Medichecks test results- please help: Hi all I... - Thyroid UK

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Medichecks test results- please help

sugarbee1981 profile image
11 Replies

Hi all

I posted before and I pushed for help with my dr but to no avail. They then retested my thyroid last week but I am waiting on results. I also got medichecks thyroid tests done privately that day and my results are just in. I am really disappointed as they all appear to be normal except one and so I cannot understand how I feel so bad. Last time my TSH was done it was around 6 and that was in July. I have just woke from a nap I took at 11am. I am exhausted, piling on weight, cold, hair faĺling out, depressed. All sorts. I have low folate and iron and get B12 injections. I dont know where to go from here

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sugarbee1981
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sugarbee1981 profile image
sugarbee1981

Any advice welcome.

radd profile image
radd

Sugarbee,

I am sorry to hear you are feeling so bad.

We can have good blood tests results, meaning we have a good amount of thyroid hormone circulating in our blood but if still symptomatic it clearly isn’t working, and you have lots to work on in order to improve well being.

Optimal iron and nutrients will help. Are you supplementing iron and folate ? . And what about Vit D ? ? …

Elevated thyroid antibodies can cause inflammation. This inflammation can suppress all thyroid activity, deceasing conversion and reducing the number and sensitivity of thyroid hormone receptors. It is important to try decreasing thyroid antibodies in order that you give your meds the best possible chance of working.

Many members have found eating a healthy and gluten free diet to be beneficial in reducing thyroid antibodies. There is lots of reading in the links below.

.

Hashimotos

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

.

Thyroid/Gluten Connection

chriskresser.com/the-gluten...

sugarbee1981 profile image
sugarbee1981 in reply toradd

Thank you. I supplement folic acid and ferritin. They refuse to treat me for the symptoms I know are from thyroid. My mum is hypothyroid too. I am off work sick with depression and anxiety but it is honestly from sheer tiredness. I sleep hours but never feel rested. I have begged for a trial of thyroxine to help instead of the 60mg of prozac they throw at me. I am at the end of my tether and just want to feel well or at least normal.

radd profile image
radd in reply tosugarbee1981

sugarbee,

Unfortunately many GP's will still not prescribe Levothyroxine until TSH has reached 10, regardless of thyroid antibody levels. Hashimoto’s is caused by the immune system making antibodies to attack proteins in the thyroid gland and the standard care is to simply wait until the immune system has destroyed enough thyroid tissue to classify them as hypothyroid, and then prescribe thyroid hormone replacement.

If they start to exhibit other symptoms commonly associated with their condition, like depression or insulin resistance, they’ll get additional drugs for those problems too.

The obvious shortcoming of this approach is that it doesn’t address the underlying cause of the problem, which is the immune system attacking the thyroid gland.

Because the immune system is in a heightened state, many experience an over reaction to gluten (and possibly dairy) which can cause autoimmune damage to the intestines resulting in poor absorption of nutrients. Following an anti-inflammatory diet/lifestyle and avoiding dietary triggers like gluten has been helpful to many members in reducing thyroid antibody levels and improving gut issues, etc.

Stress can have an enormous effect on the immune system. Think of asthma//eczema// upset tums during emotional//physiological//physical stress. Chronic adrenal stress and elevated cortisol levels can weaken the immune system further and encourage even higher thyroid antibody levels.

The medical profession are ignorant of the destruction that thyroid antibodies can cause past the thyroid gland. They do not believe it can present in so many different ways as the body becomes stuck in a chronic state of immune system overload, adrenal insufficiency, gut dysbiosis, impaired digestion, inflammation, and thyroid hormone release abnormalities.

This cycle becomes interrelated and reinforces itself through a positive feedback loop, meaning the cycle is self sustaining and will continue causing yet more symptoms until elevated thyroid antibodies are reduced, so improving the immune system and adrenal health.

I hope you feel better soon.

sugarbee1981 profile image
sugarbee1981 in reply toradd

Thank you for your reply. I hope so too as I am not sure I could feel worse. It is such a minefield and I feel like a hypochondriac.

radd profile image
radd in reply tosugarbee1981

sugarbee,

You are very welcome.

It is a minefield so start with the g/f diet and see how you feel.

You have nothing to lose and may even find improvements. 🙂

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

Your High TG antibodies confirms you have Hashimoto's also called autoimmune thyroid disease

Unfortunately NHS only recognises High TPO and high TG antibodies, not just high TG antibodies

The fact you already have low B12, ferritin and low folate this suggests your stomach is affected by the Hashimoto's

You also need Vitamin D tested

vitamindtest.org.uk

Highly likely for vitamin D to be low as well

Hashimoto's affects the gut and leads to low stomach acid and then low vitamin levels. Low vitamin levels affect Thyroid hormone working

Poor gut function can lead leaky gut (literally holes in gut wall) this can cause food intolerances. Most common by far is gluten.

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, help gut heal and slowly lower antibodies

Ideally ask GP for coeliac blood test first

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

chriskresser.com/the-gluten...

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

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

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

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

But don't be surprised that GP or endo never mention gut, gluten or low vitamins. Hashimoto's is very poorly understood

Persistent low vitamins with supplements suggests coeliac disease or gluten intolerance

gluten.org/resources/health...

As to your actual thyroid results, your FT4 is low and your FT3 is very low. But all your GP is looking at is the "normal" TSH result

You likely would benefit from starting on Levothyroxine

Email Thyroid UK for list of recommended thyroid specialists

please email Dionne


tukadmin@thyroiduk.org

Can you add your most recent iron, ferritin, B12 and folate results and say exactly what supplements you are taking

sugarbee1981 profile image
sugarbee1981 in reply toSlowDragon

Thank you so much Slowdragon. I haven't had a B12, folate or ferritin test since July. I will have to get those results but they rarely test my B12 as I am on hydroxycobalimin injections every 8wks. I take 5mg of folic acid daily and I think 225mg of ferrous fumarate. They usually put me on the supplements for 3mths, take me off for 3mths then I start getting angular chellitis etc and they put me back on them. I have had alot of toilet issues recently(sorry if Tmi), nausea and acid reflux on top of all the rest. I took my boyfriend to the dr with me so they would listen and I had a list of symptoms so they contacted an endo by email without renewed bloods and he said he wouldnt treat while TSH is under 10. I cant fathom how they can give out prozac like sweeties but not do a trial dose of thyroxine.

Thanks for the advice.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply tosugarbee1981

Your endocrinologist is likely only a Diabetes specialist

You need a thyroid specialist

Have you had endoscopy for gut issues and coeliac

First step is to test vitamin D and push for seeing gastroenterologist

sugarbee1981 profile image
sugarbee1981 in reply toSlowDragon

No I think I had bloods done years ago to see if I had coeliac but definately over 10years ago. Never had an endoscopy.

I will get my vitamin D done and it's looking likely I will be going private then as waiting times are terrible at the moment here in NI

Angel_of_the_North profile image
Angel_of_the_North in reply tosugarbee1981

They get extra funding for dealing out anti-depressants but nothing for thyroxine.

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