Hello Everyone, and many thanks for your continuing support. After a really difficult few months of dramatic dose change, alluded to in previous posts, the senior partner in our GP practice has taken over and on 21.3.19, reluctantly agreed to put me on 100mcg/75mcg Levothyroxine on alternate days. This has made a big difference, although on a 75 day I am noticeably less able (autosuggestion or objective reality?). I had a retest on April 27th, with the first antibodies test ever, in nearly seven years.
Although I have read extensively, and am most grateful for all the input from this site, am entirely unsure whether : a.the GP will pounce on the ‘suppressed TSH’ already mentioned by him as a concern in previous tests, and
b. whether the antibodies result indicates Hashimoto’s.
I went gluten free for nine months five years ago, but this did not seem to have any significant effect upon my gut health, or other symptoms. Now, I only eat organic, with cold oats and fruit every morning, and only a slice of bread every other day.
Thank you so very much for taking time to comment.
Written by
BlueMoon65
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Antibodies fluctuate. So, with a result that high for the TPO antibodies, it's more than likely they occasionally go over-range, meaning that, yes, you do have Hashi's. I would take that as a positive result.
Your doctor more than likely will pounce on the suppressed TSH, but that will be due to his ignorance. If he lowers your levo because of that your FT4 will decrease. But, so will your FT3, and that's the most important number. Your FT3 is already below mid-range. If it decreases further, you will feel worse. You are a poor converter and either need your FT4 a bit higher, or, you need T3 added to a reduced dose of levo. But, your chances of getting that out of a doctor who doesn't like a low TSH are next to zero. He just doesn't understand enough about thyroid.
What you could do is ask to be referred to an endo - as you still have symptoms - and research one that is T3-friendly. Or buy your own T3 on-line. But, neither strategy is guaranteed to work.
Having said that, you could try and find out why you don't convert very well. There are many reasons for poor conversion. This is taken from a reply I gave to someone yesterday:
Why you convert poorly is another question. There are all sorts of things that affect conversion: infections, low-calorie diets, low nutrients, or just the fact that you have Hashi's - and there's not much you can do about that! But, I would suggest you get your nutrients tested: vit D, vit B12, folate, ferritin. If these are deficient or sub-optimal, you need to supplement them for your body to be able to absorb and process thyroid hormones.
But, if those four are low, others are likely to be low, too. For good conversion you need good levels of magnesium, selenium, zinc, copper, and a few others. No point in testing magnesium because the only test we have is not fit for purpose, due to the way the body handles magnesium. It would be good if you could get selenium tested, but tests are expensive and doctors are reluctant to do them. Most people just try taking selenium for a while, see if it helps.
As for zinc, you more than likely to be low in zinc because you're hypo and hypos are low in zinc. Just take some, see if it helps. But, you're likely to be high in copper (because the zinc is low) so don't take any of that without getting tested first.
Optimising your nutrients, making sure you ingest enough calories, may help improve your conversion. But if your conversion is poor just because you're Hashi's, as I said, there's not much you can do about it.
Absolutely essential to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12
Do you currently supplement any of these?
Or any other supplements?
These four need to be optimal for thyroid hormones to work well and for good conversion on FT4 to FT3
With antibodies that near top of range you can assume its Hashimoto's
You also need TG antibodies tested but NHS refuses if TPO antibodies are within range
For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested. Also extremely important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12
Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially if Thyroid antibodies are raised
Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and fasting. This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, best not mentioned to GP or phlebotomist)
Last Levothyroxine dose should be 24 hours prior to test, (taking delayed dose immediately after blood draw).
Is this how you do your tests?
Private tests are available. Thousands on here forced to do this as NHS often refuses to test FT3 or antibodies or all vitamins
Medichecks Thyroid plus ultra vitamin or Blue Horizon Thyroid plus eleven are the most popular choice. DIY finger prick test or option to pay extra for private blood draw. Both companies often have special offers, Medichecks usually have offers on Thursdays, Blue Horizon its more random
Medichecks currently have an offer on until end of May - 20% off
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Temporary Hashimoto’s 
Hashimoto’s and ME/CFS
Hashimoto’s - Overactive and Underactive Thyroid 
Hair loss in Hashimoto’s/hypothyroidism 
