For a friend

[Anniebokder]

Hi Guys , could someone have a look at these Medichecks , my friend has multiple health problems , feeling very tired now as well .Being treated for over active

[greygoose]

Well those labs are over-active. What is s/he being treated with?

His antibodies are positive for Hashimoto's Thyroiditis - know by UK medics as Autoimmune Thyroiditis. That starts with a hyper phase, and then goes on to be hypo. As he has Hashi's, s/he should not be treated with anti-thyroid drugs. The hyper levels will do down by themselves, and then the last thing s/he will need is drugs that reduce thyroid hormone production. S/he will need thyroid hormone replacement - usually levo.

Anti-thyroid treatment is for Grave's, so unless s/he has also been tested for Grave's antibodies, he shouldn't be taking it. And, the biggest problem is that once doctors get you on those, they are very reluctant to take you off it. They just do not understand the difference between Grave's and Hashi's, I'm afraid.

[Anniebokder in reply to greygoose]

Makes sense as she was given drugs for hyper , thank you

[greygoose in reply to Anniebokder]

Yes, doctors often make that mistake. More proof - if proof were needed - that they don't really know what they're doing. I would advise her to have strong words with whoever put her on anti-thyroid drugs, and insist he tests her Grave's antibodies: TRAB or TSI. And if they are negative that he weans her off the drugs and puts her on levo when her TSH goes up, which it doubtless will.

[greygoose in reply to Anniebokder]

OMG! I'm so sorry! I've just realised my mistake. The first line of that first response should read 'those labs are not over-active'. I missed out the 'not'. Were they from her diagnosis, or after she'd been on anti-thyroid drugs for a while?

[Anniebokder in reply to greygoose]

Will check

[Anniebokder in reply to greygoose]

She is on 450 of levo ..

[greygoose in reply to Anniebokder]

Wow! That's a high dose. And she's on anti-thyroid drugs at the same time? I don't understand.

[Anniebokder in reply to greygoose]

She is only on levo now , but i think she was on anti ones , her case is complicated had awful damage done by mesh . She doesn't really understand what is going on , is seeing an Endo

[greygoose in reply to Anniebokder]

What's going on is that she has Hashi's and an absorption problem. To only have an FT4 of 14.5 on 450 mcg of levo means that it isn't entering her system at all. Can you ask her how exactly she takes her levo? Does she take it on an empty stomach and wait at least one hour before eating or drinking anything other than water? Does she take any other medication at the same time as her levo?

[Anniebokder in reply to greygoose]

Yes she takes it on empty stomach , blood thinner an hour later

[greygoose in reply to Anniebokder]

Maybe try the blood thinner two hours later. Because she really isn't absorbing that levo.

Has she had vit d, B12, folate and ferritin tested?

[Anniebokder in reply to greygoose]

Yes all on my original post , maybe low B12 but all the rest looks okish

[greygoose in reply to Anniebokder]

Oh, yes, sorry. It's difficult to read at that angle. Well, B12 and folate are a little on the low side. Ferritin we can't really judge without seeing a CRP result. Vit d could be higher. Probably be better up around 100. But, that still doesn't explain that high dose of levo… Also, you would expect the TSH to be suppressed on that dose, and with the high FT3. Very strange.

[Anniebokder in reply to greygoose]

O.93 CRP range 0 .5 , she also has a stoma from a botched vaginal mesh removal, was used as a guinea pig , has had sepsis twice even though her removal was a long time ago , so absorption is probably the issue

[greygoose in reply to Anniebokder]

Ah, yes. She's had a lot of problems. Well, regardless of her dose, her levels are good. So, the next thing to do would be to raise her nutrient levels slightly?

Are you sure about that CRP range? Normally, it's under 5, not 0.5.

[Anniebokder in reply to greygoose]

Yes under 5 , its a sliding scale i read its a zero to 5 , its me being stupid .

[greygoose in reply to Anniebokder]

So, her ferritin is good.

[posthinking01 in reply to Anniebokder]

Hi there Annie - are you in the UK may I ask? That is certainly a very high dose and from my experience a dose that is too high gives you the same symptoms as being too low - hair loss - fatigue etc. etc. as it puts a strain on the adrenals trying to keep up with the metabolism uptake. Why were they put on such a high dose. Even patients who have had their thyroid removed don't go on that high a dose.

[Anniebokder in reply to posthinking01]

Yes its for a friend , i am Hypo but she is struggling , has no understanding so does not know what questions she should be asking , we are in N Ireland

[greygoose in reply to posthinking01]

Her dose may be high, but her blood test results are in-range, so I doubt she's taking too much.

[Anniebokder in reply to greygoose]

Thank you , helpful as ever

[greygoose in reply to Anniebokder]

You're welcome.