Hi
Can someone tell me if both these results are testing the same thing? They seem to have different reference limits and it all confuses me so much... thank you in advance x
I will need to put other phono in follow up post as can’t seem to add more than one pic x
No, they're entirely different things. The antibodies are high, so telling you that you have Autoimmune Thyroiditis - aka Hashi's - and likely to become hypo in the future. And the TSH is telling you that you haven't gone hypo yet. 
Previous post shows you already know you have Hashimoto’s
Just testing TSH is completely inadequate
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 if you have autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's) diagnosed by raised Thyroid antibodies
What vitamin supplements are you currently taking
When were vitamin levels last tested?
Likely to need to supplement virtually continuously to maintain optimal vitamin levels
How much levothyroxine are you currently taking
Do you always get same brand
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)
Is this how you do your tests?
Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or thyroid antibodies or all relevant vitamins
List of private testing options
thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...
Medichecks Thyroid plus vitamins including folate (private blood draw required)
medichecks.com/products/thy...
Thriva Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins By DIY fingerpick test
Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes antibodies, cortisol and vitamins by DIY fingerprick test
bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...
If you can get GP to test vitamins and antibodies then cheapest option for just TSH, FT4 and FT3
£29 (via NHS private service ) and 10% off if go on thyroid uk for code
thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...
monitormyhealth.org.uk/thyr...
Medichecks - JUST vitamin testing including folate - DIY finger prick test
medichecks.com/products/nut...
Medichecks often have special offers, if order on Thursdays
Just vitamin D test
Hi.
I want to cry for how useless my doctors are... they don’t even understand the results...
I get B12 quarterly injections, have low vit D and take supplements, have had low iron and ferritin but as soon as I take supplements and the levels improve they tell me to stop taking... am so confused!!!
So you need to take control
You have to realise NHS is only obligated to treat deficiencies
On levothyroxine, especially with Hashimoto’s we need OPTIMAL Vitamin levels
It’s down to you to supplement and look at diet to maintain optimal vitamin levels
Eg Vitamin D
GP will often only prescribe to bring levels to 50nmol.
A few CCG 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...
NHS Guidelines on dose vitamin D required
ouh.nhs.uk/osteoporosis/use...
But with Hashimoto’s, improving Vitamin D 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, with hashimoto’s we frequently need higher dose than average
Calculator for working out dose you may need
40ng/ml = 100nmol
grassrootshealth.net/projec...
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
As you have B12 injections it’s recommended also to supplement a good quality daily vitamin B complex, one with folate in (not folic acid) may be beneficial.
This can help keep all B vitamins in balance and will help improve B12 levels too between injections
Difference between folate and folic acid
chriskresser.com/folate-vs-...
Many Hashimoto’s patients have MTHFR gene variation and can have trouble processing folic acid.
thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...
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...
Ferritin is trickier
Never supplement iron without doing full iron panel test for anaemia first
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
List of iron rich foods
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...
Thyroid disease is as much about optimising vitamins as thyroid hormones
Helpful post about iron supplements and testing
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
restartmed.com/hypothyroidi...
Post about iron supplements
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Post discussing just how long it can take to raise low ferritin
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Thousands of posts on here about getting FULL Thyroid and vitamin testing privately....it’s often the ONLY way to make progress
First step is to get full thyroid and vitamin testing...plus coeliac blood test
Come back with new post once you get results
One step at a time
Thank you so much... this info is invaluable. I like you say, I need to take control as the doctors don’t help x
Lizhashi
This result shows the Thyroid Peroxidase (TPO) antibody test results. It explains that TPO antibodies are present when the cause of hypothyroidism is autoimmune (Hashimoto's). You can see that your level is very much over range at 291 and therefore positive for Hashi's.
TSH is a signal from the pituitary to tell the thyroid to make thyroid hormone when it detects there is too little, in which case the TSH will be high.
They are too different things.
The aim of levothyroxine is to increase dose upwards until Ft4 is in top third of range and Ft3 at least half way through range (regardless of where TSH is) ...important to have optimal vitamin levels too as this helps reduce symptoms and improve how levothyroxine works
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. 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
healthcheckshop.co.uk/store...?
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
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
restartmed.com/hashimotos-g...
Despite the fact that 5-10% of patients have Celiac disease, in my experience and in the experience of many other physicians, at least 80% + of patients with Hashimoto's who go gluten-free notice a reduction in their symptoms almost immediately.
I’m currently on 175mcg of Levo
have had low iron and ferritin but as soon as I take supplements and the levels improve they tell me to stop taking...
Doctors used to do that to me. Nowadays I supplement, maintain and test everything to do with my iron myself. I've spent a life time being anaemic or with low iron and/or ferritin. It was only when I optimised my levels and learned what dose I needed to maintain them as close to optimal as possible that I discovered my almost life-long anxiety and most of my depression was caused by low iron.
If you want help with your iron and ferritin and supplementing then you will need to have an iron panel done. It can be done with a finger-prick test privately - no doctor required :
medichecks.com/iron-tests/i...
You can get 10% off the price with the discount code on this link :
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
More info on Medichecks :
thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...
And some generic info on testing iron and ferritin :
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Help reading required tests to obtain diagnosis - French endocrinologist 
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