Hi there. Finally got my latest results from doc. Due to covid and various other problems have not had a blood test for almost a year. So obviously some changes. My CKD e GFR has dropped from stage 2 to stage 3. (61 to 47 mL/min.) Not good news. Above range results for Total white blood count (11.00), Lymphocyte count (4.0) and Eosophil (0.5) count. Also Serum creatinine (100umol/L) and urea 7.7 mmol/L) all above range. Bilrubin (26 umol/L) level also. TSH level 7.21 ml/L and Serum free T4 level 15.1 pmol/L. I am speaking to doc on phone tomorrow. If anyone can throw any light on these would be grateful and maybe field me any questions to ask. Suffering with nausea and sharp pain going through to my back as well as a load of other digestive issues. To be honest am dreading getting on the treadmill again as I feel so ill don't think I could handle going to hospital if it came to that. I feel so guilty when so many are dying and suffering from Covid that in my world that is secondary. At least with that they know what it is and can get treatment whereas I am suffering in limbo with no answers. Sorry for self pity, but that is how it is unfortunately along with others suffering with cancer and other serious illnesses but can't get treatment. Take care.
Here we are again: Hi there. Finally got my... - Thyroid UK
Here we are again
ShelWhitt Your TSH is much too high and should be below 2 or even 1. You need Levothyroxine in my honest opinion.
Thank you Lora . I agree. Will tell doctor that today.
How much levothyroxine are you currently taking
The aim of levothyroxine is to increase the dose upwards in 25mcg steps until TSH is under 2
You are EXTREMELY Under Medicated and need immediate 25mcg dose increase in levothyroxine
Bloods should be retested 6-8 weeks after each dose increase or brand change in levothyroxine
Low GFR is linked to being under medicated and hypothyroid and should improve as dose of levothyroxine is increased
ESSENTIAL to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12
Request that GP tests.....or get tested privately
Thank you Slow Dragon. I am taking 50/75 mcg alt. days. I never miss. I tend to agree with you that my dosage needs increasing. but to be honest I am all at sea with the results. For the last two years (it might be longer) I have been constantly yo-yo ing with my blood tests and thyroid medication. I have got my records from doc and can't really get to grips with them.
10/10/19 TSH 0.34 T4 20.7 taking 75 mcg daily (down from 75 (5 days) 100 (2 days)
19/11/19 0.22 18.9 taking 75/50 mcg alt days.
Tried to keep away from docs curing epidemic, other than scalp surgery but have ended up going back anyway.
21/1/20 3.31 16.0 do
Private testing
20/2/20 5.58 16.5 - doc wouldn't accept their results
30/12/20 7.21 20.7 do.
Spoke to doc to check on recent results from tests on 30/12/20. (seen her only occasionally prior to this - but she is the one who pushed me to get scalp cancer looked at. ( Paid privately as 26 weeks waiting list to see consultant on NHS. Had surgery in October)...... Checking blood results she asked me to do another thyroid blood test in 6 weeks, and to take a urine sample in as she was concerned with my eCKD result - (which had dropped from 61 (Stage 2) to 47 (Stage 3) - during last twelve months. Intend speaking today with 'usual' doctor i.e. the one was been seeing on a ' regular' ish basis up until 12 months ago and is more familiar with my background to check on urine results and ...........ask about Thyroid.
Think going gluten free has got to be worth a try.
To be honest I am exhausted by it all, particularly after I read an article linking CKD with thyroid disorders. Carry on and link them with fibromyalgia (and all that entails) and you cannot be sure where one begins/overlaps/or ends with the others. It is an absolute nightmare when you are feeling really ill and caring for a husband with dementia , who is also immobile and has other health issues, all during the present pandemic. Sorry for the rant but I needed it! Thanks again.
Low GFR should improve as TSH comes down
Fibromyalgia is usually the RESULT of inadequately treated thyroid
You need to be on minimum of 75mcg per day
Likely 75/100 alternate days
Do you always get same brand of levothyroxine?
Many people find different brands are not interchangeable
Essential to test vitamin D folate, ferritin and B12
Ask GP to do so
These were low in previous posts......have you been supplementing to improve ?
TSH is likely to be under one when adequately treated on high enough dose levothyroxine
This result looked pretty good....obviously no Ft3
10/10/19
TSH 0.34 T4 20.7 taking 75 mcg daily (down from 75 (5 days) 100 (2 days)
Thank you Slow Dragon. Will obviously ring to her attention. Am taking exta VitD daily. Last time I asked was told ferratin and B12 were ok.
Yes, a doctor thinks vitamin results “within range” are fine, because NHS is only obligated to test for and treat deficiencies
It’s down to us the patients to maintain OPTIMAL vitamin levels
Optimal levels are
B12 at least over 500
Folate and ferritin at least half way through range
Vitamin D at least around 80nmol and around 100nmol maybe better
NHS will only test for deficiencies
Folate or ferritin below range
B12 under 210 (though guidelines say GP has discretion to treat if symptoms suggest B12 deficiency)
Some CCG areas will prescribe vitamin D if under 75nmol or 80nmol. Most will only prescribe if under 50nmol....though they should advise self supplementing to improve to 80nmol
Thank you, once again, Slow Dragon. I appreciate all your your help and patience, when I must have been a pain in your side at times. If only life was straightforward and we could pick and choose when to do things without other things getting in he way. But, unfortunately, life isn't like that and so we must just get on and do the best we can, when we can, and hope that eventually we are able to do enough! Stay safe.
TSH should be under 2
gponline.com/endocrinology-...
Replacement therapy with levothyroxine should be initiated in all patients to achieve a TSH level of 0.5-2.0pmol/L.
Aim is to bring a TSH under 2.5
Have you got a weekly pill dispenser to keep your levothyroxine in
Makes it much easier to see if you have missed a dose
Do you always get same brand of levothyroxine?
Suggest you reread this Previous post from 7 months ago
Apart from your thyroid issues, your results for eGFR, creatinine and bilirubin, plus your digestive issyes and pain, do point to concerns with your kidney function, which I am sure your GP will want to address, with further testing at least. High TSH can often affect these things, but your current level, although over range, should not have a huge impact on that. Obviously thyroid medication must he addressed, too. Hope your GP will prove helpful, especially as you obviously have a great deal to cope with, which they should also take into account.
I agree Partner 20. I am also concerned about kidney function. Am kicking myself now for not being in constant touch with doc. during last 12 months, but had such a lot going on with covid and other stuff being put on hold - it seemed a good idea at the time - obviously not.Thank you for your input and concern.
Hi! Don't blame yourself for not having kept up contact with your GP. Covid-19, on top of personal issues, has meant that many of us have put ourselves at the bottom of the pile for quite some time. You now need to look after yourself, so make an appointment to discuss your concerns as soon as you can. I hope your GP will reassure and help you. In the meantime, stay strong. All best wishes.
Post with vitamin results from 11 months ago
Ferratin 97.4 ugl (13 - 150)R
Folate serum 2.19 ugl/L (>3.89)R * Low
Vit. B12 Active 53.2 pmol/L (>37.5)R * ?? low
Vit. D 50.7.nmol/L (50 -175)R * Borderline
Thyroid TSH 5.58 m/U/L (0.27 - 4.2)R * High
Free T3 2.93 pmol/L (3.1 - 6.8)R * Low
Free Thyroxine 16.5 pmol/L (12 - 22)R
Thyroglubulin Antibodies 14.2 kU/L (<115)R
Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies 57.1 kU/L (<34)R * HIgh
Active B12 below 70 is considered deficient
Folate was BELOW RANGE
Vitamin D insufficient at 50nmol
Low vitamin levels directly linked to being under medicated on too low a dose levothyroxine
Clearly you were under medicated and TSH too high, and Ft3 BELOW RANGE
Ft3 needs to be at least 50% through range
TSH likely to be under 1 when correctly treated
Suggest you increase levothyroxine dose levothyroxine to 75mcg everyday and get FULL thyroid and vitamin testing privately after minimum of 6-8 weeks on new dose
Likely to need further increase in levothyroxine
What brand of levothyroxine are you currently taking
Is it Teva?
Hi Scrumbler. I hear and understand what you say, but if If there are overlapping conditions and people have been diagnosed with both conditions, it is a nonsense having a forum at all, if we are not able to discuss and voice our concerns. Perhaps those voicing those opinions need to examine their intentions before criticising others, particularly when they are purporting to help. The idea of a forum is to discuss things and I thought to mutually help , particularly where there is confusion; not to simply to adhere to certain members strict guidelines. I do know that some of your members have spoken to me about this before and maybe these members need to question their intentions. We are all individuals, with differing problems and circumstances and what we need is understanding; not having bureaucracy pointed out to us. I didn't think that was what a forum was about. Maybe I have it wrong. If so I apologise, and stand corrected; and will attempt not to cross swords with you about my issues again.
I think that GPs seem to under medicate older patients and this is what is happening to my dad and his wife. My dad is 79 and his wife is 76 and both of them are on a low dose of Levothyroxine. My dad also has COPD so he thinks a lot of his symptoms are caused by this illness whereas I think he is not taking enough Levothyroxine. His GP has actually reduced his dose from 100mcg to 75mcg and now his TSH is about 5. This GP thinks his TSH is perfect for an elderly person. Now his wife has been on 50mcg for years and she is also under medicated in my opinion and takes several different drugs to help with symptoms which are actually caused by being hypothyroid. SlowDragon has given me loads of information to show them and their GP but they think their doctor is right and don't want to change anything. I feel like there is nothing else I can do to help them as long as they let this GP keep them ill. They continue to take loads of other medications including statins etc. Everytime I see them I look at their thinning hair and listen to them complaining about aches and pains. They tell me they are permanently tired all the time and blame it on their age. I know what I would blame it on but I have given up trying to help them now sadly.
I tend to agree that my thyroid is at the root of my problems, but having been diagnosed with that for over 30 years with, as I thought, very problems or little change in dosage, I blindly accepted everything I was told by the doctors in that regard. The other problems which I have accumulated in the succeeding years have somewhat muddied the waters, before I began doing my own digging. I had a hystgerectomy 30+ years ago for endometriosis and I could say my problems started then. Which is what I thought originally. ?? hormonal. Irritable bowel diagnosed - I also suspect adhesions, but who knows.? I have spondylosis, degeneration of spine with curvature at the top and bottom plus bulging discs. All with their own symtoms. Chronic kidney disease as you are aware, with a benign cyst on my left one. Osteopanea. All of /or any one of, which, could be causing problems. This was all before I was diagnosed with polymyalgia and spending 12 months on steroids. After which I was told it wasn't polymyalgia but fibromyalgia. Throw in a suspected appendicitis for good measure and you might understand why, if you are confused, I don't know which came first. That is probably why I am overly cautious, but hopefully I will get there in the end!
Endometriosis and autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto’s) often run together
Chronic kidney disease almost certainly due to being extremely hypothyroid.....and certainly will improve considerably when TSH is under 1
Osteopenia is frequently result of being under medicated for Hashimoto’s....LOW Ft3 causes thinning bones
Irritable bowel and gut issues are EXTREMELY common result of Hashimoto’s due to LOW stomach acid. Low stomach acid leads to low vitamin levels
Low vitamin levels tend to lower TSH and result in poor conversion of Ft4 to Ft3
Low Ft3 tends to result in even lower vitamin levels
Fibromyalgia is frequently/almost always due to LOW Ft3 ......caused by inadequate dose levothyroxine/poor conversion of levothyroxine due to low vitamin levels/gluten intolerance
But as Hidden has said .........thyroid is a totally banned topic on fibromyalgia forum.
healthrising.org/blog/2019/...
thyroiduk.org/tuk/research/...
stopthethyroidmadness.com/f...
prohealth.com/library/new-t...
chriskresser.com/low-t3-syn...
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