Hi all
I am a 37 year old male who is hoping you would be able to shed some light on some results I recently obtained from a Complete Thyroid Test (results below). The test was a non-fasting test taken at 12 noon.
The reason I have had the test done is because for years I have been suffering with the following symptoms and I won’t just accept that there’s no good reason. I have tried many elimination diets to see if I can find a food group culprit to no avail:
Vitiligo
Dermatitis
Wildly fluctuating energy levels (to the point that I don’t know how I will feel from one day to the next)
Puffy face
Headaches
Pins and needles
Night sweats
Bags under my eyes
Raynaud’s disease
Various aches and pains
I have some low results and some normal results, although most of the normal results are very borderline low. My TSH for example is right on the cusp of the low yellow marker, my FT3 is in the yellow, my FT4 is low normal and my T4 is low red.
T448(51 - 161)
TSH0.76(0.40 - 4.000
FT414.2(11.5 - 22.7)
FT33.1(2.8 - 6.5)
rT30.24(0.14 - 0.54)
TG<32
TPO<14
Would borderline low TSH, low FT3, low T4 and low normal FT4 suggest that I might benefit from Levothyroxine and does it also suggest that I might have Central Hypothyroidism? I’ve ready online that low TSH, FT4 and FT3 could mean that? Trying to work out why my levels aren’t firmly in the optimum range?
I’m hoping you might be able to shed some light? I’m waiting on some results of a private hormone panel (Dutch urine) test too to see what that says too.
Thanks,
AJ
Vitiligo is autoimmune, so that makes other autoimmune diseases more likely
Pins and needles and night sweats can be low B12
You need B12, folate, vitamin D and ferritin tested
Have you ever had head trauma or whiplash?
Usually we advise testing as early as possible in morning and fasting to give highest TSH
Your results
TSH shows nothing
Total T4 is very low
FT3 low
Antibodies negative, however not everyone with Hashimoto's has raised antibodies.
Perhaps need ultrasound scan of thyroid
Looking at possibly central or secondary hypothyroidism
Next step is to test vitamins
Come back with results and ranges
If you are in the UK Thyroid UK has list of recommended thyroid specialists
Email Thyroid UK for list of recommended thyroid specialists
please email Dionne
tukadmin@thyroiduk.org
Possibly need a pituitary and thyroid specialist
Do you have any gut symptoms?
Hi,
Appreciate the prompt reply, thank you.
I've had two head injuries. When I was 5 years old and when I was around 26 years old. Both hospitalised - first was splitting my forehead on a concrete step (8 stitches). The other, in the same injury spot, was splitting my head on a cabinet after falling down stairs (5 stitches).
My vitamin levels are:
Serum B12 635ng/L (130.0 - 800.0)
Serum folate 23.4ug (4.0 - 20.0)
Serum ferritin 62ug/L (20.0 - 330.0)
Doctor didn't test vitamin D.
NB: I had been supplementing with 1000mg B12 (methylcobalamin) and 1000mg methyl folate for a year before test as I had high homocysteine which is now normal. I am now reducing my intake of both due to high result in folate.
Various gut issues - bloating, loose stools occasionally, cramps.
Thanks for the details.
Should I request a thyroid scan from my doctor, do you think my complete thyroid results warrant that? They were only happy to give me a TSH test which they said was normal (0.98) tested at same time and day 12 noon non fasting - I got the nurse to draw blood for my private test too which is why I have the complete results too.
AJ
It might be an idea to have your pituitary (the hormone "master gland") checked out as a potential cause of your hormone issues. My small pituitary adenoma is to blame for a lot of things, though my endos don't seem to understand. A chap I met at a Pituitary Foundation developed an assortment of symptoms including hypothyroidism as a result of a head injury. A relative also had hypo symptoms due to hypogonadism (low testosterone). As the endocrine system is closed, it only takes one thing to go wrong, or a possible micronutrient deficiency to mess up other hormones. Dctors don't always look further than the most obvious, then claim all is ok. As the EDS society states, doctors shouldn't assume the sound of hooves is always horses, when it could be a zebra!
Thanks for the reply, BadHare. I am waiting on results for my hormones so will see what comes up there and see if there's any correlation.
So before supplementing B12 and folate you presumably had low levels, plus high homocysteine
Were you tested for Pernicious Anaemia before starting?
B12 isn't very high considering your supplementing. You may need to continue at this level or even higher
Suggest you get vitamin D tested
vitamindtest.org.uk
The fact you have gut issues could be directly due to thyroid or causing thyroid issues
Look at gluten intolerance as possible issue. Getting coeliac blood test first.
Other aspect is that Head injuries can cause pituitary damage and secondary hypothyroidism
Not sure whether I had low levels of B12 and folate. Through genetic testing I discovered I have a heterozygous MTHFR mutation and so tested my homocysteine levels and found out it was very high. I therefore started supplementing with methylcobalamin and methylfolate to bring it down to the safe range.
Will keep supplementing with the B12 and methylfolate at a lower level.
Thanks re vit D test, have ordered.
Have been tested for coeliac but that came back negative. I have raised igE levels which indicate I am having an allergic reaction to something but have had various testing which all came back negative (dairy, pollen, dust, gluten, animals, MSG etc. all the standard things). I've read that autoimmune diseases can cause raised igE so may be linked?
Many many people are not coeliac, but gluten intolerant
So next step is to try strictly gluten free diet. Try it for 3-6 months. If no noticeable improvement then reintroduce gluten and see if symptoms get worse
Thanks SlowDragon, I avoid gluten anyway. I have tried various diets strictly for many months and reintroduced with no difference. Have tried Paleo, GAPS, low histamine, salicylate etc. Am sure something else is going on.
Here's links about MTHFR and hypothyroidism. You may have already seen these
thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...
holtorfmed.com/mthfr-gene-t...
verywellhealth.com/the-link...
Thank you for these
Some folks have an issue with phytates in grains, rather than gluten. I eat sourdough as the phytates, & also gluten, are degraded by the slower fermentation. It also enhances rather than inhibits mineral absorption.
Many thanks