Test Results: Hi everyone, I finally got my... - Thyroid UK

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Test Results

Cade83 profile image
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Hi everyone, I finally got my results after my first sample got lost in post despite sending it special delivery. My results

Active B12 124 pmol/L 37.5-188 pmol/L

Ferritin 58 ug/L 30-200 ug/L

Folate 11.3 nmol/L 8.83-40 nmol/L

Vitamin D 49.8 75-100 nmol/L

TSH 3.1 mIU/L 0.27-4.3 mIU/L

FT3 5.22 pmol/L 3.1-6.8 pmol/L

FT4 13.1 pmol/L 12-17 pmol/L

T4 72.6 nmol/L 66-181 nmol/L

Thyroglobulin antibodies (TgAB)

611 kU/L 0-115 kU/L

Thyroid peroxidase antibodies

209 kIU/L 0-34 kIU/L

The only thing Thriva’s doctor said was about my Vit D which I’ll get some supplements. However I am concerned that my folate is on the lower end of normal and although they have said I’m now on the correct dose I wonder whether my TSH could be lower. This was checked couple weeks ago and it was 2.0. Do I need to go up to 75mcg of levothyroxine? I’m also on the lower end for ferritin as well. I knew about the antibodies which probably means I have hashimotos. What does everyone think?

TIA

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Cade83
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SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering

Cade83

I finally got my results after my first sample got lost in post despite sending it special delivery.

Did you claim from Royal Mail? If you have your receipt with tracking number you can make a claim, you may only get the cost of the special delivery service back but at least that's something. Did Thriva send you a replacement test kit free of charge? If not I would challenge Royal Mail about refunding you the cost of the kit. Your parcel is somewhere, it has a tracking number, it's not actually lost although it may be misplaced, but Special Delivery scans it when it's handed over at the Post Office counter, when it leaves the Post Office, when it arrives at the sorting office, when it arrives at the local office and when it's out for deliver and when it's actually delivered it requires a signature. So someone, somewhere, should be able to locate your parcel. Using RM's Track and Trace online by putting your tracking number in, you should see the journey in detail.

Active B12 124 pmol/L 37.5-188 pmol/L

This is good. Do you supplement?

Folate 11.3 nmol/L 8.83-40 nmol/L

Recommended level is at least half way through range, so 24.5+ with that range. I would be considering a good quality B Complex containing methylfolate. If you are not supplementing with B12 then as your level is naturally good you don't need a high dose of methylcobalamin in the B Complex. If you are supplementing with B12 you could probably stop that and just use a B Complex such as Thorne Basic B or Igennus Super B.

Ferritin 58 ug/L 30-200 ug/L

This is a bit low. It's said that for thyroid hormone to work properly (that's our own as well as replacement hormone) ferritin needs to be at least 70, preferably half way through range.

You can help raise your level by eating liver regularly, maximum 200g per week due to it's high Vit A content, also liver pate, black pudding, and including lots of iron rich foods in your diet

apjcn.nhri.org.tw/server/in...

Vitamin D 49.8 75-100 nmol/L = 19.92ng/ml

This is low. 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).

To raise your current level to the recommended level the Vit D Council suggests supplementing with 4,900iu D3 daily (nearest is 5,000iu).

Retest in 3 months.

As you have Hashi's, for best absorption an oral spray is recommended, eg BetterYou, or sublingual drops, eg Vitabay Organics.

When you have reached the recommended level then you'll need a maintenance dose to keep it there, which may be 2000iu daily, maybe more or less, maybe less in summer than winter, it's trial and error so it's recommended to retest once or twice a year to keep within the recommended range. You can do this with a private fingerprick blood spot test with an NHS lab which offers this test to the general public:

vitamindtest.org.uk/

There are important cofactors needed when taking D3 as recommended by the Vit D Council -

vitamindcouncil.org/about-v...

D3 aids absorption of calcium from food and K2-MK7 directs the calcium to bones and teeth where it is needed and away from arteries and soft tissues where it can be deposited and cause problems such as hardening of the arteries, kidney stones, etc.

D3 and K2 are fat soluble so should be taken with the fattiest meal of the day, D3 four hours away from thyroid meds if taking tablets/capsules/softgels, no necessity if using an oral spray

Magnesium helps D3 to work. We need Magnesium so that the body utilises D3, it's required to convert Vit D into it's active form. So it's important we ensure we take magnesium when supplementing with D3.

Magnesium comes in different forms, check to see which would suit you best and as it's calming it's best taken in the evening, four hours away from thyroid meds if taking tablets/capsules, no necessity if using topical forms of magnesium.

naturalnews.com/046401_magn...

Check out the other cofactors too (some of which can be obtained from food).

TSH 3.1 mIU/L 0.27-4.3 mIU/L

This is too high for a treated hypo patient, most of us are better with it around 1 or below.

FT4 13.1 pmol/L 12-17 pmol/L

I don't think that is the correct reference range for FT4, I'm sure Thriva's range is the same or very similar to Medichecks and Blue Horizon, i.e. 12-22. If that is the case then your FT4 is low.

FT3 5.22 pmol/L 3.1-6.8 pmol/L

Not to bad considering your low FT4.

Your TSH and low FT4 suggest an increase in Levo would be beneficial.

T4 72.6 nmol/L 66-181 nmol/L

Total T4 is low but it's not a particularly useful test, it's the FT4 test that tells us what we need to know.

Thyroglobulin antibodies (TgAB)

611 kU/L 0-115 kU/L

Thyroid peroxidase antibodies

209 kIU/L 0-34 kIU/L

Your raised antibodies confirm autoimmune thyroid disease aka Hashimoto's which you already know from SlowDragon's reply to you in this thread where she suggested trying a gluten free diet and gave you some links

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Cade83 profile image
Cade83

Yes I got the cost of the delivery back and Thriva were nice enough to send me another kit free of charge. The parcel says it left my city but then the trail ends there. No receipt that it reached the next post office.

I don’t supplement anything at the moment. I have just ordered solgar Vitamin D 1000 IU. Won’t vitamin B complex make my B12 go to high?

I think I’ll get some magnesium. I’ll look into B complex. I will speak to my GP about going up to 75mcg of levo but I have a feeling she will refuse at TSH is in range but I’m sure I can persuade to give it a go.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply to Cade83

Official NHS guidelines saying TSH should be between 0.2 and 2.0 when on Levothyroxine

(Many of us need TSH nearer 0.2 than 2.0 to feel well)

See box

Thyroxine replacement in primary hypothyroidism

pathology.leedsth.nhs.uk/pa...

Cade83 profile image
Cade83 in reply to SlowDragon

Does the levo normally change quite a bit with dosage changed. Like if I go from 50mcg to 75mcg is that going to make it go off the scale the other way like <0.2?

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply to Cade83

Unlikely, your FT4 is currently near bottom of range. Looking for FT4 near top of range

The aim of Levothyroxine is to increase the dose slowly in 25mcg steps upwards until TSH is under 2 (many need TSH significantly under one) and most important is that FT4 in top third of range and FT3 at least half way in range

All four vitamins need to be regularly tested and frequently need supplementing to maintain optimal levels

NHS guidelines on Levothyroxine including that most patients eventually need somewhere between 100mcg and 200mcg Levothyroxine.

nhs.uk/medicines/levothyrox...

Also what foods to avoid (eg recommended to avoid calcium rich foods at least four hours from taking Levo)

Guidelines suggest 1.6mcg per kilo of weight. So if weight around 9st 8lbs that's equivalent to around 100mcg daily

Obviously dose has to be increased slowly

Cade83 profile image
Cade83

So I definitely need to go up to 75mcg.

It’s worrying that doctors don’t have all this information but then it’s not their speciality I guess.

I’ll see how I get on with all the vitamins. They are certainly not cheap but if it makes me feel better and gives me my energy back I don’t care how much I have to spend. Wow that would mean I would need 120mcg.

When you say avoid calcium rich foods does that include milk in tea for 4 hours?

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