Medicheck blood results.

[Citta]

Just had my thyroid and autoimmunity blood results back today. As advised, I’m going to discuss these with my GP but I wondered what others on here think. Is reducing the amount of thyroxine I take a good idea.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Citta

Is reducing the amount of thyroxine I take a good idea.

When did you take your last dose of Levo before the test? Last dose should be 24 hours before blood draw.

If you took your last dose 24 hours before the blood draw then with those results, at this time, that's what I would do depending on how I feel. If you took your last dose of Levo too close to your blood draw then you have a false high FT4.

However, did you know that you have Hashi's - as suggested by your raised TPO antibodies? This is where where the thyroid is attacked by the immune system and gradually destroyed. Fluctuations in symptoms and test results are common with Hashi's. So another test at some time may show lower FT4.

General information about Hashi's:

Most doctors dismiss antibodies as being of no importance and know little or nothing about Hashi's and how it affects the patient, test results and symptoms. You need to read, learn, understand and help yourself where Hashi's is concerned.

Some members have found that adopting a strict gluten free diet can help, although there is no guarantee.

Gluten contains gliadin (a protein) which is thought to trigger autoimmune attacks so eliminating gluten can help reduce these attacks.

You don't need to be gluten sensitive or have Coeliac disease for a gluten free diet to help.

Gluten/thyroid connection: chriskresser.com/the-gluten...

stopthethyroidmadness.com/h...

stopthethyroidmadness.com/h...

hypothyroidmom.com/hashimot...

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

Supplementing with selenium l-selenomethionine 200mcg daily can also help reduce the antibodies, as can keeping TSH suppressed.

Hashi's and gut absorption problems tend to go hand in hand and can very often result in low nutrient levels or deficiencies. Did your test also include:

Vit D

B12

Folate

Ferritin

It's essential that these are tested.

Also, your current results show poor conversion of T4 to T3 with FT4 over range and FT3 only 43% through range. Optimising nutrient levels helps thyroid hormone to work properly and may help conversion. Selenium and zinc can help conversion. And if all these things are addressed and conversion is still poor then it may be worth considering the addition of T3 to your Levo.

[Citta in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thanks so much for answering my question in such detail. I did my blood test at 7am before I took my thyroxine. It would have been 24 hours since my last tablet as I always take my meds when I wake up around that time.

I had no idea about the Hashimotos but I had been trying to cut out gluten and processed food from my diet anyway in order to feel better.

With regards to the vitamin blood test, my GP had fine some the week before due to my painful joints and tiredness. They read as:

Vit D 50 nmol/L (range 2.5-300)nmol

B12 794nh/L ( 130-800)

Folate 23 ug/L (4.00-20.00)

Ferritin 80 ug/L (12-250)

I’m taking Viridian B complex, Joint complex and omega for women over 40 as well as Wild nutrition multi bits and magnesium.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Citta]

Citta

Did you leave off your B Complex for 7 days before your thyroid test?

If it contains Biotin (B7) then Medichecks say to leave it off for 7 days before testing as it may give false results.

If you want to link to your other supplements I'll have a look at them. Multivitamins are generally not a good idea but I wont comment until I know what's in it.

Assuming that Biotin hadn't affected the results of your vitamin tests:

Vit D 50 nmol/L (range 2.5-300)nmol

= 20ng/ml

This is on the low side.

The Vit D Council recommends a level of 125nmol/L (50ng/ml) and the Vit D Society recommends a level of 100-150nmol/L (40-60ng/ml).

To reach the recommended level from your current level, based on the Vit D Council's suggestions you could supplement with 4,900iu D3 daily (nearest is 5,000iu).

vitamindcouncil.org/i-teste...

Retest after 3 months.

When you've reached the recommended level then you'll need a maintenance dose to keep it there, which may be 2000iu daily, maybe more or less, maybe less in summer than winter, it's trial and error so it's recommended to retest once or twice a year to keep within the recommended range. You can do this with a private fingerprick blood spot test with an NHS lab which offers this test to the general public:

vitamindtest.org.uk/

There are important cofactors needed when taking D3 as recommended by the Vit D Council

vitamindcouncil.org/about-v...

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

Check out the other cofactors too (some of which can be obtained from food).

As you have Hashi's, for best absorption consider an oral spray such as BetterYou as this is absorbed through the mucous membranes in the oral cavity and bypasses the stomach. There are also sublingual liquids. Some people with Hashi's have found that they also do well with an oil based softgel, eg Doctor's Best.

Don't start all supplements at once. Start with one, give it a week or two and if no adverse reaction then add the next one. Again, wait a week or two and if no adverse reaction add the next one. Continue like this. If you do have any adverse reaction then you will know what caused it.

B12 794nh/L ( 130-800)

This is a good result.

Folate 23 ug/L (4.00-20.00)

A high folate result is apparently OK when B12 is also high, so this result should be OK.

Ferritin 80 ug/L (12-250)

Ferritin is said to be recommended to be half way through range. I've also seen it said that a good level for females is 100-150nmol/L.

[Citta in reply to SeasideSusie]

No, I should have stopped the B complex before the test. How stupid of me. I’ll redo the vit test with Medicheck in a few weeks or so.

I’m paying particular attention to my diet and eating liver about once a week as well as other organic nutrient dense foods. Not many processed foods at all.

Interesting that you say levels can fluctuate with Hashimotos as I get flare ups at times which almost cripple me and other times, I feel so much better. Can’t work out the trigger though but could be stress

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Citta]

I'm not sure there needs to be a trigger with Hashi's, fluctuations are just the nature of the beast.

[Citta]

Beast is the right description of it 😢