Thriva advanced thyroid test results - advice p... - Thyroid UK

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Thriva advanced thyroid test results - advice please!

Tobernemo profile image
13 Replies

Hi - have just received my results from the Thriva advanced thyroid test. The results are confusing so any explanation would be welcome. (they couldn't do the Folate test for some reason) Am concerned about the very high antibody levels, and also confused about the elevated Ferritin as I don't take any iron supplements. TSH is also higher than my last blood test 3 weeks ago. Am seeing Endo consultant tomorrow. Symptoms are mainly extreme fatigue and digestive problems. Am currently on 75mg levothyroxine.

Active B12:

161pmol/L

Vitamin D:

67 nmol/L

Ferritin:

238 ug/L

Triiodothyronine (FT3):

5 pmol/L

Thyroglobulin antibodies (TgAB):

612.5 kU/L

Thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPOAb):

435.5 kIU/L

Thyroxine (T4):

118 nmol/L

Free thyroxine (FT4):

17.8 pmol/L

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Tobernemo
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SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

Now on 75mg levo since Oct 10 and last test (23 Oct) showed

Serum TSH level 4.04 mU/L [0.35 - 5.5]

Serum free T4 level 17.5 pmol/L [10.5 - 21.0]

From previous post

Dose levothyroxine only increased 5weeks ago

Normally we recommend waiting a bit longer to test -6-8 weeks minimum

High thyroid antibodies confirms autoimmune thyroid disease also called Hashimoto’s

About 90% of primary hypothyroidism is autoimmune thyroid disease

High ferritin can be due to inflammation of Hashimoto’s

Iron levels should be tested to check if also high

Ft4 17.8 (12-22)

Ft3 5.0 (3.1-6.8 )

Ft4 is 58% through range

Ft3 is 51% through range

So pretty good conversion

Helpful calculator for working out percentage through range

chorobytarczycy.eu/kalkulator

Do you always get same brand of levothyroxine at each prescription?

Many people find Levothyroxine brands are not interchangeable.

Teva is a Marmite brand, some people love it

Many patients do NOT get on well with Teva brand of Levothyroxine. Teva contains mannitol as a filler, which seems to be possible cause of problems. Teva is the only brand that makes 75mcg tablet. So if avoiding Teva for 75mcg dose ask for 25mcg to add to 50mcg or just extra 50mcg tablets to cut in half

Are you currently taking Teva?

Teva, Aristo and Glenmark are the only lactose free tablets

dropbox.com/s/6h3h0qi4eqwi6...

Teva poll

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Once you find a brand that suits you, best to make sure to only get that one at each prescription.

Watch out for brand change when dose is increased or at repeat prescription.

academic.oup.com/jcem/artic...

Physicians should: 1) alert patients that preparations may be switched at the pharmacy; 2) encourage patients to ask to remain on the same preparation at every pharmacy refill; and 3) make sure patients understand the need to have their TSH retested and the potential for dosing readjusted every time their LT4 preparation is switched (18).

Levothyroxine is an extremely fussy hormone and should always be taken on an empty stomach and then nothing apart from water for at least an hour after

Many people take Levothyroxine soon after waking, but it may be more convenient and perhaps more effective taken at bedtime

verywellhealth.com/best-tim...

No other medication or supplements at same as Levothyroxine, leave at least 2 hour gap. Some like iron, calcium, magnesium, HRT, omeprazole or vitamin D should be four hours away

(Time gap doesn't apply to Vitamin D mouth spray)

If you normally take levothyroxine at bedtime/in night ...adjust timings as follows prior to blood test

If testing Monday morning, delay Saturday evening dose levothyroxine until Sunday morning. Delay Sunday evening dose levothyroxine until after blood test on Monday morning. Take Monday evening dose levothyroxine as per normal

Are you currently taking any vitamin D?

Tobernemo profile image
Tobernemo in reply to SlowDragon

Hi - yes am taking vitamin D , 1000 per day. Gp report on test said should probably increase this. Am on accord levo (50 + half 50)which seems to agree with me - definitely not Teva which did not! Am still feeling awful with no improvement for the past month. I did the private test as wanted to find out more details which I would not be able to get from the gp till my next blood test which won’t be for at least 3 weeks. I took the test first thing in the morning before eating and missed previous evening Levo dose. Usually take at night and supplements in the morning. Should I be on a higher levo dose - concerned tsh is up again.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply to Tobernemo

Am I being blind ....couldn’t see TSH result

Tobernemo profile image
Tobernemo in reply to SlowDragon

Sorry - missed that one - it’s 6.51mIU/L. Also, I stopped lansoprazole a week ago as wasn’t happy about taking it.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply to Tobernemo

Then clearly you will need next 25mcg dose increase in levothyroxine and bloods retested in 6-8 weeks

Guidelines on dose levothyroxine is 1.6mcg per kilo of you weight (as guide) .....some may need higher dose

Replacement therapy with levothyroxine should be initiated in all patients to achieve a TSH level of 0.5-2.0pmol/L.

gponline.com/endocrinology-...

Aim is to bring a TSH under 2.5

gp-update.co.uk/SM4/Mutable...

academic.oup.com/jcem/artic...

Interestingly, patients with a serum TSH below the reference range, but not suppressed (0.04–0.4 mU/liter), had no increased risk of cardiovascular disease, dysrhythmias, or fractures. It is unfortunate that we did not have access to serum free T4 concentrations in these patients to ascertain whether they were above or within the laboratory reference range. However, our data indicate that it may be safe for patients to be on a dose of T4 that results in a low serum TSH concentration, as long as it is not suppressed at less than 0.03 mU/liter. Many patients report that they prefer such T4 doses (9, 10). Figure 2 indicates that the best outcomes appear to be associated with having a TSH within the lower end of the reference range.

Tobernemo profile image
Tobernemo in reply to SlowDragon

Thanks!

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply to Tobernemo

guidelines on dose levothyroxine by weight

Even if we don’t start on full replacement dose, most people need to increase levothyroxine dose slowly upwards in 25mcg steps (retesting 6-8 weeks after each increase) until on full replacement dose

NICE guidelines on full replacement dose

nice.org.uk/guidance/ng145/...

1.3.6

Consider starting levothyroxine at a dosage of 1.6 micrograms per kilogram of body weight per day (rounded to the nearest 25 micrograms) for adults under 65 with primary hypothyroidism and no history of cardiovascular disease.

Also here

cks.nice.org.uk/topics/hypo...

gp-update.co.uk/Latest-Upda...

Traditionally we have tended to start patients on a low dose of levothyroxine and titrate it up over a period of months. RCT evidence suggests that for the majority of patients this is not necessary and may waste resources.

For patients aged >60y or with ischaemic heart disease, start levothyroxine at 25–50μg daily and titrate up every 3 to 6 weeks as tolerated.

For ALL other patients start at full replacement dose. For most this will equate to 1.6 μg/kg/day (approximately 100μg for a 60kg woman and 125μg for a 75kg man).

If you are starting treatment for subclinical hypothyroidism, this article advises starting at a dose close to the full treatment dose on the basis that it is difficult to assess symptom response unless a therapeutic dose has been trialled.

A small Dutch double-blind cross-over study (ArchIntMed 2010;170:1996) demonstrated that night time rather than morning dosing improved TSH suppression and free T4 measurements, but made no difference to subjective wellbeing. It is reasonable to take levothyroxine at night rather than in the morning, especially for individuals who do not eat late at night.

BMJ also clear on dose required

bmj.com/content/368/bmj.m41

bestpractice.bmj.com/topics...

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

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...

NHS Guidelines on dose vitamin D required

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

But with Hashimoto’s, 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, with hashimoto’s we frequently need higher dose than average

Calculator for working out dose you may need to bring level to 40ng/ml = 100nmol

grassrootshealth.net/projec...

Government recommends everyone supplement October to April

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

Taking too much vitamin D is not a good idea

chriskresser.com/vitamin-d-...

With your Vit D, are you also taking it's important cofactors - magnesium and Vit K2-MK7?

Magnesium best taken in the afternoon or evening, but must be four hours away from levothyroxine

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...

Tobernemo profile image
Tobernemo in reply to SlowDragon

I am taking magnesium glycinate 250mg but not the k2 thing - will look into that. Also take a berocca every day which includes 100mg magnesium.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply to Tobernemo

You might want to look at better quality vitamin B complex

Important to stop any supplements that contain biotin a week before ALL BLOOD TESTS as biotin can falsely affect test results

jsy_girl profile image
jsy_girl in reply to SlowDragon

Slowdragon out of interest, I’m going to switch to the Thorne vitamin D and K2 drops... would this need to be 4 hours away from thyroxine? I prefer to take my thyroxine at night but also find vitamin D makes me sleepy so take within an hour of each other?

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply to jsy_girl

Presumably these are designed to be absorbed in mouth ...if so an hour away is fine

jsy_girl profile image
jsy_girl in reply to SlowDragon

Not sure, they say “may be taken with food or drink” but I guess I can drop them directly on my tongue too... thank you

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