levo increased and new results

[slopbog]

Hi I have hair loss and had my thyroid results via my GP 19th Dec , which were:

T3 3.9 (3.1-6.8)

T4 free 19 (10-22)

TSH 2.6 (0.30-5.50)

thyroid peroxidase 5.6 (0.00-24.90)

The GP upped my levo to 125gm. Nothing has changed regarding my hair. So I have had a new set of tests via medichecks ( see attached) I am thinking that I should go back to 100mg Levo? I do not feel ill, but suffer from the hot sweats and palpitations. I have cut out caffeine and trying to be gluten free.

But what else can I do to tackle the hair loss? Can anyone help?

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Its extremely important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

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

Low ferritin can be linked to hair loss

Ask GP to test these four vitamins, plus if you can persuade him, to test zinc too

Or you need to test privately

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

drknews.com/10-reasons-hash...

hypothyroidmom.com/10-thing...

You have high TG antibodies, but TPO are currently within range. Were TPO antibodies tested by GP in the past ? NHS often only acknowledges autoimmune thyroid disease if TPO are high.

Recommended on here that 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)

Is this how you did the test?

Your results show very poor conversion. FT4 is at top of range and FT3 very low

This is often improved by gettzing vitamin levels optimal. Many/most with Hashimoto's need to test regularly and often need to supplement some or all these to maintain good vitamin levels

Strictly gluten free diet diet helps many with Hashimoto's too

[slopbog in reply to SlowDragon]

Hi Slowdragon

Yes it was early morning and I had not taken my levo, I had my these tested in Dec too

trans ferrin 30 (15-45)

serum ferritin 77 ( 13.0- 150.0)

serum TIBC 40 ( 45.0-72.0 )

Folate 17.5 ( 2.1-26.8)

B12 953 ( 197-771)

I use a vitamin D spray every day.

A hair specialist suggested I had the tests including the anti bodies from my GP, which he agreed to , he then contacted the NHS endocrinologist who suggested an increase of 25gm of my levo.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to slopbog]

humanbean or SeasideSusie are the iron and ferritin experts

Serum TIBC is below range

What does GP say about that?

Have you had full iron panel?

Serum ferritin looks ok

Suggest you test zinc too, privately if necessary

Your FT3 is very low.

[slopbog in reply to SlowDragon]

Hi Thankyou I have had a private zinc test which was normal. Hopefully seaside susie or humanbean might be able to help . So many of these results are linked to liver, which makes me worry.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to slopbog]

It's chicken and egg situation

FT4 is converted in liver into FT3.....but if FT3 is low then liver function is poor

Many, many patients need addition of small dose of T3

Getting vitamins optimal is first step

Levothyroxine dose fine tuned

Many with Hashimoto's need to be strictly gluten free

If FT3 remains low then look at seeing a recommended thyroid specialist for prescription for T3, from Thyroid UK list of recommended thyroid specialists

please email Dionne at

[e-mail]

Professor Toft recent article saying, T3 may be necessary for many

rcpe.ac.uk/sites/default/fi...

New NHS England Liothyronine guidelines November 2018 clearly state on pages 8 & 12 that TSH should be between 0.4-1.5 when treated with just Levothyroxine

sps.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploa...

Dossier presented to Lord O'Shaughnessy November 26th

drive.google.com/file/d/1c2...

Liothyronine gender inequality

england.nhs.uk/wp-content/u...

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to slopbog]

These are optimal results for an iron panel

rt3-adrenals.org/Iron_test_...

You are missing serum iron.

serum TIBC 40 ( 45.0-72.0 )

This is below range and according to the link

"Low in range indicates lack of capacity for additional iron"

so I would discuss this with your doctor as yours is below range

trans ferrin 30 (15-45)

I don't know if this is transferrin or transferrin saturation

Ferritin is pretty good.

[slopbog in reply to SeasideSusie]

Hi seasideSusie

Thank you for your reply.

my serum iron is 12 ( 11-25 )

my transferrin saturation index is 30 ( 15-45)

I find this all very confusing as the doctors results are printed out differently to the medichecks!

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to slopbog]

my serum iron is 12 ( 11-25 )

my transferrin saturation index is 30 ( 15-45)

So if you look at the link I gave to optimal levels, then your serum iron very low and your saturation is slightly low

I can't diagnose, and iron is complicated so I'm not an expert, but if you look at this iron panel chart here

irondisorders.org/Websites/...

the closest to your results of

Low serum iron

Normal ferritin

Low transferrin saturation

Low TIBC

then Anaemia of Chronic Disease seems to be suggested.

Look at the rest of the tests appertaining to that - haemoglobin, red blood cell size, MCV, etc. Maybe ask your GP to do a full blood count. I think further investigation is needed.

[slopbog in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you that has all been very helpful. Reading the various papers on how T3 is not allowed to be prescribed by NHs except in 'Exceptional' cases ( whatever they are) is very upsetting too! Is it purely financial?

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to slopbog]

I think the main reason is financial because currently it is over £200 for 30 x 20mcg T3 tablets (they used to cost about £9 a few years ago for the same amount then the NHS allowed themselves to be fleeced by a greedy drug company), but there is a strong element of doctors not being educated enough in treating hypothyroidism and they don't understand T3, having been fed wrong information.

[MissGrace]

You have lots of good advice from far more informed posters than me.

I can only add that my hair fell out when I under-medicated and my hair fell out when I was over-medicated too. I seem to spend half my life cleaning the shower plug hole - all part of the joy of being hypo! I think you need to focus on how you feel and whether you have fewer symptoms all round. I’ll accept a bit of hair collateral damage if I feel good.

By the way, I love you username - slopbog - lol. 🤸🏿‍♀️

[Cariad123 in reply to MissGrace]

I found Selenium has helped my hair loss this has taken about 3 mths nails much better too my T3 is at the top of the range now and that has definitely helped

[slopbog in reply to Cariad123]

Hi Cariad123 That's interesting do you think the selenium influenced your T3?

I will try it.

[Cariad123 in reply to slopbog]

Yes l do don’t know the science behind it can only go on my bloods and the stopping of hair loss l had patches of baldness those have got new growth my nails have stopped breaking which was a nightmare l have an allotment and don’t wear gloves x