I was recently diagnosed with Hashimoto's (by a private doc), and he asked my GP to prescribe me 75mcg of Levothyroxine.
I decided, before I started it, to get my bloods done privately by Medichecks. I wanted to do this so that I could then get my bloods done again *after* taking medication for a thorough comparison. I also wanted to see if I may require supplements for any vitamin deficiencies.
For the first time ever, my free thyroxine is above range and I'm so confused by this - normally it's low-mid range! Like, it's never been high or above range in the past five years of me being tested fairly regularly. It's usually between 10 and 14. The only thing I can think that may have elevated it is that I took a B supplement containing biotin about three weeks prior to the test, for three days. Could the biotin still be in my system?
I'm now feeling apprehensive about starting levo, because I can't tell if this is a falsely high reading (my gut says it is, as I certainly do not feel hyper). What do you all think?
Also, the Medichecks doctor said my ferritin, vit D, folate etc was fine but they all look quite low in range to me - should I be supplementing?
Thank you as always for your help and support.
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un_piacere
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Unfortunately thyroid results in Hashimoto's can swing from what appears to be hypo- to hyper- thyroidism in a matter of days.... I hope your private doctor understands this, and has explained it to you! Hashimoto's is also characterised by poor gut absorption with low nutrient levels- some try gluten-free( even dairy-free) diet to limit and reduce the effect of the antibodies ( effectively destroying the thyroid gland, and making us more and permanently hypothyroid). Folate and ferritin should be at least half way thru range, Vit D could be the increased to 100-150, and B12 ok. Look up SeasideSusie's replies to posts re supplementing ( search the site for 'vitamins and minerals' for eg)- doses, brands etc. Biotin is out of the system within a week...so I doubt a 'false' result. Have you other tests to share?
Thanks Judith; I think it's just weird for me because I've never had a result that's shown an upswing, but I guess there's a first time for everything. These are the first digital results I've had, making them easy to share, but I think when my thyroid was checked by GP about a month ago my TSH was 3.14 and T4 was 14.2. My TSH over the years has usually been between 2 and 8 and T4 often between 10 and 14, with the ranges usually being similar to those ones in picture above.
The first time I got my antibodies tested about five years ago they were about 120-130 from memory, and I've been gluten-free since then, which has seen them drop to being in the 30s which is good. My ferritin is always in the 30s. I'll search for SeasideSusie - thanks for your advice!
Do you have the results from when you're private doctor suggested 75 mcg levo? It's possible that they were lower, then. As Judith says, results can jump around with Hashi's. You don't really need levo at the moment, because you have plenty of hormone in your blood, so hold off taking it for a while. But these present levels are more than likely going to go down by themselves pretty soon, so you will need to take it then. That's what happens with Hashi's.
When my thyroid was checked by my GP about a month ago, my TSH was 3.14 and T4 was 14.2 - and their response was, as usual "you are normal". So following this, I had a private consultation where I spoke to the doc about how I was feeling, and this is when I was advised to take the medication. The test results I've posted here are from a subsequent test I had done last week on Friday.
It just feels like quite a jump for my T4 to have gone from 14 to 23 in only a month and my T4 has never been this high before.
Yes, well, that's what happens with Hashi's. It's nothing unusual. Dying thyroid cells just dump hormone into the blood, causing levels to shoot up. They could go up a lot more than that in no time at all.
OK, so when your private doctor suggested the levo, it was necessary. But, right this moment, it isn't. So, hold off from taking it until the levels go down again, otherwise, your FT4 will go even higher.
That’s odd, that sounds similar to my circumstances.
My T4 had gone from 18 to 23 in one month also. Never had and problems in 26 years taking Thyroxine meds. This is the first time ever experiencing a reduction in meds, which I hate ,and find it hard to deal with ,nearly at the end of week 6,head still spinning.Bloods getting done on Thursday. Noticed a few posts of similar topic. Maybe something in meds.I changed my Teva for Almus. It’s all the fillers in meds I don’t like.I don’t know how many times I have been prescribed different meds over the years ,only to look at the information sheet and find it says ,do not take if you have Thyroid disorders. Docs don’t check for any interactions when they prescribe some meds.
Getting vitamins optimal first while you consider when to start on Levothyroxine
Ferritin is low. Eating liver or liver pate once a week should help improve
Folate is low. Supplementing a good quality daily vitamin B complex, one with folate in not folic acid may be beneficial.
If you are 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
Vitamin D mouth spray by Better You is good as avoids poor gut function. Suggest you supplement 1000iu for 2-3 months and retest. It's trial and error what dose each person needs.
Once you Improve level, very likely you will need on going maintenance dose to keep it there. Retesting twice yearly via vitamindtest.org.uk
TSH is not a thyroid hormone. It is produced by the pituitary gland and travels in the blood to the thyroid gland where it signals to the thyroid gland to produce more thyroid hormones.
T4 is a thyroid hormone but is not an active hormone, it needs to be converted to T3 to become active. T3 is the active thyroid hormone which controls the metabolism and therefore the symptoms. Your Free T3 is close to the top part of the normal range, which is good, so you should not have hypothyroid symptoms.
Your results are very unusual - with your high free T4 and and near top of range free T3 results the TSH would normally be very low. Your TSH value could indicate that your body wants even higher Free T3.
Your unusual thyroid blood test results and what appears to be hypothyroid symptoms, could be caused by a genetic condition commonly known as Thyroid Hormone Resistance. It causes hypothyroid symptoms and requires very high T3 levels (often above the top of the normal range) in the body to overcome the resistance.
As it is genetic if there are other family members with thyroid problems, fibromyalgia, CFS, ME, Coeliac Disease, MS, Heart Disease or depression this would further support this possibility.
I think it is the result of a Hashi's flare...confusingly there is a mismatch in time between when the 'attack' happens and the various results change eg low antibodies but high FT4 and FT3 as hormones have entered blood stream from destroyed thyroid cells, but the pituitary gland hasn't caught up re TSH production... I have had the fibromyalgia/ hypothyroid 'resistance' / conversion etc problem and never got TSH out of 4s on common range over 12 + years, and dosing with lots of T3/t4 now...so don't recognise your results as this. Good luck!
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