Results help please

[Chris1802p]

Hi everyone,

I had a hemi- thyroidectomy 6 weeks ago for multi nodular goitre. Results- benign adenoma. These are the results of my 6 week Post op blood test. Prior to this I’ve been ‘euthyroid’, my TSH result had ranged between 2.5 and 3.2. I do have symptoms as per my previous posts, lately have been putting on weight, dry skin, restless legs.

Could you look over these results and let me know how you think I should proceed? I haven’t sent the results to the ENT consultant yet. Many thanks in advance

[SlowDragon Administrator]

How do you feel?

Clearly your TSH has risen and Ft4 is rock bottom

But you might want to repeat test in a further 8 weeks...see if getting better or getting worse

Have you also had vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 tested?

If not you REALLY want to test these too

What vitamin supplements are you currently taking?

[Chris1802p in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you. I don't feel great, but I haven't for a long time ....tiredness, headaches, really dry skin, no libido, weight creeping up and up.

I haven't had the vits and minerals tested for about a year. I had iron deficiency anaemia in the past which was corrected with iron tabs and Vit D was low and I corrected that last year. But yes they do need checking again.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Looking at previous posts...are you on strictly gluten free diet? If so have you been gluten free a long time?

If so TPO antibodies are often low....would strongly suspect Haslemere

Restless legs often due to low magnesium ...common when vitamin D is low

Hashimoto’s patients often low in magnesium

Gluten free diet is low in magnesium too

[Chris1802p in reply to SlowDragon]

No I'm not gluten free. I've been floundering around in this is it thyroid? Is it autoimmune disease? mire for so long I can't seem to get a grip on anything much I'm afraid.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Chris1802p]

Looking at your previous posts...lists of symptoms suggest gluten intolerance

20% of Hashimoto's patients never have raised antibodies

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Hashimoto's frequently affects the gut and leads to low stomach acid and then low vitamin levels

Low vitamin levels affect Thyroid hormone working

Poor gut function can lead leaky gut (literally holes in gut wall) this can cause food intolerances. Most common by far is gluten intolerance. Second most common is lactose intolerance

According to Izabella Wentz the Thyroid Pharmacist approx 5% with Hashimoto's are coeliac, but over 80% find strictly gluten free diet reduces symptoms, sometimes significantly. Either due to 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, or buy test online BEFORE trying strictly gluten free diet

Assuming test is negative you can immediately go on strictly gluten free diet

If coeliac test is positive you will need to remain on high gluten diet until endoscopy, with maximum 6 weeks wait, officially

Trying strictly gluten free diet for 3-6 months

If no noticeable improvement, reintroduce gluten and see if symptoms get worse

chriskresser.com/the-gluten...

amymyersmd.com/2018/04/3-re...

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

drknews.com/changing-your-d...

restartmed.com/hashimotos-g...

Non Coeliac Gluten sensitivity (NCGS) and autoimmune disease

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/296...

The predominance of Hashimoto thyroiditis represents an interesting finding, since it has been indirectly confirmed by an Italian study, showing that autoimmune thyroid disease is a risk factor for the evolution towards NCGS in a group of patients with minimal duodenal inflammation. On these bases, an autoimmune stigma in NCGS is strongly supported

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/300...

The obtained results suggest that the gluten-free diet may bring clinical benefits to women with autoimmune thyroid disease

nuclmed.gr/wp/wp-content/up...

In summary, whereas it is not yet clear whether a gluten free diet can prevent autoimmune diseases, it is worth mentioning that HT patients with or without CD benefit from a diet low in gluten as far as the progression and the potential disease complications are concerned

[Chris1802p in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks. I really should give GF a try

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Chris1802p]

Ideally get coeliac blood test done first. Easy home test

[Chris1802p in reply to SlowDragon]

I’ve been tested for coeliac already- negative

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Chris1802p]

Ok, so you can try it straight away. Does need to be strictly gluten free to be effective.

Can be a bit daunting at first, but you get use to it. Read all labels carefully