I have noticed that my weight is increasing more than normal considering my healthy diet, put on half a stone in three weeks. I have a good exercise regime and walk at least two hours every day. Overall I feel not well, my sleep diary is just awful, considering I feel so tired sleep is hard to achieve. My most results are:- TSH 0.49
Free T4 17.2
Free T3 4.6
Thyroid Peroxidase 369.0 (5.61)
I am on 50/75 alternate days, I have no idea if I am under or over medicated. Just want to feel better even just a bit would be a bonus. Any advice would be most welcome thanks everyone.
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Bollieforme
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I have noticed that my weight is increasing more than normal considering my healthy diet, put on half a stone in three weeks. I have a good exercise regime and walk at least two hours every day.
Well, that just goes to prove that your weight gain has nothing to do with diet or exercise. You cannot put on half a stone of fat in that short time. Therefore, your weight-gain is water and it is due to you being hypo.
I would imagine you are under-medicated at the moment. But difficult to tell because you haven't put the ranges for your results. Ranges vary from lab to lab, so we always need to add them.
I have hypothyroidism, but not Hashimoto’s, and I always carry at least 3 to 5 kg of extra water weight (some people carry more.) I retain water so easily that I can gain 1 to 2 kg overnight and up to 3 kg in a week if I walk too much, consume too much sodium in 1 day, eat a moderate to high amount of carbs, stand around too much, or even if the weather is just really humid and warm. I try to consume enough water and sometimes take magnesium/potassium supplements when it’s really bad but the water weight never fully goes away. I tend to have “cankles” most of the time, and develop “sausage fingers” and a puffy face when I get extremely bloated 😄. People with hypothyroidism (or Hashimoto’s) tend to be water hoarders, it sucks :(.
Just know that, if you gain a few kg within a few days to a week then it’s mostly water weight. Fat takes a longer time to accumulate. Also, those digital body scales that measure edema or water retention levels are usually so inaccurate and aren’t good at telling apart fat and water weight.
Your high antibodies confirm you have Hashimoto's also called autoimmune thyroid disease
Low vitamin levels are extremely common with Hashimoto's
For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested. Also EXTREMELY important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12
Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially as you have autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's) diagnosed by raised Thyroid antibodies
Ask GP to test vitamin levels
You may need to get full Thyroid testing privately as NHS refuses to test TG antibodies if TPO antibodies are negative
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)
Private tests are available. Thousands on here forced to do this as NHS often refuses to test FT3 or antibodies
Medichecks Thyroid plus ultra vitamin or Blue Horizon Thyroid plus eleven are the most popular choice. DIY finger prick test or option to pay extra for private blood draw. Both companies often have special offers, Medichecks usually have offers on Thursdays, Blue Horizon its more random
Hashimoto's frequently affects the gut and leads to low stomach acid and then low vitamin levels
Low vitamin levels affect Thyroid hormone
Poor gut function can lead leaky gut (literally holes in gut wall) this can cause food intolerances. Most common by far is gluten. Dairy is second most common.
According to Izabella Wentz the Thyroid Pharmacist approx 5% with Hashimoto's are coeliac, but over 80% find gluten free diet helps, sometimes significantly. Either due to direct gluten intolerance (no test available) or due to leaky gut and gluten causing molecular mimicry (see Amy Myers link)
Changing to a strictly gluten free diet may help reduce symptoms, help gut heal and slowly lower TPO antibodies
While still eating high gluten diet ask GP for coeliac blood test first or buy test online for under £20, just to rule it out first
Assuming test is negative you can immediately go on strictly gluten free diet
(If test is positive you will need to remain on high gluten diet until endoscopy, maximum 6 weeks wait officially)
Trying gluten free diet for 3-6 months. If no noticeable improvement then reintroduce gluten and see if symptoms get worse
The aim of Levothyroxine is to increase the dose slowly in 25mcg steps upwards until TSH is under 2 (many need TSH significantly under one) and most important is that FT4 is in top third of range and FT3 at least half way through range
NHS guidelines on Levothyroxine including that most patients eventually need somewhere between 100mcg and 200mcg Levothyroxine.
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