Results and ndt: Hi I have been to see an endo... - Thyroid UK

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Results and ndt

Merw profile image
Merw
12 Replies

Hi I have been to see an endo who has told me that I had three choices - live like this , increase t3 or ndt - I’ve tried increasing t3 didn’t work and defo don’t want to live like this so I’m going to give ndt a whirl but need help with my results and how much to take

I’m currently on 10mcg of t3, 125 mcg of Levothyroxine and my results are as follows

TSH 2.96. Range 0.27-4.2

Free thyroxine 18.5 range 12.00-22.00

T4 84.8 range 59-154

Free t3. 4.08. Range 3.10-6.99

thyroglobin antibody 435.00. Range 0-115.0

Thyroid peroxidase 127 range 0-34

Vit b12- 241. Range 140-724

Folate 8.36 2.91-50

Vit d 39.9. Range 50-200

Crp. 4.6 0-5.00

Ferritin 152. Range 13 -150

Thank you in advance

Merw

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Merw profile image
Merw
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12 Replies

Looks like you should have been given Levothyroxine increase by 25mcg or 25mcg on alternate days? (As your TSH is too high and T4 & FT3 low).

What were you prescribed to address the Vitamin D deficiency?

Were you given Loading dose of either 300,000 IU or 280,000 IU colecalciferol (D3) to be taken in split doses over a period of 4 to 10 weeks (depending upon which treatment regime was decided on) ?

If not then see your GP asap .

B12 is also liw in range

Google search - " NHS choices ' symptoms of Vitamin D deficiency : AND

"NICE guidlines for treatment of Vitamin D deficiency "

Hope this helps.

SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering

Merw

Those results appear to be the ones you posted a year ago in this thread

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Have you done anything about trying to optimise your nutrient levels, as suggested in reply to that post?

No thyroid hormone is going to work properly unless nutrient levels are optimal.

Are you addressing the Hashi's as suggested?

Those thyroid results were on 162.5mcg Levo. They can't possibly be the same on 125mcg Levo/10mcg T3. What have been your results during the past year since you've changed from Levo only to Levo plus T3? What are your latest results?

Merw profile image
Merw in reply to SeasideSusie

I hadn’t noticed the results seem to have had that many .. I will definitely check this out - I did take notice of what’s been posted and keep going back to my doctors who keeps telling me there’s nothing wrong with me - it’s very frustrating

Thank you

SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering in reply to Merw

keep going back to my doctors who keeps telling me there’s nothing wrong with me

This is when we have to help ourselves. Doctors wont do anything if results are in range, no matter how low in range. We have to take matters into our own hands, which is why I gave you all the information you needed to help yourself.

Your Vit D didn't come into the Deficiency category that NICE Clinical Knowledge Summary uses, that's <30. So again, we have to sort our own supplements out.

Did you check for signs of B12 deficiency, did you have any? If so did you ask your GP to do further testing? With B12, it's symptoms doctors should take note of, not numbers. So if no signs, then you have to address the low level yourself.

Folate wasn't low enough for anything to be prescribed, you need to buy your own supplement.

Doctors take no notice of antibodies, so to try and reduce them you have to help yourself.

Merw profile image
Merw in reply to Merw

Sorry everyone had a brain fog moment - saw November but it was last year

TSH 5.97 0.27-4,2

Free thyroxine 14.8 12-22

T3 4.47 3.10-6.80

Thyroglobulin antibody 256. 0-115

Thyroid peroxidase. 91.8. 0-34

Vit b 75.1 37.6-188

Folate 8.14 3.89- 26.80

Crp 3.98 0-5.00

Ferritin 147 13-150.00

Sorry everyone 😞

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply to Merw

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)

If also on T3, make sure to take last dose exactly 12 hours prior to test

Is this how you do your tests?

If so you're results are actually worse now

On T3/T4 combo TSH should be much much lower, at least under one

FT4 is probably far low. Suggest you try a 25mcg dose increase in Levothyroxine first. Retest fully in 6-8 weeks

If FT4 is still low then try a futher increase

If FT3 remains low then look at trying a 5mcg dose increase

How much vitamin D are you supplementing?

Level is still too low.

Folate too low. There's no B12 result

Are you supplementing a daily good quality vitamin B complex?

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

First

Your high antibodies confirm you have Hashimoto's

Are you on strictly gluten free diet?

If not, then ask for coeliac blood test before trying it.

Many people with Hashimoto's, who need T3, find strictly gluten free diet helps or is absolutely essential

Second

How do you take your T3?

You may need to split the dose. Eg 5mcg on waking, 5mcg mid afternoon and 5mcg at bedtime

Third

If these are your most recent blood test results .....then your vitamin D, folate and B12 levels are all much too low

What supplements are you taking?

TSH is too high

Total T4 too low.

Conversion probably affected by low vitamins

FT3 too low as well

Merw profile image
Merw in reply to SlowDragon

Hi I had my test at 9am and hadn’t taken any meds at all - my t3 has been spilt to 5mcg in am and 5 mcg in pm -I have 6-8 weeks when I am fine and then I go tired and know that my levels are low again but doc tells me I have been tested too many times and won’t refer me to the hospital endo

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply to Merw

Several things you can do to help yourself

First increase vitamin levels by self supplementing

What supplements do you currently take?

Vitamin D needs to be over 80nmol but around 100nmol likely better

Vitamin D mouth spray by Better You is good as avoids poor gut function. 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

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...

B12 - no result?

Folate is far too low.

Supplementing a good quality daily vitamin B complex may beneficial, one with folate in not folic acid

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...

As you have Hashimoto's trying absolutely strictly gluten free diet for minimum of 3-6 months. Many, many Hashimoto's patients find strictly gluten free diet helps or is essential

A TSH of 5.97 is far too high

See a different GP or insist on referral back to endocrinologist for dose increase in Levothyroxine

You can email these results to your endocrinologist secretary, if GP will not agree to increase

Official NHS guidelines saying TSH should be between 0.2 and 2.0 when on Levothyroxine

(Many of us need TSH nearer 0.2 than 2.0 to feel well)

See box

Thyroxine replacement in primary hypothyroidism

pathology.leedsth.nhs.uk/pa...

As your last dose of T3 was longer ago than 12 hours, before the blood test, your FT3 is falsely low. It's probably around 5.0-5.8

Graph showing why to take T3 approx 12 hours before blood test

healthunlocked.com/api/redi...

Research Paper data comes from

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

Merw profile image
Merw

I have had an increase in Levo upto 225mcg but again worked for 5-6 weeks, did take thyroid complex for a while but didn't seem to do anything .... What do u think to ndt ??

What happened when you tried more T3? It looks as though that is what you need. Your Vit D, B12 and folate are all way too low and might be why you couldn't tolerate a higher dose - and also will be preventing good conversion from T4 to T3 The over range ferritin and high-ish CRP suggest inflammation. Are you gluten-free?

sarosent profile image
sarosent

Merw, I was on a T3/T4 combo, T3 actually went down, dr. increased dose, went down more. (I think my problem was with the time-release aspect).

I went to a different dr. who prescribed Armour NDT and much better so I'm glad your doctor is offering it to try. But don't know the answer to your main question which is how much NDT to take based on your results.

Maybe your dr. knows. Oh nevermind, they don't know anything, LOL

Can anybody knowledgeable help her?

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