Latest results

[Anniewoz1]

Good morning everyone

I’d be grateful for any comments on my latest results

Many thanks

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Sorry your post was missed on here. This is extremely busy forum

Have you had recent change in Levothyroxine brand?

Have you had dose increase in Levothyroxine since last test?

TSH should be around one and FT4 towards top of range

Your vitamin D is still too low, Aiming to improve to at least 80nmol and around 100nmol may be better . Vitamin D mouth spray by Better You is good as avoids poor gut function. Suggest you supplement 2000iu 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

Local CCG guidelines

clinox.info/clinical-suppor...

Government recommends everyone supplement October to April

gov.uk/government/news/phe-...




Also read up on importance of magnesium and vitamin K2 Mk7 supplements when taking vitamin D

betterbones.com/bone-nutrit...

articles.mercola.com/sites/...

healthy-holistic-living.com...

articles.mercola.com/sites/...


betterbones.com/bone-nutrit...

Do NOT supplement any vitamin K if you take any blood thinning medication including aspirin

drsinatra.com/vitamin-k2-su...

Vitamin C and bones

healthimpactnews.com/2018/d...

Your B12 and folate are low. Supplementing a good quality daily vitamin B complex, one with folate in not folic acid may be beneficial. B vitamins best taken in the morning after breakfast

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

endo.confex.com/endo/2016en...

endocrinenews.endocrine.org...

[Anniewoz1 in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks for your reply slowdragon

No levo increase since last test

Same brand as always.

Thanks for advice on vitamins and supplements, I’ll certainly read the links you posted.

With a T4 of 10.64. (12-22)

TSH of 0.891

This seems to be a bit puzzling, I thought T4 would rise as TSH lowers ?

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Anniewoz1]

so GP did not increase Levothyroxine to 125mcg from 100mcg?

Your under medicated to have FT4 so low

TSH often doesn't rise when vitamins are low / and or Hashimoto's

Essential to test FT3

its generally not a good idea to supplement vitamin D with calcium. As calcium naturally rises with increase in vitamin D.

Suggest you try Better You mouth spray at 2000iu. Look at magnesium too

Good quality daily vitamin B complex to improve low B12 and folate

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

endo.confex.com/endo/2016en...

endocrinenews.endocrine.org...

Have you had TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested?

If not they need testing

[Anniewoz1 in reply to SlowDragon]

Yes, I’m taking 125 levo.

Antitissuetransglutaminase (?) antibodies were tested in October, came back normal at 1.2 - no range given.

Surprisingly, or not, T3 isn’t even listed on the blood forms I have !

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Anniewoz1]

Good that dose was increased

Bloods will need retesting 6-8 weeks after any dose increase

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested. Also extremely important to retest vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially if Thyroid antibodies are raised

All thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and fasting. Do not take Levothyroxine dose in the 24 hours prior to test, delay and take immediately after blood draw. This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, best not mentioned to GP or phlebotomist)

Private tests are available. Thousands on here forced to do this as NHS often refuses to test FT3 or antibodies or regularly retest vitamins

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

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 special offers, Medichecks usually have offers on Thursdays, Blue Horizon its more random

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 .

Link about thyroid blood tests

thyroiduk.org/tuk/testing/t...

Link about antibodies and Hashimoto's

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

List of hypothyroid symptoms

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

Anti tissue trans glutaminase is the coeliac blood test

Vast majority of autoimmune thyroid patients are not coeliac, but a very high percentage find strictly gluten free diet helps or is essential

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 and help gut heal

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

chriskresser.com/the-gluten...

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

scdlifestyle.com/2014/08/th...

drknews.com/changing-your-d...

You will see literally thousands of posts on here about gluten intolerance. You do not need any gut symptoms to still benefit

[Anniewoz1 in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks again for such a detailed reply.

I’m slowly reading through the links you posted.

Looking back at my medicheck results, antibodies were tested in July, they were very low.

I’ll have to take another look and post the figures - my memory is atrocious!

[Anniewoz1 in reply to Anniewoz1]

Medicheck results from July 2018

TSH 2.94. 0.27 - 4.20

Free t3 4.13. 3.10 - 6.80

Free t4. 14.2. 12 - 22

Vit D 73. 50-200

Folate 15.53. 2.91-50.00

B12 75.9. 25.10-165.0

Thyroid peroxidas antibodies <9. 0.00-34

Thyroglobulin antibodies <10. 0.00-115.00

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Anniewoz1]

Despite low antibodies now, looking at your long history, personally I would try strictly gluten free diet for 3-6 months

The only way to know if it will help, is to actually try it

If strictly gluten free diet helps then stick with it, if no noticeable improvement then reintroduce gluten and see if symptoms get worse

All results in July show under medicated

TSH to high, should be around one max

FT3 too low, should be at least over 5

FT4 too low, should be at least over 17-18

Vitamin D too low - at least 80nmol, but over 100nmol may be better

B12 borderline. Active B12 under 70 is likely too low

Folate borderline

Ferritin ok in October

[Anniewoz1 in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks so much for your reply, once the “silly season” is over, I’ll do another medicheck test to see where I’m up to.

Also have a follow up appointment with Endo on 14th Jan.

He’s a professor (!) so clearly knows everything(!)

... wonder what his reaction would be if I asked why my T3 hasn’t been tested 😉

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Anniewoz1]

Strongly recommend trying strictly gluten free diet in New year

Most endo’s (even my own professor) don’t really understand gluten and vitamin connections

See my profile for long struggle to get sorted. Only by reading on here, time and time again that addressing gluten and vitamins was key , did I finally make progress

Absolutely zero gut symptoms

[Anniewoz1 in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks SlowDragon

Good to hear you’re finally making progress