Advice welcome

[joc0809]

Currently taking 75mcg thyroxine 2 days & 100mcg for 5 days, this is an ongoing issue, I've attached a recent blood test - I only take selinium supplement - would any others help? Thanks in advance

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

joc0809

Ferritin needs improving. Recommended is half way through range. You can help raise your level by eating liver regularly, maximum 200g per week due to it's high Vit A content, also liver pate, black pudding, and including lots of iron rich foods in your diet

apjcn.nhri.org.tw/server/in...

Don't consider taking an iron supplement unless you do an iron panel, if you already have a decent level of serum iron and a good saturation percentage then taking iron tablets can push your iron level even higher, too much iron is as bad as too little.

Your full blood count doesn't show signs of anaemia.

You could do with Vit D, B12 and folate testing. All nutrient levels need to be optimal for thyroid hormone to work properly.

Currently taking 75mcg thyroxine 2 days & 100mcg for 5 days, this is an ongoing issue

What is an ongoing issue? Do you have symptoms?

There doesn't seem to be a result for TSH. You need TSH, FT4 and FT3 testing for full thyroid status - early morning (no later than 9am) before eating or drinking anything except water, and last dose of Levo 24 hours before blood draw.

[joc0809 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thanks, I'm going to get vitamin test done privately

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to joc0809]

Oh, I can see your TSH result now, it's not in the usual place (to the right, below the other results).

Your TSH is extremely high.

What time of day was the test done?

Did you drink coffee before the test?

No Biotin or B Complex supplement I assume?

Do you always take your Levo on an empty stomach, with water only, and no other medication/supplements for at least 2 hours?

It would seem that either you are not absorbing your Levo or you are extremely undermedicated.

You need FT4 and FT3 done as well, I'm surprised FT4 test wasn't triggered with such a high TSH result.

I would get a full thyroid/vitamin panel, not just vitamins.

[joc0809 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Always taken properly, I don't drink tea/coffee but tests are sometimes done in the afternoon

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Low GFR levels linked to being hypothyroid academic.oup.com/jcem/artic...

Please add TSH result....not on this page

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 at least annually

Cannot read ferritin result

No vitamin D, folate or B12 results

Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially if you have autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's) diagnosed by raised Thyroid antibodies

Ask GP to test vitamin levels if not been tested

What vitamin supplements are you currently taking

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)

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 antibodies and vitamins

medichecks.com/products/adv...

Thriva Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins By DIY fingerpick test

thriva.co/tests/thyroid-test

Thriva also offer just vitamin testing

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 down to £26.10 if go on thyroid uk for code

thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...

monitormyhealth.org.uk/

NHS easy postal kit vitamin D test £29 via

vitamindtest.org.uk

[joc0809 in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks I'm going to go for private testing - serum ferritin was 57 ug/L

TSH was 19.56 Mu/L

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to joc0809]

GP should have immediately increased levothyroxine by 25mcg

Has that happened

If not get dose increase ASAP

The aim of levothyroxine is to increase dose upwards in 25mcg steps until TSH is ALWAYS under 2

When adequately treated, TSH will often be well under one.

Most important results are ALWAYS Ft3 followed by Ft4. When adequately treated Ft4 is usually in top third of range and Ft3 at least 60% through range (regardless of how low TSH is)

Extremely important to have optimal vitamin levels too as this helps reduce symptoms and improve how levothyroxine works

Ferritin is low and especially for a chap

Look at increasing iron rich foods in diet

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/too-littl...

davidg170.sg-host.com/wp-co...

Great in-depth article on low ferritin

oatext.com/iron-deficiency-...

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...

Post discussing just how long it can take to raise low ferritin

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

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...

If not had vitamin D, folate and B12 tested ....insist GP tests all three

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to joc0809]

No point testing privately yet

Get urgent 25mcg dose increase in levothyroxine NOW

[joc0809 in reply to SlowDragon]

I will, just for info - I'm a lady😁

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to joc0809]

Then you need to update your profile.....says male 🤪