too, e.g. I'm predisposed to psiriosis
My autoimmune antibodies have reduced a lot by going gluten free and healing my 'leaky gut'
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