Blood results back confused

[Lucylockett30]

Hi have been on NDT for low thyroid for 2 years now, just got blood tests back from medicheck and confused, very high CRP, high Iron, lie TSH what next !!!!

[greygoose]

So, what is confusing you? Why don't you give us the exact results and ranges? It's not surprising that your TSH is low when taking two grains of NDT.

[Lucylockett30 in reply to greygoose]

Hi trying to attach the others now, only been taking two for a short while going to go down again, sorry very new to this will copy n paste now

[greygoose in reply to Lucylockett30]

You can only add one photo per post, I'm afraid.

If you hadn't been on two grains for at least six weeks, it was too soon to test.

[SilverAvocado in reply to Lucylockett30]

Lucylockett30, it's much better to type out your results, it makes it a lot easier for people to interpret them.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Can you add the actual results and ranges on

TSH

FT4

FT3

Vitamin D, folate, B12 and ferritin

On NDT it's common to have very low TSH and low FT4

Most important result is FT3

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)

If/when also on NDT make sure to take last dose 8-12 hours prior to test, even if this means adjusting time or splitting of dose day before test

Is this how you did the test

What vitamin supplements do you currently take

[Lucylockett30 in reply to SlowDragon]

Hi I could only get an app at 11am !!! Didn’t take any NDT the day before, was taking Iron now going to stop, taking B6 100 mgs, Magnesium 450, Vit C 1000mgs . Not sure where to go from here 😔

[Lucylockett30 in reply to Lucylockett30]

Posted the full lab results x

[Dollydaydream11 in reply to Lucylockett30]

Do you mean you’re taking 10mgs of b6 a day? 100mgs is far too much if that’s what you’re taking.. 10mgs is the most anyone should supplement with a day..

[Lucylockett30 in reply to Dollydaydream11]

Ooh will check that many thanks x

[Lucylockett30 in reply to Dollydaydream11]

Yes sorry big fingers 😂

[TWATTOX in reply to SlowDragon]

Just wondering why t4 can be low can be low when taking ndt and t3 at the high end....what happens to the t4?....

[Hidden in reply to TWATTOX]

Nothing happens to it as such. It has both T3 and T4 and just has less T4 than might be found naturally in the body.

[Lucylockett30]

Free Thyroxine is 13.8 range is 12 - 22, free t3 is 4.45 range is 3.1 -6.8, Vit D is 63.3 range 50-175 , B12 120 range 37 - 188, folate 4.97 range 3.89- 19.45 , Ferritin 242 range 13 - 150 CRP 11.46 range less than 5 , TPO 9 range up to 34, thyro antibodies 10 range up to 115

[greygoose in reply to Lucylockett30]

OK, so you're under-medicated. Your FT3 is well below mid-range, when most hypos need it over mid-range.

Your FT4 is low because you are taking NDT, which contains T3.

Your vit d is on the low-side - should be at least, but probably better at 100.

Your B12 is fine, but your folate is low.

Ferritin is high, but that is probably because your CRP is high. You have a lot of inflammation, which raises ferritin. But, the inflammation isn't surprising with under-medicated hypo.

Your TPO and Tg antibodies are low, but that doesn't mean you don't have Hashi's. Is this the first antibody test you've had?

So, what are you confused about?

[Lucylockett30 in reply to greygoose]

Hi yes it’s the first tests I have had, very new to all this so not sure what direction to go in now, taking Vit D spray high dose and was taking iron but will stop that now, not sure how to increase folate and FT4 thanks in advance for all your help

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Lucylockett30]

You are unlikely to increase FT4. You are taking NDT, it lowers TSH and FT4, that's just what it does. How do you feel?

To increase folate Google folate rich foods and include plenty in your diet, also a good B Complex containing methylfolate (not folic acid) will help raise it.

As you're taking Vit D spray, you also need the important cofactors.

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...

drjockers.com/best-magnesiu...

afibbers.org/magnesium.html

[Lucylockett30 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Was feeling good on it but not been feeling great lately lots of brain fog, memory issues etc do you think I should go back to Thyroxine and concentrate on reducing inflammation

[greygoose in reply to Lucylockett30]

Why would you go back on levo? Having some T3 in your replacement is far more likely to reduce inflammation than levo only. The symptoms you've been having is because your FT3 is still too low.

[Lucylockett30 in reply to greygoose]

Ok appreciate all your help, will incorporate all Vit advice and gluten free and hope for improvement soon, didn’t know about K2 so will get that and increase folate, have gone through menopause in last 2 yrs so maybe hormones too low will get them tested as well. This group is amazing just to get an app with me dr takes about 6 weeks n then they don’t believe what you tell them !!!!

[greygoose in reply to Lucylockett30]

You're welcome. Doctors don't know much about thyroid.

[Batty1 in reply to Lucylockett30]

Do you split your dose?

[Lucylockett30 in reply to Batty1]

No haven’t been doing but will try it now x

[greygoose in reply to Lucylockett30]

Well, my opinion is that you need to increase your NDT. FT4 is bound to be low because of the T3 in NDT. So, get the FT3 right first, then think about T4 - some people need it higher than that, some are happy with none at all, we're all different.

For the folate, try taking methylfolate supplements.

If it's the first antibody test, you can't completely rule out Hashi's, but see how things go. It won't change your treatment, anyway.

[PDN1 in reply to greygoose]

Hi, can you explain the above comment a little more please and thank you, "inflammation isn't surprising with under-medicated hypo."

[greygoose in reply to PDN1]

Well, because being hypo causes inflammation. And, if you're under-medicated, you're still hypo.

[PDN1 in reply to greygoose]

Hi thanks, I appreciate that, I was wondering about the "science" behind the correlation. Still trying to get to the bottom of my High Ferratin, which my Docs/Endos do not agree that there is a hypo connection.

[greygoose in reply to PDN1]

Is your CRP high, then? That indicates high levels of inflammation, and inflammation causes ferritin levels to rise.

[jgelliss in reply to greygoose]

DITO !!!!!

[PDN1 in reply to greygoose]

Hi CRP in May was 0.42 (<5), however, this is the first time it has been in range (post Levo- now NDT) for years. It just takes so long to work it all out and...remember it all, LOL.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Lucylockett30]

No TSH?

So how long between last dose NDT and blood draw? .....sounds like you left more than 36 hours

So FT3 and FT4 results are unreliable

Also need to have been taking constant dose for minimum of 6-8 weeks

Ideally you would retest leaving only 12 hours between last (split) dose and blood test

Vitamin D is too low. Aiming to improve by self supplementing to at least 80nmol and around 100nmol may be better .

Once you Improve level, very likely you will need on going maintenance dose to keep it there.

Retesting twice yearly via vitamindtest.org.uk

Vitamin D mouth spray by Better You is good as avoids poor gut function.

It's trial and error what dose each person needs

Folate is low, Supplementing a good quality daily vitamin B complex, one with folate in not folic acid may be beneficial.

chriskresser.com/folate-vs-...

B vitamins best taken in the morning after breakfast

Recommended brands on here are Igennus Super B complex. (Often only need one tablet per day, not two. Certainly only start with one tablet per day after breakfast. Retesting levels in 6-8 weeks ).

Or Jarrow B-right is popular choice, but is large capsule

If you are taking vitamin B complex, or any supplements containing biotin, remember to stop these 7 days before any blood tests, as biotin can falsely affect test results

endo.confex.com/endo/2016en...

endocrinenews.endocrine.org...

Low vitamin D and low B vitamins may be linked as explained here

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Suggest you try strictly gluten free diet. It may help improve brain fog

[Lucylockett30 in reply to SlowDragon]

Many thanks for all your advice TSH was low 0.012 range is 0.27 - 4.2 will incorporate all advice re vitamins, didn’t even know about K2 !!!! and folate and see how it goes, this is an amazing group x

[Lucylockett30 in reply to SlowDragon]

Ordered K2 and methyfolate should arrive tomorrow so should see some improvement xx

[silverfox7]

It's essential to get FT3 reading on NDT-it's the only accurate one to be sure you are on the correct dose!

If on the correct dose your results should be TSH-suppressed, can be as low as 0.01. FT4 can fall in the range but FT3 should be in the top quarter but never over so at the moment you aren't taking enough.

Did you get your conversion checked whilst you were on Levo? Sadly on NDT you can't check it as the FT4 reading can lower but it doesn't give values that you can compare with FT3. When taking NDT your body takes the T3 element first so if that isn't high enough then you will be struggling to get good bloods and feel well.

[Hidden in reply to silverfox7]

Looks like OP didn't take any NDT the day of or before the test?

[Lucylockett30 in reply to Hidden]

Hi took my last dose of NDT about 9am the day before and had test at 11am next day xx

[silverfox7 in reply to Hidden]

I got that impression as well. But I feel it is more important, plus it helps other readers, to say what results should be aiming for plus many others had already covered other things including timings.

[Lucylockett30 in reply to silverfox7]

Many thanks for all your help and advice much appreciated lots of things I didn’t realise and now going to start implementing this week, will start raising NDT slowly, no didn’t get any blood tests done on Levo as dr thought TSH was too low and wanted to reduce it 😡 so been trying to sort myself out with help from internet groups who have been amazing. Just good to know I was right all along and lab results confirm it 😊

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Lucylockett30]

Remember next test that last dose of NDT should be 8-12 hours before blood test

Splitting dose day before, even if you don't do so normally.....though on a NDT most people do seem to split dose

[Lucylockett30 in reply to SlowDragon]

Yes will def do that thanks

[Lucylockett30 in reply to silverfox7]

Many thanks your advice us much appreciated xxx

[greygoose]

Hmm… didn't see that snippet of information! She added it after I left the thread. But, but possibly doesn't make that much difference, difficult to say, really. Would need to know exactly when she took her last dose.

[Hidden in reply to greygoose]

About 26 hours prior, by a response later in the thread.

[greygoose in reply to Hidden]

OK, well, that will make quite a difference to the FT3. So, those bloods are pretty much useless, I'm afraid.

[Lucylockett30]

Thanks for the advice will do that next time x

[Hidden]

How do you go about calculating to compensate?

[jgelliss]

Did they run some liver markers too ? Liver blood tests are designed to show evidence that abnormalities, for example, inflammation, liver cell damage, has or is occurring within the liver. The blood tests most frequently used for liver disease are the aminotransferases (alanine aminotransferase or ALT and aspartate aminotransferase or AST).Could be very helpful .

[Lucylockett30 in reply to jgelliss]

Thanks for the advice

[Hidden]

That's good to know, thanks.