Posting here for my Mum (71) who has had high TSH for quite some time (GPs have been querying high TSH for over 5 years and eventually trialled her on Levothyroxine but she started to get panic attacks and said she didn't want to take it)
She's now taking 1grain Naturethroid and is feeling less tired and foggy but some days better than others.
I suggested she had a full Thyroid blood test, so she got this (in my opinion quite odd) set of results through today. It was a morning test, last tablet was taken 12 hrs before blood draw.
I've told her to take the results to her GP to see if they're prepared to refer her to an endocrinologist given the crazy high antibodies. Does anyone have any helpful ideas/suggestions?
Many thanks in advance
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hypercat54 To clarify, neither Vit D or B12 are showing as deficient.
Vit D is 72 against deficient >30 and insufficient 30 - 50, so 72 is within normal parameters as far as those go, although nevertheless definitely recommended to be higher for good health: the Vit D Council recommends a level of 125nmol/L (50ng/ml) and the Vit D Society recommends a level of 100-150nmol/L (40-60ng/ml).
Vit B12 is 193 against deficient >145 and insufficient 145 - 300, so yes, it too is too low, but is insufficient rather than deficient. In "Could it be B12?" by Sally M. Pacholok, she writes: "We believe that the 'normal' serum B12 threshold needs to be raised from 200 pg/ml to at least 450 pg/ml because deficiencies begin to appear in the cerebrospinal fluid below 550. ...... For brain and nervous system health and prevention of disease in older adults, serum B12 levels should be maintained near or above 1000 pg/ml."
I think this is evidence of putting a person on a thyroid medication without finding out if their thyroid is truly hypothyroid. You did not have antibodies tests run.
Also she will likely end up with more reverse T3 created as all people have some level of that and the reverse T3 will make her feel worse while also this action you have taken will make her become eventually dependent on it as her own body will shut down the ability to produce the hormone as has probably happened to so many in this group.
It is VERY LIKELY the only reason the TSH is high is the body WANTS to make more thyroid hormone, but can't because it is missing the needed ingredients to accomplish this task.
She may be deficient in iodine.
There is no need to take anything in too large a quantity so when I suggested a professional grade multi vitamin mineral with 52 elements in it in a correct amounts and made out of the best types of each and only a very low dose is needed, actually half what is suggested to Americans. It is usually sold by doctors to patients in their practice. So the young woman of 21 took it for only 1.5 months before her next set of tests and then she showed me the previous results too from before I met her. It was ONLY thyroid tests and only TSH FT4 and FT3. All the results came to great levels simply because she had the needed inputs she was missing and her body was able to make the hormones. She did not have any antibodies tests either. But her doctor said she was fine and could not really understand it as she had not told him all she did was add in some supplements.
Basically a high TSH is not a good way to diagnose if a person is hypothyroid, but it seems it sure is a good way to indicate the person is missing needed nutrients for the body to function. While most people say they eat a varied diet it is extremely easy to be deficient in some elements, depending on the food you choose to eat.
So I would say at a cost of £1 a day which covers 4 tablets to be taken 1 at each of 4 fairly evenly spaced times a day with food. This is because it is necessary to get the digestion process going to get most nutrients into the body properly. There are a few things that are better taken in a fasting state but that is another issue. In this case it is to get all nutrients into the body and not having most go down the toilet, as would happen if it was only taken with water. These are also tablets and they are the best version from this company. So that is why there are best ways to do things. She could also find other parameters of her health improve too as well as her mood. I use this myself and my doctor has used it for his patients from before I met him in 2000. It is highly rated and I could provide details on that and have in other comments.
I do not know if I am allowed to give the name, but it is available on Amazon UK site, so I could give the link in a private message. I say this because I know T3 locations etc are not to be revealed. My concern here is your mother does deserve the best approach, so please read what happened to DAWID86 and I do not think you want that to happened to your mother.
I think it is cruelty to but a person on a medication without trying this first, especially as there was another man (DAWID86) who visited this site who had a horrendous experience when he was put on a T4 containing medication.
The majority of people here have some sort of thyroid disease so they seem to want all others to be like them Well I am doing very well by solving the reverse T3 issue and being able to make my own hormones because I choose the nutrition approach.
I say you owe it to your mother to give her the nutrition solution as it is very simple.
If anyone is going to be put on thyroid medication it should NEVER be done without doing the full panel of 6 tests including the reverse T3 to see if it is indeed a deficient thyroid. I did my case that way and found I had only a reverse T3 issue so set about to solve that.
Do not make the mistake of jumping to conclusions and making you mother worse as the cost to solve the nutrition aspect is so low and could bring even added benefits like improved blood levels of some cells as one man I helped had his anemia that had been going on for many years solved with this brand of Multi.
Also notice that the other deficiencies talked about here would also be solved with this one Multi and given it is designed for doctors to use with patients that is why it is so good and gets a 5/5 star rating in a book I mentioned I have two editions of as taking a healthful approach ios how I solve my issues and have been helping people for over 15 years as a result.
You could also likely solve your mothers issues in one month this way at a cost of about £34. To buy all the supplements separately is way more expensive. And the man who solved his anemia this way said it was much simpler to take one supplement than to take several as the buying process is also simpler. Also the dividing of doses through the day is best as so much does leave the body so soon. So it is better to have a low level in the blood around the clock, even at night as that is when lots of body repairing goes on. So that is why I say take 1 tablet at four different times with a little food and it does not require a whole meal but perhaps have something with a little fat in it to get full digestion going.
The problem is, an endo won't be able to do anything about her antibodies - no-one can - and she might end up worse under the care of an endo, who will more than likely be a diabetes specialist with weird notions about thyroid, then she would staying with her GP.
The antibodies just indicate that she has Hashi's - which is probably why her results appear strange. They're not doing anything much. Her TSH is very high considering her Frees, but that sort of thing can happen with Hashi's. I think she just needs an increase in dose. Try increasing her by 1/4 grain, and see how it goes.
Is she taking anything for her low B12? If she's taking a B complex, then did she stop it one week before the blood test? The biotin in a B complex can sometimes interfere with the results.
It's important to both get adequate levels of basic vitamins as well as tackling the thyroid problem. More folate and B12 look to be needed. But there's no doubt she needs more hormone treatment. Her body is doing its best to maintain FT3 levels in the face of a failing thyroid, but it's important to get TSH down preferably to below 1 unit and FT3 higher in the range, regardless of the FT4. I am suspicious of general healthcare "professionals" with limited knowledge advising you and overplaying nutritional advice. Its important but can't override direct thyroid hormone treatment, however you find it works best - and it takes time to find the best way forward. It looks as if, even if it hasn't happened yet, the high antibody titre will eventually destroy the gland completely.
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. Certainly only start with one tablet per day after breakfast. Retesting levels in 6-8 weeks ).
Or Jarrow B-right is popular choice, but is large capsule
If you are taking vitamin B complex, or any supplements containing biotin, remember to stop these 7 days before any blood tests, as biotin can falsely affect test results
Vitamin D is slightly too low. GP will only prescribe to bring vitamin D up to 50nmol. Aiming to improve by self supplementing to at least 80nmol and around 100nmol may be better .
Once she Improves level, very likely will need on going maintenance dose to keep it there.
Aim of replacement thyroid hormones is to increase the dose slowly until TSH is under two. (Many need TSH under one) and FT4 and FT3 over half way in range. On NDT rather than Levothyroxine, FT4 may be ok lower
Selenium(Se) is the catalyst for the T4 to T3 reaction (as well as T3 to T2). Se will not directly affect antibodies but antibodies will decrease if you get those other reactions optimal.
Yes, I meant that selenium helps to lower antibodies. Also I meant to tag SeasideSusie as she gives great supplement advice for all that's needed for these problems. 😀
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