Is there any thing I can do Is there anything I can do as I am having a US Thyroid & parathyroid on the 30th Nov

[Pnut]

Is there anything I can do as I am having a US Thyroid & parathyroid on the 30th Nov, as I have now through blood tests been diagnosed with Hashimoto's disease and symptomatic

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Previous post

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Taking 100mcg levothyroxine Accord

TSH 9.9

Previously you were taking levothyroxine at same time as all other medications

Are you NOW taking your levothyroxine on it’s own well away from other medications

Has GP tested vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

Taking lansoprazole (PPI) lowers B12 and magnesium

What vitamin supplements are you currently taking

[Pnut in reply to SlowDragon]

Now taking Levo separately to other meds21st Sep 20- B12=441ng/L

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Pnut]

So since September you have been taking levothyroxine correctly on its own

When was dose increased from 100mcg everyday to 100/125mcg alternate days?

Bloods should be retested 6-8 weeks after each dose increase

Do you always get same brand of levothyroxine

Which brand?

[Pnut in reply to SlowDragon]

Yes I always get same brand,2x50=100 (accord) and the 25(mercurypharma); my next blood test Dec 11th ; 20th Oct my dose was increased by my endocrinologist m go just keeps giving blood tests

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Pnut]

You will need to improve vitamin levels by self supplementing

NHS only tests and treats deficiencies

On levothyroxine we need optimal vitamin levels

[Pnut in reply to SlowDragon]

21/09/2020B12=441ng/L

Serum folate = 7.3ug/L

Serum ferritin = 22ug/L

Serum free T4 = 13.8pmol/L

Vit D = 48 taking over the counter D20mg

20/10/2020

TSH = 9.04

TPO Abs = 575iu/ml

100/125 levothyroxine alternative days

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Pnut]

Vitamin D

20ug is only 1000iu, not high enough dose

GP should have prescribed 1600iu everyday for 6 months

But probably better self supplementing at higher dose

2000iu or 3000iu daily through winter

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

betteryou.com/vitamin-d-k2

1 spray = 1000iu - so 3 sprays per day

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...

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 show GP should have prescribed 1600iu daily for 6 months

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

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...

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Pnut]

B12 and folate are both too low

supplementing 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

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)

igennus.com/products/super-...

(Often cheaper on Amazon)

Or Thorne Basic B is another option that contain folate, but is large capsule

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

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

endocrinenews.endocrine.org...

Low B12 symptoms

b12deficiency.info/signs-an...

With such low B12 result taking a B12 supplement as well as a B Complex (to balance all the B vitamins) initially for first 2-4 months, then once your serum B12 is over 500 (or Active B12 level has reached 70), stop the B12 and just carry on with the B Complex.

B12 sublingual lozenges

amazon.co.uk/Jarrow-Methylc...

cytoplan.co.uk/vitamins/vit...

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Pnut]

What’s the range on ferritin result?

Looks low

Has GP done 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

List of iron rich foods

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.

Thyroid disease is as much about optimising vitamins as thyroid hormones

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

restartmed.com/hypothyroidi...

Never supplement iron without doing full iron panel test for anaemia first

Post discussing why important to do full iron panel test

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

All vitamins low because you were under medicated or because you were taking levothyroxine incorrectly and this will have significantly reduced absorption rate

[Pnut in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you I will look into the suggestions you've made. Keep safe👍

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Pnut]

Come back with new post once you get next test results