This is my first post so I want to give you some background info and my results to see if anyone can give me any advice.
I had been having dizzy spells for years, Dr said I had low blood pressure, eventually given a blood test and the haemoglobin level was 7.4 and they wanted to give me a blood transfusion. I ended up on Ferrous Sulphate for a few months even though my iron level was 11 (low but still in the normal range). After another blood test a nurse practitioner noticed my TSH was 21 and even though my T4 level was just within the normal range he suggested I take levothyroxine. I googled my results and found my results suggested Hashimotos. My hair had fallen out dramatically, I had serious brain fog and I was constantly cold especially my feet and hands. Drs would not test me for Hashimotos so I paid for medichecks and Hashimotos was confirmed. I have been taking levothyroxine for 16 months and have been increasing it slowly up to now, I am currently taking 150. I have changed my job so I am less stressed and cut out gluten from my diet. I even started eating meat (after 29 years as a vegetarian) as I read bone broth is good for a leaky gut.
I recently paid for another full test as although my hair has grown back and I am not as tired, I still have brain fog frequently and get very tired at times.
I understand that my TSH is considered low however I am not having any problems sleeping, I have put on weight (definitely not lost any) and I am not at all anxious. My antibodies are crazy high, any advice on how I can lower these? I have bought Vit D supplements. My Dr wants to decrease my levothyroxine but I am reluctant. Any advice gratefully received.
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Hannahg12
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Your doctor should have prescribed Vitamin D. Did you show him these results? You may need an initial Loading dose. Google " NICE guidlines for treatment of Vitamin D deficiency "
I am seeing my Dr next week, will tell him my results then. I have already started taking a Vit D supplement. Will check out the NICE guidelines... thank you!
If you lower your dose of levo, your FT4 and FT3 will fall. Your FT3 isn't super high, anyway, and that's the most important number - not the TSH - so you're definitely not over-medicated. In fact, your FT3 might not be high enough for you. But, paradoxically, increasing your levo probably won't raise it any further, and might even cause it to go lower. The solution would be to add a little T3 to your levo, but that's very hard to get, these days. But it would probably get rid of your brain-fog and ease your fatigue.
Why do you want to reduce your antibodies? What do you think that will achieve? Whatever level they drop to - and antibodies do fluctuate all the time - you will still have Hashi's, that won't change.
If you take vit D, you also need to take vit K2 - MK7 and magnesium. Vit D increases the absorption of calcium from food, and the K2 makes sure it goes into the teeth and bones, and doesn't build up in the soft tissues. Taking vit d also uses up your magnesium, so you need to replace it.
B12, Ferritin and Folate all normal.
This tells us absolutely nothing. All it means is that they are in-range. But, it's important to know where in the range they fall. Is the B12 test the active test or the serum test? It's important to know. Is your ferritin around one hundred, and folate at least mid-range? If not, they won't be optimal. Always better to give the numbers - results and ranges - and doses if supplementing.
Thank you....I didn’t realise my T3 was affected by Levo.
B12 45.3
Folate 15.8
Ferritin 23.1
They are all on the low side of normal. I sporadically take ferrous sulphate (I don’t like the side effects) and Vit C along with magnesium before bed.
I shall definitely try T3 and K2 as well. My Dr gave me no advice so all this help is fantastic! Thank you!
Ferritin is very low. Eating liver or liver pate once a week plus other iron rich foods plus daily vitamin C to improve iron absorption should help
B12 and folate on the low side. 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
Recommended brands on here are Igennus Super B complex. (Often only need one tablet per day, not two). Or Jarrow B-right
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
Take care with adding T3, your levels aren’t that low. I suspect you may benefit from more into your condition. I was surprised you didn’t know about NDT. If you go down the T3 route how will yo7 know what dose to take. You will have to tell your GP you are taking it as it will skew test results he/she needs to know.
I suggest doing a bit more work on optimising vitamin and mineral levels before starting additional meds.
You could also ask for a referral to an endo who may prescribe ndt or t3 on NHS.
Well, levo is the thyroid hormone T4. T4 is a storage hormone that has to be converted into T3, which is the active hormone. T3 has to be prescribed just like T4, and I don't think a GP can do that, you would have to be referred to an endo. It's very likely that your doctor won't even know what T3 is, not all of them do. And, the reason your doctor didn't give you any advice, is probably because he doesn't know himself.
Not many doctors do know about thyroid, so we have to learn as much as we can ourselves. But, keep reading on here, and asking questions, and you will learn a lot.
I think you would do better to take vit C in the morning - it could affect your sleep. Which magnesium are you taking? Magnesium Citrate?
Very, very important to get your B12 up, as well. But, all supplements much be taken at least 2 hours away from levo. And iron and magnesium four hours away. What were the side-effects of taking iron that you didn't like?
It depends what you want it to do for you. Magnesium Citrate is good for constipation. Magnesium Taurate is good for cardiovascular health. Magnesium Malate for fatigue. Magnesium Chloride for detoxing, and Magnesium Carbonate for indigestion and acid reflux.
Any vitamin taken at night can affect sleep, because they tend to have a stimulating effect.
The more experienced members will be able to give you better advice but,
I too have Hashimoto’s and an underactive Thyroid, when we have Hashimoto’s, we often experience low vitamin levels.
You could try supplementing with selenium to help with your Hashimoto’s.
Are you strictly gluten free? Some say cutting dairy products out helps, for me it didn’t help.
Have your got your test results for your B12, iron & Ferritin. Iron is very important for thyroid support.
I suffer with cold hands and feet and it was suggested I had Reynard’s, however, since being on NDT I’m starting to feel warmer.
I was on Levothyroxine, but I felt like a walking zombie couldn’t think straight so I’m self medicating.
Maybe if your T3 was slightly higher it may help, but I doubt your GP will increase your T4 as he’s suggested decreasing your Levothyroxine. T4 is support to convert to T3, but often when we have Hashimoto’s this can cause us issues.
What happens often is GP’s don’t like below range TSH so they mess about with your dosage, then you start experiencing a rollercoaster of symptoms because they decrease, increase etc.
Thank you peanut....can I ask what NDT is? I am not strictly gluten free, I fall off the wagon at the weekend sometimes! I used to take selenium, will get some more in and try it again.
It's Natural Desiccated Thyroid...the freeze dried gland from a pig or cow. It provides all the T,s not just t4 which you are taking. You can buy it but take advice from the advisors on here.
Hannahg12, just my $0.02 but when my TSH was that low I felt dreadful. I was overmedicated and had to cut back on my dosage. The symptoms of hypo and hyper were very similar for me and I was surprised that I was indeed overmedicated. Good luck, it’s definitely a journey as they say, and I hope you feel better soon!
Your $0.02 is gratefully received....I feel better than I have for a long time but the brain fog is definitely still there. There sure is a lot to learn!
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