Needing help with lab results please

[DebTex]

This is my latest labs while taking 88 mcg T4 for 2 months, taken while fasting, and no T4 the day of labs. I forgot to ask for TPO and TG to be tested again, on my last lab it was indicated that I have Hashimoto’s, and on my last labs posted on here I was told that I needed to find a new Dr, the one I want to see doesn’t accept insurance and I may be faced with a move soon so I am waiting to find a new one and trying to stay alive in the meantime.

Free (T4) 1.52 ng/dL (0.82–1.77)

TSH 0.180 ulU/mL. (0.450–4.500). Total (T3) 70 ng/dL (71–180). Free ( T3) 2.6 pg/mL. (2.0–4.4). Vitamin B12 513 pg/mL. ( >3.0 ). Folate (Folic Acid) >20.0 ng/mL. (>3.0). Vitamin D 32.1 ng/mL. (30.0–100.0). Ferritin 120ng/mL. (15–150). Selenium 221 ug/L. ( 100–340 ). I greatly appreciate any help on these, my Dr. says these results are good, my body tells me that he couldn’t be anymore wrong.

[Angel_of_the_North]

Your free T3 is very low in range and so is your vitamin D. Your free T4 is around 74% of the range so your low free T3 is probably due to bad conversion. I don't think the range for your B12 can be correct.

[DebTex in reply to Angel_of_the_North]

You are right on my B12, it was supposed to say 513 pg/mL. (232–1245) I accidentally copied the folate limits. I have a bottle of D3 2000 IU that I started taking this week and B-Complex also. Thanks for your reply.

[silverfox7]

Conversion issues can be reversed if B12, folate ferritin and Vit D are optimal i.e. usually high in their range. Vit D is particularly low and your doctor should be advising you how to increase it.

It's not an over night fix as it takes time to get these things up to where they need to be and depending how low they are governs that. Itswekk worth the effort asthese 4 help your thyroid to work better and in time should help your levels get to where they should be. If you search for SeasideSusie's post there is more info. In time your FT4 and FT3 readings should improve.

[DebTex in reply to silverfox7]

I have a bottle of D3 2000 IU that I started taking this week, and B-Complex also, I will see if I can find SeasideSusie’s post about them. I also started taking 1/4 of a 5mcg T3 with my 88 mcg T4 this week because I am really dragging around and need some help, I took T3 earlier this year at a higher dose but it was too much for me and made my heart race and had palpitations, so I’m trying to go slow with it. My Dr. isn’t any help, he thinks my labs look fine. Thanks for your reply.

[silverfox7 in reply to DebTex]

Unfortunately you can't tell if conversion is right once you add in T3 as results are then read differently so you can't see what is happening with FT4 and FT3. On any T3 the only reliable result is the T3 one that should be high but if in correct medication the FT4 reading. An drop but TSH should be suppressed around 0.01

[DebTex in reply to silverfox7]

Thanks, I’m in a quandary about all of this and what to do, and I definitely don’t know what I’m doing, I don’t even know if it’s safe adding 1/4 of 5 mcg T3 to the 88 mcg that I’m taking, I guess I am just thinking that it’s a tiny bit and wouldn’t hurt, and that it would help with the conversion. Basically I guess I’m impatient and want to feel better ASAP as I’ve been way off the mark all year.

[DebTex in reply to silverfox7]

I wonder if it would take a really long time to get the Vitamins in range and if that works to help the conversion every time, I’m trying to flag @SeasideSusie to see if she might say something about it.

[silverfox7 in reply to DebTex]

I had two pretty low, Vit D and I think folate. I took me 5 months to get everything in place but really it was 5 months when I tested aswas feeling good so probably less than that but by how much I've no idea. SS may well have a good idea. Also be aware if you need to supplement its usually for life as thyroid patients don't seem to hang onto them well but once optimal you may find a maintenance dose to keep you up there. I now take folate one day out of tgree now though I do take some D3 everyday as it has a short half life so it. Can drop quickly if don't take every day.

[DebTex in reply to silverfox7]

Thanks silverfox, that all makes sense, I guess I’m lucky that I even got those vitamins tested, I had asked my Dr. to test them on my last 3 labs and he didn’t do it, I guess I finally wore him down😁

[dtate2016]

Highly recommend doing an experiment with the "methyliated" B vitamins. The research that I have found does not support the idea that having the MTHFR gene mutation causes any problems, but I can tell you from my experience, that it does. I have been tested and know for sure that I have two copies of the mutated MTHFR gene. The functional Dr. that I see switched me immediately from the common forms of B-Complex Vitamins (specifically including folic acid) to a Methylated B Complex including "methylated folate". I felt relief (more energy, less (much, much less) anxiety, a "breathe easier" kind of relaxed feeling - within 3 days. The difference was nothing short of phenomenal for me. The research that I have found is all over the place as to pro's and con's of this vitamin protocol, but my Dr. said it would help and I am so glad I listened. Some of the research indicates that taking folic acid (if you do have the gene mutation) can actually cause harm, in the way of impaired detoxification, etc. - again if you have this mutated gene. Research does show that for those of us with the mutated gene, auto-immune disorders are much more common. (as in Hashimotos) Somehow, I am highly suspicious of the research against getting tested for the MTHFR gene mutation. I don't know how expensive the gene testing is (my Dr. paid for everything that insurance did not cover, which still is hard to believe even for me) - but it is worth knowing / just switching to methylated B Vitamins to see if it makes a difference, in my opinion / experience. I would have listed a few of the links, but again, the research is all over the place.

[DebTex in reply to dtate2016]

There is a lot of info out there on this subject that I didn’t even know existed. I read that a certain percentage of the population possibly as high as 30% is unable to metabolize the unmethylated form of specific B vitamins, namely folate and B12. The active forms of these B vitamins are referred to as the methylated form. This is the form that your body can actually utilize. Because reduced methylation contributes to poor detoxification, it’s important to support your body’s natural elimination pathways, eat a high fiber diet (30–50 grams per day), eat an inflammatory diet filled with vegetables, good quality protein, healthy fats and fruits. Then I read that it’s possible to get overmethylation going on. I read some of Jill Carnahan MD’s - Is Overmethylation The Cause Of Your Anxiety at jillcarnahan.com one part of it grabbed my attention that abnormal methylation has been linked to autoimmune disease as in HASHIMOTO’s!!! We can also cause overmethylation when we are trying to treat under methylation, and she lists the 12 symptoms of over methylation, etc. a lot of good info about it. Can I ask you what brand you are taking? It’s funny that I read your comment after just buying a new bottle of B-Complex certified organic whole food vitamin today. You rock lady, thanks for bringing this up!

[DebTex in reply to DebTex]

Also wondering since you can get overmethylated if you shouldn’t take the Methylated B Complex unless your tested for and have the MTHFR gene like you did? I definitely don’t want to cause anymore problems than I already have.

[dtate2016 in reply to DebTex]

Thanks for the tips on overmethylation. I will look that up - Health Unlocked is such a wellspring isn’t it?! Swanson’s has a nice “Activated” B complex. Dr’s Best is a quality product regardless of what supplement (in my experience). Jarrow Formula is similar - generally very high quality - they have a dissolving Methyl B-12 & Methyl Folate that I keep in my purse. I am a road warrior and drive for hundreds of miles quite frequently - which can be a source of extreme anxiety for me. It is very fast acting, and some here say the dissolving kind is to be preferred for all kinds of reasons - something about B Vitamins and loss in digestion. Perhaps someone will comment. Long story short, the brand may not be near as important as the form, the methylated form. I have read that this particular gene abnormality May be as high as 40% among those of European descent. Much like we know something still is not quite right when all the tests say they should be (our bodies do speak to us!) - so too we must listen as to over methylation. Isabell Wentz writes that cleansing the liver gently should accompany any protocol that “opens up detoxification channels” - which makes sense. You mentioned the high fiber which is key and highly effective. Another wonderful way? Warm lemon water first thing in the morning - like a quart! I use an organic fresh squeezed product (never reconstituted!) from Italy, Volcanic Lemons

[DebTex in reply to dtate2016]

You’re right about so much great info on Health Unlocked, I save a lot of the info that interests me on my phone, to either read or reread, as my memories not so great. Thanks for the info on the different kinds of quality vitamins, I will have to check them out, there are so many vitamins on the market that it boggles my mind. The B-Complex that I take has the B12 listed as methylcobalamin and it doesn’t have folate in it and rest of the vitamins are just listed as being from organic food blend so it may not be a great one. I can tell a little difference on my energy level when I take it though, it seems to help a little. It does sound like you do need a good B-Complex you being on the road all the time. I’ll have to check out Vitamin D3 in those other brands you were talking about as mine is the same organic Whole Foods brand which might not be the best, they are by Garden of Life which I thought was a good brand. Can I ask your opinion on my adding 1/4 of a 5 mcg tab of T3 to my 88 mcg T4 after my lab results? I was told on my post and have read it elsewhere on here about getting your vitamins/minerals optimal before adding or increasing T3 but I don’t think I can wait that long, from feeling very fatigued and a lot of the usual under medicated symptoms, so do you think it’s a really bad thing to be doing? And that would also mean that I would have to have my vitamins retested and I already got a letter in the mail from my insurance saying they weren’t paying for the Vit D testing because they don’t consider this being medically necessary 😳 I am going to contest that. I will have to pay $280 for it if it doesn’t go my way. And volcanic lemon juice?! You are something else, where do you find that, on Amazon? Thanks for all your help🤗

[DebTex]

Thank you, I have never heard or read about Methylated B Complex, I will have to look it up and get back to you on it. I’m glad that it has helped you so much and it only being vitamins, that’s great!