So sorry to hear of all these problems. Apparently, it is not unusual for hypothyroid patients to suffer from kidney disease. This has been documented in the medical literature. It usually happens when your hypothyroidism is not well controlled. Diabetes can also occur in individuals with hypothyroidism if it is not well controlled and this also has been shown in the medical literature.
I am not an expert at interpreting bloodwork, but your T3 and T4 appear to be on the low end of the range. You may be currently undertreated for your hypothyroidism. I will leave this to the more expert people on the panel here to address this.
In addition, high cholesterol is often present in hypothyroid patients and when the hypo is properly treated, this usually is corrected. Statins can cause elevated blood sugar which leads to type 2 diabetes in some people if the statin is continued. You may wish to consider going off the statin to address your blood sugar issues.
I would speak to your endo about adding T3 to your regimen to see if blood sugar and cholesterol will improve as well as stopping the statin. It looks like you are being treated for your symptoms rather than your underlying thyroid disease in my opinion.
I hope this helps you today and wishing you all the best.
Yes I thought my TSH was high at 1.46 which is above the TSH desired ‘maximum’ of 1.0 which several suggest on this forum.
I have often suffered from low FT3 and FT4. It’s been quite a while since I had good FT3 and 4 levels.
I didn’t know that statins cause elevated blood sugar levels. I have avoided statins or stopped many times as I didn’t like the side effects but the Endos insist on them especially they say as I’m pre-diabetic. But I don’t like statins.
I’m hoping the glucose test will rule out Glucophage but the endo is committed to those too - medication forever for me he says.
I guess it could be worse. It’s mild chronic kidney disease which endo says can be treated and should not affect longevity. Hmm.
Thanks again for your comments and caring thoughts.
You are so welcome. If I might take the liberty to suggest, a second opinion could be helpful in your case since you have a variety of medical issues that need attention and a different endo might have some insight for you. Sending good thoughts your way today.
If you have an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism), treatment may be delayed until this problem is treated. This is because having an underactive thyroid can lead to an increased cholesterol level, and treating hypothyroidism may cause your cholesterol level to decrease, without the need for statins. Statins are also more likely to cause muscle damage in people with an underactive thyroid.
As you have Hashimoto's are you on strictly gluten free diet?
Gluten free diet is often lower carb too
Low carb, high fat diet can dramatically improve sugar levels....loads of info about this on diabetic websites
I have long history these past years with low FT3. How to increase without going to T3? I am overseas in Middle East where none available.
Yes I have been gluten free for several years and am now lowering the carbs too.
Should I religiously avoid dairy - I enjoy Greek yoghurt and milk in tea/coffee.
I supplement vit D3 fluctuating between 50,000 units per month to now 5,000 units per day since seeing my low numbers and reading that daily D3 dosing is better die to half life times etc.
I asked endo to test folate and ferritin but somehow Endos just don’t see the need or fully comply.
I am grateful for your comments slowdragon. I’m rather shocked by yet another medical condition.
As your FT4 is only half way through range, you have room for dose increase in Levothyroxine
Retesting in 6-8 weeks
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).
Come back with new post once you get results
Personally I am only strictly gluten free. I would find dairy free too difficult.
Do you ever come back to UK....you could do full Thyroid and vitamin testing then ....if you can't get folate and ferritin tested in Middle East
We have several other members out in same region
With Hashimoto's we often end up with low TSH, before FT3 and FT4 are high enough
Dr Toft, past president of the British Thyroid Association and leading endocrinologist, states in Pulse Magazine,
"The appropriate dose of levothyroxine is that which restores euthyroidism and serum TSH to the lower part of the reference range - 0.2-0.5mU/l.
In this case, free thyroxine is likely to be in the upper part of its reference range or even slightly elevated – 18-22pmol/l.
Most patients will feel well in that circumstance. But some need a higher dose of levothyroxine to suppress serum TSH and then the serum-free T4 concentration will be elevated at around 24-28pmol/l.
This 'exogenous subclinical hyperthyroidism' is not dangerous as long as serum T3 is unequivocally normal – that is, serum total around T3 1.7nmol/l (reference range 1.0-2.2nmol/l)."
You can obtain a copy of the articles from Thyroid UK email print it and highlight question 6 to show your doctort please email Dionne at
tukadmin@thyroiduk.org
Obviously taking almost any dose of T3 tends to suppress TSH
Adam10 I was on Levo only for 10 years and never got rid of symptoms, I also have Hashi's. My t3 level was always low in range, slightly raised cholesterol, but won't take statins, tried them for 2 weeks and thought I would die!
GFR has been as low as 57 and never over 60 for a long time. 2 years ago I started to introduce T3 very slowly form 5mcgm to now 20 mcgm daily alongside my levo 100mcgm Last week a blood test U's and E's showed that my GFR is now 66, could be coincidence but I am not complaining. I believe any GFR level over 60 is acceptable for folks over the age of 60 (includes me) I am also GF and lactose free and that helped my Hashis and has reduced the numbers.
Being pre-diabetic is no reason to take statins. Statins cause diabetes, they don't cure it. Your cholesterol is high because your FT3 is low. What you need is a decent dose of levo - 100 mcg is not a decent dose - not statins.
Great to hear that greygoose. I will immediately increase to 125 mcg daily. Went down to 100 mcg after TSH fell to -0.5 (0.27-4.2).
I never liked the idea of statins. I will stop those again. I suspect (hope) my cholesterol was lowered into the safe reference range by exercise, weight control, and diet - hope I can do that again. Thank you for your comments.
There's no such thing as an unsafe range for cholesterol. It does not cause heart attacks or strokes. It's really nothing to worry about.
And, it has nothing to do with exercise, weight or diet. Cholesterol is made in the liver, and it makes the same amount no matter how much you consume. But, when your T3 is low, the body cannot process cholesterol correctly and it mounts up in the blood. What you need is to raise your FT3 and that will lower the cholesterol.
A GFR of 76 is actually an acceptable level, and doctors won't pay any attention to it at all. My husband's GFR was in the 50s and his doctor dismissed it as of being of no importance. I did some research and found out that doctors start paying attention when GFR drops to the 30s or below. Whether doctors are right to ignore GFR until it is that low is a question I can't answer.
Another thing to be aware of is that GFR varies, sometimes quite dramatically. My own has varied from 74 up to > 90 and there appears to be no rhyme or reason for the various ups and downs. I don't do anything specifically to affect my kidney health, either in dietary terms or in terms of supplements.
Thank you very much for the second link. Just read it. I get stressed out just reading these articles but this sounds ok for me.
I had a urinary test as part of the latest blood test and endo said all was fine. I’m hoping the fasting glucose sugar test this week will be fine too - it was last time but that was 2 years ago.
Are you based in the UK? I'm astonished that you were seen by an Endo who wants to treat you as a diabetic when you aren't diabetic. Glucophage is otherwise known as Metformin and is used to treat diabetics.
None of the results you've listed would be concerning to most doctors. Your glucose level is well within range, your HbA1c is within the healthy range, even your cholesterol is in range - and so is everything else! (I realise that within range is not the same as optimal.) Your endo's actions are just baffling!
Thank you Humanbean. I am working in Middle East so rely on local doctors who are mainly Egyptian. I am not covered by NHS as I have been out of UK for several years.
Yes my Egyptian endo is determined to get me onto Glucophage as he is worried I’m pre-diabetic even though I’m not!
Great to hear you reiterate what my results show that my glucose and HbA1c are within range.
My Endo notes that too and said all my results were ‘wonderful’ - even though my TSH is 1.46 (0.27-4.2) not within 0.2-0.5 as Dr Toft has recommended in his book (thank you to another poster on this forum).
My low cholesterol will be due to the statins I was taking but I have stopped taking them as I don’t think statins are for me.
Thank you again for helping to brighten up my week.
Thank you Londinium. Yes my Endo considers me pre-diabetic and urges me to take statins (Lipitor 40 mg daily). I am back on statins. Recently my blood test showed
Chol 3.76 mmol/L (range 3-5.2)
TG 0.92 (0.4-1.7)
HDLD 1.28 (1.0-1.6)
LDL-C 2.1 (0.0-3.3)
HbA1c 5.7% (5.7-6.4% is Pre-diabetic, 4.6-5.6% is non-diabetic)
Glucose (F) 4.96 (3.9-6.1)
Glomerular filtration rate 76 mi/min/1.73m2 (chronic kidney disease stage 2 (mild) (range 60-89). Normal kidney function GFR above 90. CKD moderate is 30-59.
I am 64 year old male. Others on this forum have said my result is not cause for concern for my age. (It shocked me).
The above test was taken one day after I restarted taking statins. Hope that didn’t skew the results. I had not taken statins for 6 months previously.
I have Hashimoto’s disease and hypothyroidism. My Endo has treated me for 4 years. He is primarily a diabetes doctor. My cholesterol levels were slightly high e.g. 6 instead of 3-5.2. However they have been within range for a while without statins - I have improved my diet and now exercise 45 mins daily.
My Endo seems focused on avoiding cardiovascular disease (CVD). He knows my father had a history of CVD and died of kidney disease 10 years after heart triple by-pass
However I have low blood pressure, no other signs of CVD, although my recent Lp PLA2 cardiac market result was slightly high or borderline risk at 625 units/liter (620-634 u/l is borderline risk).
Truly astonishing. It’s the opposite of what we are told by our endos. How to know who is right. Although I think I believe your guy Dr Nadir. He certainly has the qualifications and professor positions. Thank you for posting the details. I think I will stop the statins!
Hi. My Gfr is 68. I also have Hashimoto and hypothyroidism. I’ve never been told I have kidney disease. (Although I have a duplex kidney, previous stone (removed) and an 8cm cyst on the other) Do I have to worry about this now to? Lol. I also have positive mitochondrial antibodies grrrrrrrrrr
Hi LMor. Not much difference between 68 and 76 I suggest so probably no problem. But I’m no doctor. My Endo doesn’t seem worried by it. I was (over) reacting to the reference range.
My TPO antibodies are 117 when the reference range says should be under 34. But my Endo said don’t worry as not that high and he has seen at 1,000. Still trying to learn about all this.
I’m not sure that the higher your Tpo antibodies are reflects the severity of the disease. Once you have hashi’s you have it for life but there are very many people on here that are much more knowledgeable than me. This is an amazing site so stick around and we can all learn so much which I have 😊
Thank you so much for all this information. It is shocking but at the same reassuring that one can cut through the falsehoods with the help of this forum and kind commentators such as you Londinium. Thank you again
Thanks for this YouTube link Londinium. I Just watched this YouTube interview with Dr. David Diamond. Phenomenal! He blows away the myth about benefits from statins and exposes the adverse effects of statins. I definitely have stopped taking statins.
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