Blood results

[dizzy1979]

Can anyone please help with these blood results. I’m still waiting on the antibodies to come back. I currently take 3 tablets of thiroyd ndt, Vit d, b complex and magnesium ( off all of the vits for 10 days before testing ).

[shaws Administrator]

Did you have this blood test at the earliest possible, fasting (you can drink water). Did you allow a 24 hour gap between dose of NDT and the blood test?

As the blood tests were introduced along with levothyroxine (T4 only) if we take or add other thyroid hormones the results don't correlate (i.e. add T3, or take NDT) it should be judged upon your symptoms, i.e. are they being relieved or not.

When we take thyroid hormones it should be with one full glass of water and wait and hour before eating as food can interfere with the uptake of the hormones.

The T3 is showing as 'abnormal' because the T4 in NDT changes to T3 then the T3 which is also present will be combined and show higher. Doctors get confused as they only know about levothyroxine (i.e. T4).

I shall give you a link and this doctor only took one blood test for the initial diagnosis and thereafter it was all about symptoms-relief.

nebula.wsimg.com/e0c9c9ed95...

[dizzy1979 in reply to shaws]

Hi, I had the bloods taken at 7.30am, no good or drink and last dose of ndt at 10pm the evening before, so 9.5 hours.

My dr said I’m having to much t3, and that I should aim to reduce it slightly.

Looking at my results overall would you suggest I reduce or increase my meds?

I have not felt right since Xmas time, I’ve put it down to traveling quite a bit and needing to rest and recover but this last 4 weeks I’ve felt no better. I’m so tired and seem to have an increased appetite, Body aches, cold sores etc

[dizzy1979 in reply to shaws]

Forgot to add my body aches all over, like I’ve been for a run or to the gym ( which I haven’t ) my nails are splitting and hair thinning after feeling well for months I am aware these are not normal anymore

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Your FT3 is showing over range which might suggest overmedication but this depends on when you took your last dose of NDT.

The day before the test it's best to split your dose into 2 or 3 and take the last dose 8-12 hours before the blood draw.

The only vitamins you need to stop before testing are:

B Complex / Biotin - this is because biotin is often used in the testing procedure and can give false results, so leave off B Complex or biotin for 7 days before the test.

Iron supplement if doing iron tests you leave off for 7 days.

Everything else you can continue but on the day of the test take them after the blood draw.

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What B Complex do you take? Your Folate is very low for someone taking a B Complex even allowing for leaving it off before the test.

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B12 could be higher, at least over 550ng/L. How much B12 does your B Complex contain and is it methylcobalamin?

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Vit D is recommended to be 100 - 150 nmol/L. How much D3 do you take and is it tablet, capsule, softgel, oral spray?

[dizzy1979 in reply to SeasideSusie]

I take 2 igennus b complex a day, and the oral better for you d spray. I was taking 3 sprays of the 1000 dose but then switched to 1 spray if the 3000, but that was giving me mouth ulcers. Could the vit d reading be low as I hadn’t taken it for over a week?

I took my last dose of ndt 9.5 hours prior to the testing.

I usually take 2 ndt at 6.30am and then 1 ndt At 10pm, do you think I should reduce one of the dosages? And if so would it be better to reduce the morning it evening? I do find raking a 10pm dose helps with my sleeping.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to dizzy1979]

I take 2 igennus b complex a day

So that should be giving you 400mcg methylfolate and 900mcg methylcobalamin so I'm surprised your results aren't better. You could try a different brand, I did very well on Thorne Basic B.

Could the vit d reading be low as I hadn’t taken it for over a week?

I don't think leaving it off for a week or so would make a significant difference.

I was taking 3 sprays of the 1000 dose but then switched to 1 spray if the 3000 but that was giving me mouth ulcers.

Was it the different dose spray that gave you mouth ulcers or the BetterYou spray generally? Both the 1000 and 3000 ones contain exactly the same excipients. So either something else was causing the mouth ulcers or you need something without excipients as maybe one of those was causing them. You could try liquid drops such as Vitabay Organic or maybe try a D3 oil based softgel such as Doctor's Best which has only 2 ingredients - D3 and extra virgin olive oil (some Hashi's patients have done well enough on the softgels).

I took my last dose of ndt 9.5 hours prior to the testing.

So that is perfect timing and has given a measure of your normal circulating amount of T3.

do you think I should reduce one of the dosages? And if so would it be better to reduce the morning it evening? I do find raking a 10pm dose helps with my sleeping.

It might be worth trying a 1/4 grain reduction. If this is what your doctor wants you to do then get him to retest in 6-8 weeks after the dose change to see what difference it has made to your levels. It's up to you which particular dose you reduce.

[dizzy1979 in reply to SeasideSusie]

That’s really helpful thank you. I was struggling to remember to take the second dose of b complex in the afternoon so started to take both tablets in the morning. ( an hour and half after ndt ), could this be the issue? I will try a different brand as you suggest. I have been taking these for over a year and they are obv not agreeing with me.

My nails are splitting, hair is thinning, I am Warner then usual and tired, so I know my dose isn’t right, I just didn’t know if I should increase or decrease my ndt, I will try and reduce by 1/4 tablet, if you think that will be better.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to dizzy1979]

B Complex is best taken no later than lunchtime. This is because it can be stimulating and if taken later in the day it's possible it may affect sleep. I always take mine with breakfast but always leave a 2 hour gap between thyroid meds and most supplements so as not to interfere with absorption of the thyroid meds (iron, calcium, magnesium and D3 should be 4 hours away from thyroid meds unless they are sublingual/oral spray/topical)

[dizzy1979 in reply to SeasideSusie]

I wasn’t aware that magnesium should be 4 hours away, I take that at the same time, so 1.5 hours after ndt. The d I take The oral spray so that should be ok.

So the b I will stick to in the morning, but the magnesium I will take at a different time. Interestingly I take the magnesium at bedtime too along with the night dose of ndt 😩

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to dizzy1979]

I thought you said that the D3 oral spray gave you mouth ulcers?

[dizzy1979 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Only the 3000 dose not the 1000 dose

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to dizzy1979]

Well I don't understand that as they have exactly the same excipients.

[dizzy1979 in reply to SeasideSusie]

I don’t either, maybe just because it is a stronger dose? I’ve taken the 1000 dose for over a year no problems, but the 3000 dose for only a month. There are reviews on amazon saying similar too.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to dizzy1979]

It would be interesting to see what BetterYou says about that! Maybe contact them, point out how many reviews say it happens.

[dizzy1979 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Good plan, I’ll write to them, never thought of that.

[Lora7again]

Do have any antibodies results? Also your vitamin D is a bit low. Sometimes you need to stop pushing your body when you have thyroid disease ... I no longer visit the gym or play tennis because I am already struggling with every day life. Correction ... I see you are waiting for antibodies which might give us a better idea of what is going on.

[dizzy1979 in reply to Lora7again]

I do have hashi’s, unfortunately the GP said this test will take a few dats for the results. I can’t go to the gym anymore either, it wipes me out for days. I literally go to work and then come home Monday to Friday. By the time i finish the day to day chores and dinner I’m falling asleep on the sofa.

[Lora7again in reply to dizzy1979]

I think your vitamin D needs to be higher .... mine is too low as well and I am trying to bring it up to about a 100.

[dizzy1979 in reply to Lora7again]

do you take vit d tablets? I take the oral spray but I wonder if tablets would be better?

[Lora7again in reply to dizzy1979]

I use the spray.

[Hidden]

Hey Dizzy, looking at your previous bloods, 3 months ago, you were also on 3 grains, correct? If so, what has changed significantly is your ft4, it's gone up to mid-range, while t3 rose a little too. Would this be correct? I can see only two options here: you either decrease your t3 slightly (being slightly overmedicated can create fatigue etc), however, the increasing t4 could have done that too...

[dizzy1979 in reply to Hidden]

The only thing that’s changed is the time I take my afternoon dose, I was previously 2 grains at 6.30am and then taking 1 grain at 4pm but now I take the afternoon grain at 10pm.

If I reduce by half a grain is that likely to have the right impact? Presumably I don’t want to reduce t4 by much, so it’s difficult isn’t it when it’s a combined med.

[Hidden in reply to dizzy1979]

That will.have an impact on results for sure, 6 hours is a bit of a change. Do you think that this change might have done it? Because it seems your starting your day with a higher dose then and your topping it up with your ndt. Why did you change the timings? Have you seen any improvements after changing the timing?

[dizzy1979 in reply to Hidden]

I would always take a dose the evening before blood testing so I don’t think that would make a difference to the results, as I didn’t take my meds the morning of testing.

I have felt more alert in the morning by changing the times, I was waking at 3-4am when I was having my 4pm dose, with my 10pm dose I sleep much better.

[Hidden]

Sorry, now I understand. Makes sense it makes you more alert and you sleep well, then I'm.wondering you your first dose is enough or not enough so you're having these symptoms. Have you ever tested 8 hours after taking your first dose to see where you are as doses are uneven?