1st Medichecks results....also Happy Xmas to all !!!! :-)

[jamjar67]

For a complete picture I have given all info of my journey so far......

Initial investigation blood results 21/9/18

TSH 9.3 (0.2- 4)

free T4 10 (10-20)

Vit D 76 (75-250)

Haemaglobin 40 (20 - 41)

Follow up test results confirming diagnosis autoimmune thyroditis hypothyroid 2/10/18

TSH 7.20 (2 - 4)

T4 10.3. (10 - 20)

serum B12 657 (211.0 - 911.0)

ferritin 11 (10 - 322.0)

folate 13.4 (5.4 - 24)

TPO >1300 (<100.0)

1st bloods at Drs after 6wks 50mcg levo

TSH 2.1 (0.2 - 4.0)

14th Dec 1st Medichecks results.

TSH 2.89 (0.27 - 4.2)

Free T4 15.7. (12 - 22)

Free T3. 4.6. (3.10 - 6.8)

Thyroglobulin. 579. (0 - 115)

TPO. 199. (0 - 34)

Active B12. 129. (37.5 - 188)

Folate. 12.58 (3.89 - 26.8)

Vit D. 75.1 (50 - 200)

Ferritin. 22.2. (13 - 150)

CRP 0.49. (0 - 5)

Medichecks and 1st test after starting levo done at 9am fasting

Questions

1 - My Dr was reluctant to increase my dose as I had gone from TSH 9.3 to 2.1 and was concerned about me going hyper as I suffer with anxiety and panic attacks, however I persuaded her to give me an extra 25mcg to take on alternate days - do you think this is a good idea with these results? ( I had a terrible balance episode which they said could be BPVV, I have done Epley manoeuvre at home but it’s still there but not as bad and I have ringing in my ears, I thought the extra levo might help to sort this out?)

2 - do I need iron tablets to increase Ferritin?

3 - my TPO levels have fallen drastically, is this due to the thyroxine or perhaps because I’ve given up gluten?

4 - what’s Thyroglobulin? not sure I know what that means?

5 - any other pointers greatly appreciated!

From things learned on this site I am taking

200 Selenium

3000 Vit D with K2 MK7 (100)

B vits

Magnesium citrate (also use mag body oil and the odd Epsom salt bath)

Omega 3

Hemp oil

Innate adrenal response

Probiotic 60billion 2 x daily

Digestive enzymes

Have also jus bought some goat kefir and some kimchi to add to my diet...

Have been avoiding cows milk products but have had a few celebrations Choctaw (it’s Xmas!!)

Have been totally gluten free to the best of my knowledge 🤔

I am leaving 4 hrs before eating calcium and iron and 2 hrs before eating brekky

Really greatful for any guidance xx

[greygoose]

1. Your doctor is very ignorant. If you are hypo, you cannot become hyper, it's a physical impossibility. You could be over-medicated, but that is unlikely with an increase of 25 mcg when your TSH is way too high, still, and your FT4 and FT3 are just hovering around mid-range. You need an increase in dose.

2. Anxiety and panic attacks can also be symptoms of under-medication. 3. I think you need an iron panel to investigate that low ferritin. It's much too low, and your body will not be able to use the hormone you're giving it.

4. Thyroglobulin is a protein found inside the thyroid. But, the are not measuring the thyroglobulin itself, they are measuring the antibodies to thyroglobulin, which is a sign that you have Hashi's. Hashi's has already been confirmed by the TPO antibodies, so no need to worry about the TgAB.

5. Your vit D is too low.

Merry Christmas.

[jamjar67 in reply to greygoose]

That’s brilliant feedback!....Thankyou so much for explaining and ironing out my concerns...

I’ll order an iron panel, up my Vit D and increase my levo starting this eve with peace of mind !!

Thanks again and have a lovely Xmas xx

[greygoose in reply to jamjar67]

You're very welcome.

[roxanaleah]

Hiya, jamjar and Merry Christmas to you as well!

Isn't amazing how effective the 50mcg of Levothyroxine has been?

You don't mention the difference(s), if any, in terms of your sense of wellbeing between before diagnosis and now.

If I were you, looking back over the past 2 years and understanding how easy it is to become overmedicated and yet how difficult it is to recognize it (except in extreme examples), I would hold at the 50mcg for 6 more weeks.

This might sound dramatic, but I'm hoping you can sense my intent...since you will not die from staying on the same dose, and because there is a continual 'drift' of hormone levels, as Dr. Alan Christianson puts it, for upwards of three months, you are much better served, IMO, holding and retesting than titrating so "soon".

Mine is not a popular thought but it is offered with care and after much consideration and way too much of the aforementioned "tinkering".

Oh that someone would have been the voice of reason for me, then. *sigh

Anyway, you sound good and your results show you are going in the right direction! Congratulations!

[jamjar67 in reply to roxanaleah]

Hi and thanks for your response...., I had lots of symptoms, my tiredness has improved and I also had this weird temperature almost like a static feeling under the skin (top 1/2 of my body mainly my arms) that is also largely gone too (I had lots of other symptoms which have largely gone) ...at the latter stages just before diagnosis I had this weird balance thing happen which felt like something pulled or crossed in my head and caused me to stagger across the room I thought I’d had it!!!, (it happened 3 times, once lying down, once in the shower and the biggest when I got out the shower, v scary) I also then saw double vision when I looked up at some birds in the sky and also the cognition went in my left hand, I also had tingling in my left hand and foot..., all this has gone except for ringing in my ears and this weird sensation in my head (I’ve not lost balance again and felt like I was going to fall over) but I can’t move my head fast or nod my head and at one point I could feel the vibration of my voice in my head and couldn’t cope with stress and lots of noise and commotion (difficult in our house!! Lol). It has improved but not gone....So I was hoping this little increase in my medication could sort the last symptom which is this ringing and head sensation (I’m going to take 75mcg one day and 50mcg the next)... If this doesn’t work atleast I’ve tried and hopefully they will investigate further as to what’s causing it - this really distresses me...., what happened to you being overmedicated? and did it take long to get you back to the correct dose? It’s so hard to know what to do for the best.... I also rang the British Thyroid Association and an endocrinologist called Peter Hammond had done a talk saying it was better to take a little bit more than not quite enough?? I don’t feel I’m increasing my dose drastically but I understand where you are coming from as my Dr was the same as you saying I’d had good results coming from 9.3 to 2.1 on

Were you overmedicated by much?

Thanks

Julie