Newbie looking for guidance on thyroid results :)

[Tingtang]

Hi all,

First post!

I got my thyroid test back from thriva today (overall a really good experience using their service so far). Most of the results have been interpreted by a doctor as normal/ optimal apart from my vitamin D and folate. I wanted to check if the numbers are considered ok by this community as i have no faith left in modern medicine! Some of the unit measures seem to be different to most of the online levels I’ve seen so it’s making it tricky for me to compare.

Just a little background - I have been having a range of symptoms for some time that seem hormonal based. The symptoms got unbearable back in May and I did a tone of research and decided on a couple of home tests. I can relate to many of the symptoms of hypothyroidism (fogy brain lethargic some dizziness, pms, hair loss, frequent low energy, low libido, mood swings and cold feet) so I thought a thyroid test was probably the best place to start (my next home test is for female hormones). I have adopted a very strict diet since May with no processed food or grains and mainly eating meat grass fed butter and eggs with a few low carb vegetables and the odd teaspoon of raw honey so I little surprised to see low vitamin d, folate and ferritin but my symptoms have been much more tolerable this last month (what a relief!) -it’s hard to know if it due to the diet or just random!

My partner and I would like to start trying for a baby (I’m 30 now so don’t want to miss my opportunity and wait too long) but I’m worried that there is something wrong (its a gut feeling as well as the symptoms). I question if it’s the right thing for us especially as pregnancy is one of the biggest tests of a woman’s body.

Any guidance from you all would be much appreciated. It’s been incredibly comforting and reassuring to read many of the entries on here.

Edited the ranges below on 03/07/2020 as got them wrong first time round

Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) =1.77 mIU/L (0.27-4.2)

Thyroid (FT3) = 3.8 pmol/L (range 3.1-6.8)

Free thyroxine (TF4) = 16.1 pmol/L (range 12-22)

Thyroxine (T4) = 108 nmol/L (range 66-181)

Thyroglobulin antibodies TgAB = 12.7 kU/L (0-115)

Thyroid peroxidase antibodies TPOAb = 11.9 kIU/L (range 0-34)

Active B12 = 151pmol/L (range 37.5-188)

Ferritin = 16ug/l (range 13-150)

Folate = 7.9nmol/L (range 8.83-40)

Vitamin D = 23nmol/L (range 50-375)

[Nanaedake]

Hi, can you confirm that you are not taking levothyroxine? I presume you have not been diagnosed with thyroid disease?

Vitamin D is extremely low. If in the UK, with those results, the doctor should prescribe a loading dose until levels are above 50nmol. However you may then have to buy your own supplements to get levels optimal and keep them there.

Loss of hair is more likely low ferritin than thyroid disease. You need to ask GP for full iron panel to check for iron deficiency anemia. Your GP can prescribe supplements if you need them.

You can bring folate levels up with a methylfolate supplement. I took 400mcg for 2/3 months and now just take a good B complex.

Thyroid levels are in the normal range. Thyroid function may improve when vitamins are optimised.

Thyroid antibodies are in the normal range.

Once you've optimised your vitamin levels it would be worth retesting thyroid function but no need to retest antibodies.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

vitamin D is extremely deficient. See GP

You should be prescribed LOADING dose vitamin D

NHS Guidelines on dose vitamin D required

ouh.nhs.uk/osteoporosis/use...

Vitamin D

GP will often only prescribe to bring levels to 50nmol.

Some areas will prescribe to bring levels to 75nmol

leedsformulary.nhs.uk/docs/...

GP should advise on self supplementing if over 50nmol, but under 75nmol (but they rarely do)

mm.wirral.nhs.uk/document_u...

But improving to around 80nmol or 100nmol by self supplementing may be better

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/218...

vitamindsociety.org/pdf/Vit...

Once you Improve level, very likely you will need on going maintenance dose to keep it there.

Test twice yearly via vitamindtest.org.uk

Vitamin D mouth spray by Better You is very effective as it avoids poor gut function. There’s a version made that also contains vitamin K2 Mk7

It’s trial and error what dose we need,

Government recommends everyone supplement October to April

gov.uk/government/news/phe-...

Also read up on importance of magnesium and vitamin K2 Mk7 supplements when taking vitamin D

betterbones.com/bone-nutrit...

medicalnewstoday.com/articl...

livescience.com/61866-magne...

sciencedaily.com/releases/2...

Vitamin K2 mk7

betterbones.com/bone-nutrit...

healthline.com/nutrition/vi...

Importance of vitamin D for fighting Covid

moxafrica.org/post/the-vita...

Ferritin is extremely low. GP needs to do full iron panel test for anaemia

Eating iron rich foods like liver or liver pate once a week plus other red meat, pumpkin seeds and dark chocolate, plus daily orange juice or other vitamin C rich drink can help improve iron absorption

dailyiron.net

Links about iron and ferritin

irondisorders.org/Websites/...

drhedberg.com/ferritin-hypo...

This is interesting because I have noticed that many patients with Hashimoto’s disease and hypothyroidism, start to feel worse when their ferritin drops below 80 and usually there is hair loss when it drops below 50.

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[SlowDragon Administrator]

What vitamin supplements are you currently taking, if any

B12 is high. Suggests you may have been supplementing?

Folate is low

Supplementing a good quality daily vitamin B complex, one with folate in not folic acid may be beneficial.

chriskresser.com/folate-vs-...

B vitamins best taken after breakfast

Igennus Super B is good quality and cheap vitamin B complex. Contains folate. Full dose is two tablets per day. Many/most people may only need one tablet per day. Certainly only start on one per day (or even half tablet per day for first couple of weeks)

Or Thorne Basic B or jarrow B-right are other options that contain folate, but both are large capsules

If you are taking vitamin B complex, or any supplements containing biotin, remember to stop these 7 days before any blood tests, as biotin can falsely affect test results

endo.confex.com/endo/2016en...

endocrinenews.endocrine.org...

B12 and folate are Goldilocks vitamins for pregnancy. You don’t want too little or too much

[SlowDragon Administrator]

I don’t think those ranges are correct on thyroid results

Thriva ranges are (I think) same as Medichecks

Ft4 16 (12-22)

Ft3 3.8(3.1-6.8)

Ft4 40% through range

Ft3 only 17% through range

Helpful calculator for working out percentage through range

chorobytarczycy.eu/kalkulator

Low Ft3 should improve as you get vitamins optimal

[Tingtang in reply to SlowDragon]

Hi both

Thank you so much for the replies, I will go through all of this

I'm not taking levothyroxine nor have i been diagnosed with a thyroid issue i just wanted to rule it out.

I'm not taking any vitamin supplements currently (other than a few drops of boron minerals) but my diet is very high in meat/animal products (ive been trying to eat liver a few times a week) so this may be why b12 is high but then surprises me that ferritin low as meat and liver high in iron hummmmm

Regards the ranges, i thought the min and max measurements showing was the range but i think on reflection, i should have just put the minimal and maximum numbers that are in green for optimal and normal? Is that correct? ive edited my original post with the correct ranges now.

I managed to get a call back from the GP today. Since i moved house I've put off registering. im feeling slightly nervous about it as often GP's don't listen and its difficult to explain how you feel in 5 minutes . Is there anything else i should maybe think to ask for in terms of possible tests (i will mention the Vitamin D Ferrtin and Folate and need for full iron panel)

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Tingtang]

Print the Thriva test results out to take along to consultation

Explain you have been feeling unwell and looking at planned pregnancy in next year or two

GP may want to repeat tests themselves or may be happy to accept them

Is there any history of thyroid or other autoimmune disease in your family?

GP should prescribe 300,000iu vitamin D to be taken over next 6-8 weeks

Full iron panel test for anaemia

[Tingtang in reply to SlowDragon]

Hi

Thank you so much, saw your reply Just in time for the discussion with gp and I'm so relieved because she was so nice and listened to me ! Gosh it makes such a difference - I could cry with relief !

She wants to do the tests I had again and more including diabetes kidney iron ect as she was not too sure about finger prick tests (she dident say they are not accurate but I guess she wants to be sure). Having the blood draw on the 9th so should know more within a week after that. Feeling positive xxxx

Hope these posts might help someone else too who is searching for answers

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Tingtang]

Great to hear

Come back with new post once you get results

[AnnaSo in reply to Tingtang]

I suggest you edit you post with those edited ranges as it’s impossible for members to interpret with wrong ranges. Just as Slow Dragon I could tell something wasn’t right there and I can see no one commented on your thyroid levels as a result.

Your thyroid levels are low (FT3 and FT4). Looks like early stage of Hashimoto. On top of that your ferritin and vitamin D is low so no wonder you feel unwell. Deficiencies are very common in Hashimoto. Surprising how low your ferritin is given you eat a lot of meat. You possibly have digestion or absorbtion issues. Or both. Also not uncommon in Hashimoto.

I suggest you get yourself to better place health wise before trying to conceive. Especially foliate.