Help understanding my results

[BeeGee1962]

Hi there, I am looking to see if anyone can help me understand my results. I’d really appreciate some advice. Thanks

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

What thyroid meds are you taking? You were previously taking Levo plus T3.

Are you taking any supplements?

Was Vit D tested?

[BeeGee1962 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Yeah but my doctor was not pleased when I told him I was taking it so I stopped. And just on thyroxine 50mcg but she’s put it up to 75 . My Ferritin is high but I have been taking a sea kelp every day so might be taking to much iodine .

[greygoose in reply to BeeGee1962]

You certainly are taking too much iodine - you shouldn't be taking any at all, it's very bad for hypos. But, that wouldn't raise your ferritin. Ferritin is iron stores. Kelp doesn't contain much iron.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to BeeGee1962]

So, your TSH is far too high, the aim of a treated hypo patient generally is for TSH to be 1 or lower with FT4 and FT3 in the upper part of their ranges if that is where you feel well. So you should be retested 6-8 weeks after this dose increase, depending on the result another 25mcg increase followed by testing 6-8 weeks later, and repeat until your levels are where they need to be for you to feel well.

Your raised TPO antibodies suggest autoimmune thyroid disease aka Hashimoto's which is where the immune system attacks the thyroid and gradually destroys it. There is no treatment for Hashi's, it's the resulting hypothyroidism that is treated. However, some members have found that a strict gluten free diet and supplementing with selenium l-selenomethionine 200mcg daily helps.

Have you tested iodine and found that to be deficient? If you are not deficient then you shouldn't be supplementing with Iodine so ditch the sea kelp. Iodine used to be used to treat overactive thyroid and can make hypothyroidism worse.

Folate is not deficient but it's quite low, Folate is recommended to be at least half way through range range so look at eating lots of Folate rich foods and maybe supplementing with a good B Complex containing methylfolate. B Complex also contains B12 but yours is at a pretty good level so you don't need a high level of B12 in your B Complex.

Your Ferritin may be high due to the Hashi's but not necessarily so I'd ask your GP to do an iron panel.

Vit D needs testing.

[BeeGee1962 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you so much Seaside Susie you’s know more than my dr . It’s so daunting I am going to get what yous have suggested and try gluten free

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and before eating or drinking anything other than water .

Last dose of Levothyroxine 24 hours prior to blood test. (taking delayed dose immediately after blood draw).

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 T3, 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 do your tests?

Your high TSH shows you are very under medicated. Presumably no longer taking T3?

FT4 only 40% through range

FT3 only 28% through range

Helpful calculator for working out % through range

chorobytarczycy.eu/kalkulator

Your high TPo antibodies confirms that the cause of your hypothyroidism is due to autoimmune thyroid disease also called Hashimoto's

Did you know this?

Low vitamin levels are extremely common with Hashimoto's

What vitamin supplements do you currently take?

Are you supplementing B12?

Folate is too 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...

Ferritin is too high. See GP for full iron panel testing to rule out hemochromatosis (which is more common with Hashimoto's) . Ferritin is probably not high enough for hemochromatosis, it's often high due to inflammation of Hashimoto's

You need vitamin D tested

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

[BeeGee1962 in reply to SlowDragon]

Hashimotos has never been mentioned by my dr nor has getting my vitamins or iron tested I just got my own bloods tested as I’ve not been feeling great again I don’t think my dr has a clue about thyroid she just said it trial and error with the medication . Do you think it’s worth trying gluten free ? I will definitely look at getting the vitamins that you have suggested thanks