Hi I've got my Blue Horizon blood test results today and I would be very grateful if I could be given some advice based on the findings please? I'd like to add that I am extremely anxious at the moment too which is why I am so concerned about this right now.
Not sure why you left it that long when you specifically asked when you should take your last dose and I replied:
Last dose of NDT should be 8-12 hours before blood draw splitting dose and adjusting time the day before if necessary.
You actually have a false low FT3 result and possibly FT4 could be lower than it might have been. However, because taking NDT tends to lower, even suppress TSH, and lower FT4 anyway, your FT4 result isn't that important, it's getting an accurate FT3 result which is most important when taking NDT.
TSH 1.39 (0.27 - 4.20) mIU/L
T4 Total L 54.8 (66 - 181) nmol/L
Free T4 L 9.9 (12.0 to 22.0) pmol/L
Free T3 3.19 (3.1 - 6.8) pmol/L
Even allowing for the fact that you took your NDT too far away from the blood draw, it wont have had any impact on your TSH result so that alone tells us that you are undermedicated. We can't guess what your FT3 result would have been if the time gap had been correct but it certainly wont have been in the upper part of the range which is where one usually expects to see it when optimally medicated on NDT. So all in all your results indicate that an increase in your dose of NDT is likely to be needed.
CRP is good.
Ferritin is recommended to be half way through range so with that range that's about 82 so you're not far off that.
Cortisol I can't comment on, I have no experience of blood cortisol results.
TPO antibodies in this test are lower than last time. They do fluctuate but as they were 26.2 <34 kIU/L last time then I don't think it's possible to completely discount Hashi's.
Vit D: 61nmol/L -
The Vit D Council recommends a level of 125nmol/L and the Vit D Society recommends a level of 100-150nmol/L.
Your result is lower than last time. Did you start to supplement as suggested previously in reply to this post:
Total B12 result is good, but you can have a good Total B12 level but a poor Active B12 level. It's Active B12 test that measures the amount of B12 that is available to be used by the cells. This is included in the Medichecks ULTRAVIT test or you can test it separately with Medichecks.
Folate is low in range and is recommended to be at least half way through range. Are you taking a B Complex (as suggested last time) or just Biotin? If a B complex, which brand?
You really are a mine of information and I thank you for responding.
I took my NDT about 18 hours before the test
Not sure why you left it that long when you specifically asked when you should take your last dose and I replied:
Last dose of NDT should be 8-12 hours before blood draw splitting dose and adjusting time the day before if necessary. I did that because I wanted to get the test done when I was available to go to a BMI hospital for the blood draw and Thursday turned out to the only day so I had to work around that. Maybe I should have waited but I don't know when I would be available to do that again in the near future.
You actually have a false low FT3 result and possibly FT4 could be lower than it might have been. However, because taking NDT tends to lower, even suppress TSH, and lower FT4 anyway, your FT4 result isn't that important, it's getting an accurate FT3 result which is most important when taking NDT.
TSH 1.39 (0.27 - 4.20) mIU/L
T4 Total L 54.8 (66 - 181) nmol/L
Free T4 L 9.9 (12.0 to 22.0) pmol/L
Free T3 3.19 (3.1 - 6.8) pmol/L
Even allowing for the fact that you took your NDT too far away from the blood draw, it wont have had any impact on your TSH result so that alone tells us that you are undermedicated. We can't guess what your FT3 result would have been if the time gap had been correct but it certainly wont have been in the upper part of the range which is where one usually expects to see it when optimally medicated on NDT. So all in all your results indicate that an increase in your dose of NDT is likely to be needed.
CRP is good.
Ferritin is recommended to be half way through range so with that range that's about 82 so you're not far off that.Cortisol I can't comment on, I have no experience of blood cortisol results.
TPO antibodies in this test are lower than last time. They do fluctuate but as they were 26.2 <34 kIU/L last time then I don't think it's possible to completely discount Hashi's. How can I find out more accurately if I do have Hashi's please?
Vit D: 61nmol/L -
The Vit D Council recommends a level of 125nmol/L and the Vit D Society recommends a level of 100-150nmol/L.
Your result is lower than last time. Did you start to supplement as suggested previously in reply to this post:
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu... I think I need to take more Vitamin D you're right so I will get onto that. I changed my brand and didn't realise that there was less Vitamin D in the new one so I need to rectify that.
Total B12 result is good, but you can have a good Total B12 level but a poor Active B12 level. It's Active B12 test that measures the amount of B12 that is available to be used by the cells. This is included in the Medichecks ULTRAVIT test or you can test it separately with Medichecks. I will do this test to see what is going on with my Vitamin B12.
Folate is low in range and is recommended to be at least half way through range. Are you taking a B Complex (as suggested last time) or just Biotin? If a B complex, which brand? I am taking Vitamin B12 and Biotin separately. Should I take a B Complex and stop the other two I'm confused?
Thanks again for all your help. It is really appreciated x
How can I find out more accurately if I do have Hashi's please?
One sure way is for antibodies to be over range. But they fluctuate all the time so it's a case of testing when they're high and you can't necessarily pinpoint that. However, you can also have Hashi's without raised antibodies.
Another indicator is if you swing from hypo to having hyper-type symptoms and back again.
But it doesn't matter whether you have Hashi's, it's not the Hashi's that's treated, it's the resulting hypothyroidism that's treated and that is with thyroid hormone replacement - Levothyroxine.
If you do have Hashi's then trying a strict gluten free diet may help, some members find it makes a difference. Also, supplementing with selenium l-selenomethionine 200mcg daily is said to help reduce the antibodies, as can keeping TSH suppressed.
I am taking Vitamin B12 and Biotin separately. Should I take a B Complex and stop the other two I'm confused?
Is there a reason you are taking a separate Biotin supplement?
When taking B12 we need a B Complex to balance all the B vitamins, a B Complex contains them all, Biotin is just B7. As I mentioned above, this information was given in response to your previous post where you included your other BH results a year ago:
Depending on the result of your Active B12 test, you may or may not need a separate B12, or you may find there is enough B12 in the B Complex, but it must be a good, bioavailable one. Post result/range when you have it for further comment.
How can I find out more accurately if I do have Hashi's please?
One sure way is for antibodies to be over range. But they fluctuate all the time so it's a case of testing when they're high and you can't necessarily pinpoint that. However, you can also have Hashi's without raised antibodies.
Another indicator is if you swing from hypo to having hyper-type symptoms and back again. I don't swing from hypo to hyper. Lately I have been tired a lot, putting on weight and generally feeling down in the dumps.
But it doesn't matter whether you have Hashi's, it's not the Hashi's that's treated, it's the resulting hypothyroidism that's treated and that is with thyroid hormone replacement - Levothyroxine. Are you saying that if I do have Hashi's (hypothetically) that I could only use Levothyroxine and not NDT?
If you do have Hashi's then trying a strict gluten free diet may help, some members find it makes a difference. Also, supplementing with selenium l-selenomethionine 200mcg daily is said to help reduce the antibodies, as can keeping TSH suppressed. Thanks for this information but I do not think I've got Hashi's but of course I could be wrong.
I am taking Vitamin B12 and Biotin separately. Should I take a B Complex and stop the other two I'm confused?
Is there a reason you are taking a separate Biotin supplement? Yes because it comes with Ashwagandha which is an adaptogen to reduce cortisol though I stopped taking that for a week before I had my bloods done due to having Biotin in it so I am going to get Ashwagandha without Biotin to take on its own.
When taking B12 we need a B Complex to balance all the B vitamins, a B Complex contains them all, Biotin is just B7. As I mentioned above, this information was given in response to your previous post where you included your other BH results a year ago:
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu... I am going to start taking B Complex and cut out the B12 and the Biotin and get a bioavailable one.
Depending on the result of your Active B12 test, you may or may not need a separate B12, or you may find there is enough B12 in the B Complex, but it must be a good, bioavailable one. Post result/range when you have it for further comment.
Are you saying that if I do have Hashi's (hypothetically) that I could only use Levothyroxine and not NDT?
No, you can take any thyroid hormone replacement that is right for you, that was just an automatic response, I hadn't looked back up the thread and hadn't remembered that you take NDT.
Yes because it comes with Ashwagandha which is an adaptogen to reduce cortisol though I stopped taking that for a week before I had my bloods done due to having Biotin in it so I am going to get Ashwagandha without Biotin to take on its own.
Are you regularly testing cortisol? I took adaptogens and made the mistake of not regularly testing, my then practioner didn't mention this and after I stopped consulting with her it never crossed my mind. I ended up going from all cortisol levels high in range to almost flatlining at the bottom so have been working for a long time to raise my levels again. I would suggest testing every 3 months whilst supplementing.
Have you tried increasing it by 1/4 of a grain to see how you feel? A lot of people without a thyroid need to take more NDT. When I was on it I only took 1 1/2 grains and I had to stop it because my thyroid suddenly started to produce more thyroxine. I am not taking anything at the moment and on my second remission from Graves' disease. Apart from not sleeping very well I do feel well. My husband actually said that you looked the best I had for years. Which is probably because my hair is thicker now than it was.
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Interpreting thyroid test results
Blue Horizon Blood Test Results
Blood Test Results
