Test results are in

[nw1991]

On the back of my last post, I had my t3 and t4 tested and I’ve attached the results. I was hoping something would be out to explain the continued weight gain so now I’m just confused!

[nw1991]

I’m thinking about checking adrenals as I’ve read a lot about this and wonder if this is worth checking. What will it tell me? I found this test - medichecks.com/cortisol-tes...

I’ve also been thinking about self medicating with t3 to see if it helps me feel better and start to lose weight but not sure if this is a silly idea given the fact my t3 is within range

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to nw1991]

If you're going to test adrenals, don't do the Medichecks test, do the Regenerus one:

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

Medichecks only test cortisol and don't include DHEA which is important. Regenerus test both.

Medichecks have some of their reference ranges with zero as the low limit. As ranges are based on healthy people, if anyone really did have zero as their cortisol level they would be very far from healthy.

Medichecks bedtime range is 0-2, if your result is less than 1.5 they don't give a result, they just record it as <1.5 which is useless. The bedtime result should be the lowest of the day, near the bottom of the range. When it's recorded as <1.5 you have no idea if it's 0.1 or 1.4 or anywhere inbetween, there is as vast difference and you need to know exactly where your level lies.

If you want to see the difference between the two tests, see these posts:

Regenerus test: healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Medichecks test: healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[nw1991 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thanks SeasideSusie this is super helpful! Can you advise why those with hashi’s test this? I’m really just trying to get to the bottom of my insane and constant weight gain but with my tsh t3 and t4 within range I’m not sure what to do next.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to nw1991]

It's not necessarily Hashi's patients who test adrenals. Thyroid and adrenals are both part of the endocrine system and hypo patients generally can often have weak adrenals so it's worth testing adrenals if you still have symptoms when on Thyroid hormone replacement.

I'm not sure it's worth checking yours at the moment. You were put on Carbimazole yet you have Hashi's so things need to settle down and thyroid hormone levels stabilise after stopping the Carbimazole.

Your TSH is on the way to hypothyroidism but your FT4 and FT3 are still not too bad at the moment, also they are in balance so not showing the need for T3.

[nw1991 in reply to SeasideSusie]

I’ve been off carbimazole for almost 12 months now.

Really appreciate your advice. It seems I’m looking for an answer and there isn’t one. I just don’t understand how I can gain 3.5 stone since initial diagnosis and 1 stone of that in the last 3 months with healthy diet, regular personal training sessions and my labs within range. It seems crazy. I don’t want to continue putting on weight I’m desperate to lose some and get back to the dress size I used to be. Do I just need to wait and see if my tsh drops to hypo and hope that I’ll be given Levo and maybe things will improve?

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to nw1991]

I didn't realise you'd been off Carbimazole that long.

Antibodies fluctuate so will cause symptoms and test results will fluctuate. Your TSH will rise the more hypo you get, once it goes over range then as you have raised antibodies an enlightened doctor should start prescribing Levo. So it's a case of trying to get a set of results that show an over range TSH and over range antibodies.

[nw1991 in reply to SeasideSusie]

My antibodies are crazily over range. Just the tsh seems to be staying fine! I fear I’ll have gained another few stone by the time my tsh goes over range.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to nw1991]

Hashi's gradually destroys the thyroid and your results don't yet show enough damage to your thyroid, this is where ignoring symptoms lets us patients down. You may feel dreadful and have lots of hypo symptoms but the guidelines don't allow for a diagnosis until TSH goes over range.

[nw1991 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thanks SeasideSusie. Seems crazy they talk so much about obesity and weight etc yet my Bmi puts me in the obese category and they don’t seem to care. It’s a constant battle. Would it be beneficial for me to see a private endo? I was going to book one after my t3&t4 test but given I’m within range I don’t want to waste money. I think a tsh jump of 1.1 to 2.1 in 6 months shows I’m going the wrong way but is it enough for them to listen.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to nw1991]

Many private endos are NHS endos doing additional private work and will still toe the NHS line so it's very much a gamble. There are very few thyroid specialists, most endos are diabetes specialists. Even so, it's doubtful that your current results will get you anywhere at the moment. A normal healthy person will have a TSH of no more than 2 with FT4 around mid-range-ish. Your TSH is just very slightly over 2 and your FT4 is mid-range.

I am on my tablet at the moment, I will go into the conservatory where my PC is and comment on your vitamin levels that you have posted below (I have information stored on there which I don't have access to on my tablet).

[nw1991 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thanks so much SeasideSusie, for saving me money and giving me wonderful insights! I suppose I’ll have to ride it out for now

[SlowDragon Administrator]

What are your thyroid antibodies test results?

As you are not on thyroid hormones, these results would be considered normal

FT4 is 49% through range

FT3 is 46 % through range

chorobytarczycy.eu/kalkulator

What are your vitamin levels like?

[nw1991 in reply to SlowDragon]

My antibodies are over 1000 so definitely hashis. My vitamin levels are okay, I supplement vit d and b12 and got them back within range

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to nw1991]

What are the actual results and ranges for

Vitamin D

Folate

Ferritin

B12

Exactly what vitamin supplements do you currently take?

Did you stop taking any supplements that contain biotin a week before blood test as biotin can falsely affect test results

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 .

This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, best not mentioned to GP or phlebotomist)

Do you have high Tpo and high TG antibodies?

High TG antibodies can cause significant symptoms

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/303...

Link about antibodies and Hashimoto's

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

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

[nw1991 in reply to SlowDragon]

So my last test showed the results were

Folate 4.02 (ref range 3.89 to 26.8)

B12 217 (ref range 37 to 188) this is high as I get injections at my dr every two months and I’d just had an injection

Vit D 27.9 (ref range 50-175) I was treated with the recommended loading course and I maintain with betteryou vit d & k2 spray. I could probably do with getting this checked but it wouldn’t be vitamin D making me gain so much weight would it?

THyroglobin 457 (ref <115)

TPO 533 (ref <34)

This test was a while ago so I probably need vitamins checking again.

[nw1991 in reply to nw1991]

My doctors tpo shows >1000

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to nw1991]

nw1991

B12 217 (ref range 37 to 188) this is high as I get injections at my dr every two months and I’d just had an injection

As you say, your Active B12 is high due to your injections so that's not a problem.

How old are the following results? They are absolutely dire.

Folate 4.02 (ref range 3.89 to 26.8)

Your folate level is very poor, barely in range. Folate should be at least half way through it's range. In your previous post you say you are taking "ingennus b b12 tablets". Do you mean Igennus Super B - the B Complex? You certainly wont need a B12 stand alone tablet as you're having B12 injections, but when having B12 in any form we need a B Complex to balance all the B vitamins.

So if you are taking Igennus Super B, how many are you taking? The recommended dose is 2 x tablets which gives 400mcg methyfolate which is what you should be taking with such a very low folate level.

Obviously, if this result was from before you started supplementing, you should retest about 3 months after starting the supplement to check on your level.

Vit D 27.9 (ref range 50-175) I was treated with the recommended loading course and I maintain with betteryou vit d & k2 spray. I could probably do with getting this checked but it wouldn’t be vitamin D making me gain so much weight would it?

Was this your original result that led to the loading doses? If so were you retested when you finished them? It's absolutely essential to retest as the next dose is based on the new result.

If you weren't retested then you should do so now and 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/

If you know your current level after the loading doses were finished, please say what it is and also what dose of D3 you are now taking.

I also said "Magnesium helps the body use D3 so it's important to get into a routine with this" after you said you "I must admit anything else like magnesium etc i struggle to be consistent with." So have you done anything about sorting out taking magnesium on a daily basis?

[nw1991 in reply to SeasideSusie]

They’re about 8 months old. I’ll get a retest! I’ve added in the better you magnesium oil I spray about 8 sprays onto my skin but I am unsure if I need to do this daily? I have been taking 1 of the Ingennus tablets but I’ll up this to 2. Thanks for that!

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to nw1991]

Definitely retest. It's recommended to do Vit D twice a year, and I always retest the full panel once a year.

As those results are now 8 months old, my comments may not be relevant, your folate may have improved quite a bit on just the 1 x Igennus, I really can't say. Repost new results when you have them for

Vit D

Folate

Ferritin

and say what supplements you are taking at the time of the test.

[nw1991 in reply to SeasideSusie]

My specialist tested vit d in July and said it is fine in the letter but didn’t put results so I will retest. Thanks

[nw1991]

I feel your pain Espeegee. It’s incredibly frustrating and demotivating trying to eat well and exercise and seeing your body just get bigger. At least you have a helpful GP

[penny]

Others have commented knowledgeably so I won’t opine; I will only say that I was showing classic signs of hypothyroidism, tiredness, weight gain, etc. (I too put on 3 stones in weight in a short period of time) but my results were always ‘within range’ and hypothyroidism was dismissed as a cause. For me, ‘within range’ means diddley squat; but then I’m not Hashi’s. Good luck.

[nw1991 in reply to penny]

Thanks penny! It’s so frustrating isn’t it! We just have to keep pushing!