Help with understanding results...: 18 years ago... - Thyroid UK

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Help with understanding results...

Myko profile image
Myko
6 Replies

18 years ago I had post partum thyroiditis. Since then I have had an enlarged thyroid and raised thyroid antibodies. The endocrinologist I saw 18 years ago advised that as my TSH is normal I don't have a problem and that I just need a blood test annually and if the TSH becomes raised then he will see me again and look at treatment.

Fast forward to now, I'm 54 and every year my blood test shows raised antibodies but normal TSH. My thyroid has remained enlarged. I have a lot of joint pain, possibly just osteoarthritis at my age. I have occasional episodes of dry hair and hair loss, but it seems to go in cycles and recovers after a few months. I find it impossible to lose weight, even with fasting, again this may be just my age.

After doing some research I realise other things need to be checked other than just TSH. It's difficult to get other tests done in the UK so I've paid and had a private test done (results in photo). Over the years I've felt like my annual blood test has been to just watch the thyroid slowly die. I would appreciate opinions on the blood results. I'm still awaiting results of rT3.

Many thanks for looking at my post.

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Myko profile image
Myko
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6 Replies
Clairewalker751 profile image
Clairewalker751

I'm.sure someone more.knowledable will be along in a minute, but it looks like you're not converting T4 to T3 well at all this is probably due to you very low vitamins levels these need to be high in range in order to get good conversion. Are you aware you have autoimmune thyroiditis (Hashimotos) going gluten free and taking selenium can help with this

Lalatoot profile image
Lalatoot

RT3 is not particularly important. B12 and Ferritin levels could be improved which would help with conversion.

Your Ft4 is 80% through the range but your Ft3 is only 16.48% through its range. You are not converting enough T4 to T3. Lack of T3 is what gives us the symptoms.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

As you have Hashimoto's are you on strictly gluten free diet?

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/296...

The predominance of Hashimoto thyroiditis represents an interesting finding, since it has been indirectly confirmed by an Italian study, showing that autoimmune thyroid disease is a risk factor for the evolution towards NCGS in a group of patients with minimal duodenal inflammation. On these bases, an autoimmune stigma in NCGS is strongly supported

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/300...

The obtained results suggest that the gluten-free diet may bring clinical benefits to women with autoimmune thyroid disease

nuclmed.gr/wp/wp-content/up...

In summary, whereas it is not yet clear whether a gluten free diet can prevent autoimmune diseases, it is worth mentioning that HT patients with or without CD benefit from a diet low in gluten as far as the progression and the potential disease complications are concerned

What Vitamin supplements do you currently take?

As already said....your conversion is poor

Useful website based calculator

chorobytarczycy.eu/kalkulator

Improving vitamins can help improve conversion

B12 is rather 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

Igennus Super B complex are nice small tablets. 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 Thorne Basic B or jarrow B-right are other options that contain folate, but both are large capsules

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...

Selenium supplements can help improve conversion of FT4 to FT3

Ferritin is often high due to inflammation of Hashimoto's

Myko profile image
Myko in reply to SlowDragon

Thank you. I eat very little gluten but am now going completely gluten free after much researching and getting clarification of hashiomotos (Drs have been telling me that nothing is wrong for years!). I take vit D, vit C and supplements for arthritis, just started vit B12. I'm currently looking at LDN and possibly T3 alone. Also reading Hashiomotos Protocol by Izanella Wentz and planning to try to follow this. Thank you again for all this info, I feel quite overwhelmed and at the beginning.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply to Myko

Suggest you improve vitamins first and go strictly gluten free

Then would probably be best to start by introducing Levothyroxine (T4) rather than T3

Myko profile image
Myko in reply to SlowDragon

Many thanks :)

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