Bloods would 50mcg Levo help: Family history of... - Thyroid UK

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Bloods would 50mcg Levo help

Ellemac profile image
9 Replies

Family history of Hashimotos and under active Thyroid. My mother myself and eldest daughter.

My younger daughter 21 has PCOS and has gained 4 st in weight over the last 2 years. She is feeling tired and experiencing digestive issues and possible food intolerances.

Bloods taken last week show a further rise in antibodies. They were 60 last year.

Endo says her thyroid is within range but both myself and eldest daughter find we need to be at the top end of that range.

Wondering if it would be worth starting her iin 50mcg Levo.

Vit D results not back yet. Hopefully someone can advise on these results.

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Ellemac
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SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering

Ellemac

Her raised TPO antibodies suggest Hashi's, almost a certainty considering the family history. It's obviously not progressed enough to affect her FT4/FT3 levels yet although her TSH is showing signs of the thyroid starting to struggle.

Is your daughter on a strict gluten free diet and supplementing with selenium l-selenomethionine 200mcg daily to try and help reduce antibodies?

B12 and folate aren't too bad.

No ferritin test?

Dr Toft, past president of the British Thyroid Association and leading endocrinologist, suggests in his article in Pulse magazine (the magazine for doctors) that where antibodies are present then starting Levo can "nip things in the bud" but that is when TSH is raised over range but less than 10.

Ellemac profile image
Ellemac in reply toSeasideSusie

I asked for Ferritin to be checked but I don't think it was tested or maybe like the Vit D it hasn't come back yet.

She didn't have a period for 4 months so I was concentrating with supplements and homeopathic meds to get it started again. She has now had 2 normal periods. Wanted to try and sort this naturally as she didn't want to complicate things further by introducing Pill etc offered by GP.

She is trying to go Gluten free. I also want to get some allergy testing done as I think dairy may be a problem.

I will also get her some Selenium.

Thank you

Peanut31 profile image
Peanut31

HI Ellemac

Looking at the results, your daughter has raised anti bodies and you mentioned before in another test they were raised. Did the endo not mention Hashimoto's to you, especially as it runs in the family?

I would recommend she goes strictly gluten free, this should help with digestive issues and reduce her anti body levels. It certainly helped me and I have been gluten free since September 2017.

It appears the endo is not helping her, TSH of 3.15, means her thyroid is struggling which is why she feels so unwell. Just because the endo states it is in range, this means nothing at all. For us to feel well are TSH needs to be 1 or below and T4 and T3 in the higher figures of the ranges. However, from my own experience until your TSH reaches 10 or above they will not start you on thyroid medication, unless you have a very sympathetic GP or endo. It appears you don't.

What time did you have those blood tests by the way?

You mentioned starting levo 50mcg, has this been offered to your daughter, or would she be self medicating?

Either way, yes start on 50mcg of levo and then increase by a further 25mcg after 6 - 8 weeks = 75mcg. Make sure that you have a blood test done after the 6- 8 week mark testing TSH, T3 & T4 to see where the levels are at.

Many including myself do those tests privately, either with medi checks or blue horizon and can be done at home via a finger prick test.

Then keep increasing the levo by 25mcg every 6 - 8 weeks until your daughters thyroid results improve and most importantly she feels well.

Some people don't get on with Levo, myself included, despite trying different brands, Teva for me was hell.

If your daughter does not improve on levo after following the procedure then maybe try NDT which has T4 & T3 in it.

Best Wishes

Peanut31

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

Important to do thyroid tests as early as possible in morning and fasting to get highest TSH

PCOS and Hashimoto's are linked

PCOS and low carb diet

So plenty of protein and GOOD fats, but reduced carb

Michael Moseley's Low Blood Sugar diet is good place to start

plus strictly gluten free for Hashimoto's

It's pretty easy to combine the two diets

Trying gluten free diet for 3-6 months. If no noticeable improvement then reintroduce gluten and see if symptoms get worse

chriskresser.com/the-gluten...

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

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

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

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

Ellemac profile image
Ellemac in reply toSlowDragon

Thank you.

Blood were taken fasting around

11am

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply toEllemac

OK, try to get 9am next test

Come back with vitamin D and ferritin test results on new post when you get them

Ellemac profile image
Ellemac in reply toSlowDragon

Ok thanks for your help.

Ellemac profile image
Ellemac

I agree. Really appreciate your comments.

Thank you

HughH profile image
HughH

T3 is the active thyroid hormone which controls the metabolism and every cell in the body.

Your daughter's free T3 is in the upper part of the normal range which is good so she is not hypothyroid.

However given your family history and her symptoms it looks like she has Impaired Sensitivity to Thyroid Hormone, also known as thyroid hormone resistance. With it you need very high T3 levels to overcome the resistance. This fits with what you say that "both myself and eldest daughter find we need to be at the top end of that range."

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