First bloods

[Scottifi]

Had my first bloods done, diagnosed autoimmune thyroid

Vitamin D3 - 95 (>60)

B12 - 409 (180 - 800)

Free T4 - 16.4 (11 - 23)

Folate - 9.5 (3.9 - 27)

Ferritin - 231 (12-233)

Free T3 - 4.59 (3.1-6.8)

TSH - 10.16

On 150mcgs levothyroxine, feel better since I got the brand switched from TEVA .

Waiting for TPO/TG antibodies and coeliac

Any further advice on these bloods would be appreciated.

[fuchsia-pink]

TSH is still MUCH too high despite being on a reasonable dose of levo - although I appreciate it's come down a lot from your first post - but we really need you to add the reference ranges for your results to say much more [use the "more" button on the right to edit your post] - as these vary from lab to lab so we cant tell where in the range you might be.Also, did you have bloods taken early in the morning, when TSH is highest and leave 24 hours from previous levo?

[Scottifi in reply to fuchsia-pink]

Yes went early morning and fasted and had no levothyroxine for 24hours prior to bloods.

[greygoose]

If you already know you have autoimmune thyroiditis - presumably they tested high on a previous set of labs? - there's no point in retesting antibodies. Whatever the level they come back at, it won't alter the fact that you have Hashi's. That doesn't go a way, and doesn't change no matter what the antibodies do.

[Scottifi in reply to greygoose]

Thanks for your reply, no the diagnosis was made by an endocrinologist without any antibodies tests, just TSH and T4.

[greygoose in reply to Scottifi]

OK. So, if he didn't test antibodies, how did he know you had autoimmune thyroiditis?

[Scottifi in reply to greygoose]

I have no idea, my TSH was 72, That’s the diagnosis he gave me.

[greygoose in reply to Scottifi]

So, he was just guessing, really. A TSH won't tell you anything other than you're hypo. It won't tell you why.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Although your TSH is still very high, it’s reduced a lot

And 150mcg is likely the dose you need at moment for your current weight

You probably want to stay on current dose at moment

Your vitamins are pretty good, do you supplement or is this natural levels?

Which brand of levothyroxine are you now taking?

Assuming coeliac test is negative, you will still likely benefit from strictly gluten free diet

If coeliac test is positive you usually need to remain on gluten rich diet until endoscopy, but in current pandemic they may just advise to go gluten free and might do an endoscopy in years time

What were antibodies results in previous test?

High TPO and....Or high TG antibodies

[Scottifi]

Thanks for the reply. Vitamins are natural levels, never had any antibodies checked before. Taking Mercury brand. And despite the TSH coming down , I am still hypertensive., with 5mgs amlopidine.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Says here ....waiting for results on thyroid antibodies and coeliac blood test

About 90% of primary hypothyroidism is autoimmune thyroid disease

As your Dad had Addison’s (also autoimmune) you should have antibodies tested

If you have high TPO or high TG antibodies this is Hashimoto's, (also known by medics here in UK more commonly as autoimmune thyroid disease).

Hashimoto's frequently affects the gut and leads to low stomach acid, poor absorption and then low vitamin levels

Low vitamin levels affect Thyroid hormone working

Poor gut function with Hashimoto’s 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.

[Scottifi in reply to SlowDragon]

Wow thanks for this reply, just looked back and seen I never got the coeliac test when I had all the vitamins done, so will ask again.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Scottifi]

Did you get thyroid antibodies results

[Scottifi in reply to SlowDragon]

Thyroid peroxidase Ab 553 iu/ml,