Help with tests results please

[BiscuitBaby]

I've had my tests back from thriva. Could someone help with the thyroid function tests please? I've seen on here the % that t3 needs to be but not sure which figures to use or how to do it or remember what it should be. Many thanks in advance.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

BiscuitBaby

The aim of a treated Hypo patient on Levo only, generally, is for TSH to be 1 or below with FT4 and FT3 in the upper part of their reference ranges, if this is where you feel well. So you're looking at FT4 andFT3 to be fairly well balanced possibly around 70% through range, possibly a bit more, it's a very individual thing.

Your FT4 is 81% through range, and your F3 is 72.97% through range so they're at a good place and reasonably well balanced and show that you convert T4 (the pro-hormone) into T3 (the active hormone) well.

How do you feel?

[Jazzw]

I see Susie’s done the honours re thyroid interpretation, so won’t comment further on that. However, having taken a look at your previous post, I see you weren’t expecting your Vit D to be low because you’re outside a lot...

Just goes to show, doesn’t it! Hopefully you’re planning to supplement Vit D now. Not sure if you’ve had any advice about that but here we usually suggest to take Vit K and Magnesium as well as Vit D, as they all work together.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

BiscuitBaby

You didn't ask for comments on your nutrients levels but:

Vit D: 40nmol/L

This is way too low. The Vit D Society and Grassroots Health recommend a level of 100-150nmol/L.

To reach the recommended level from your current level, you could supplement with 4,000iu D3 daily.

Retest after 3 months.

Once you've reached the recommended level then you'll need a maintenance dose to keep it there, which may be 2000iu daily, maybe more or less, maybe less in summer than winter, it's trial and error so it's recommended to retest once or twice a year to keep within the recommended range. You can do this with a private fingerprick blood spot test with an NHS lab which offers this test to the general public:

vitamindtest.org.uk/

Doctors don't know, because they're not taught much about nutrients, but there are important cofactors needed when taking D3.

D3 aids absorption of calcium from food and Vit K2-MK7 directs the calcium to bones and teeth where it is needed and away from arteries and soft tissues where it can be deposited and cause problems such as hardening of the arteries, kidney stones, etc.

D3 and K2 are fat soluble so should be taken with the fattiest meal of the day, D3 four hours away from thyroid meds if taking D3 as tablets/capsules/softgels, no necessity if using an oral spray.

For Vit D I like Doctor's Best D3 softgels and for Vit K2-MK7 I like Vitabay or Vegavero.

Magnesium helps D3 to work. We need Magnesium so that the body utilises D3, it's required to convert Vit D into it's active form. So it's important we ensure we take magnesium when supplementing with D3.

Magnesium comes in different forms, check to see which would suit you best and as it's calming it's best taken in the evening, four hours away from thyroid meds if taking magnesium as tablets/capsules, no necessity if using topical forms of magnesium.

naturalnews.com/046401_magn...

drjockers.com/best-magnesiu...

afibbers.org/magnesium.html

Ferritin: 63 (13-150)

Ferritin is recommended to be half way through range so 82 with that 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.

Active B12: 73 (37.5-188)

Active B12 below 70 would suggest testing for B12 deficiency. You are just above that level and a good level would be 100+

My suggestion would be to take a good quality, bioavailable B Complex such as Igennus Super B at the recommended dose of 2 tablets daily which gives 900mcg B12. It also gives 400mcg methylfolate which will help raise or maintain whatever your folate level is.

Are they going to send you a new test for the failed folate test?

When taking B Complex we need to leave this off for 7 days before any blood tests (including thyroid) as it contains Biotin and this causes false results when Biotin is also used in the testing procedure (which most labs do).

Don't start all supplements at once. Start with one, give it a week or two and if no adverse reaction then add the next one. Again, wait a week or two and if no adverse reaction add the next one. Continue like this. If you do have any adverse reaction then you will know what caused it.

I see from your previous post that you already know you have Hashi's and you've been given lots of information about that.

[BiscuitBaby in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thanks everyone. I was surprised about the vit d so I will be starting supplements. I'm glad my t3 is ok...I was wondering about this. I feel OK...Still really tired and skin dry and fuzzy headed but better than I was. I really just want to get back into my exercise again. That's my goal. The poor vit d and I'm going to try getting b vits up as well. I've gp appointment next week so am considering asking if they'll run some of the tests so I have a good 8dea from nhs. I get a bit bamboozled between the different results. I'll try the gluten free thing too. My current gp is really good and she does seem to be trying hard within the scope of her role. I also wondered if 125mg was too much? But I've not lost any weight....possibly even put on a wee bit lately. Certainly lost any muscle strength. Thank you all for your input. You all seem to know so much. This is a really useful forum for people. Its too hard to get the answers or even just suggestions from doctors! 😊

[BiscuitBaby in reply to BiscuitBaby]

Oh...and I had ferritin and folate tested already so not overly concerned about those tests

[SlowDragon Administrator]

As you have Hashimoto’s are you on strictly gluten free diet?

[BiscuitBaby in reply to SlowDragon]

Not as yet but I plan to start this. Am I right in that this should help with the absorption of vitamins etc?

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to BiscuitBaby]

ALWAYS get coeliac blood test BEFORE cutting gluten out

High percentage of Hashimoto’s patients find strictly gluten free diet helps or is absolutely essential to reduce symptoms

Hashimoto's frequently affects the gut and leads to low stomach acid 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.

[BiscuitBaby in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you. I'll discuss with gp next week!

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to BiscuitBaby]

Don’t be surprised if GP is unaware of gluten connection to autoimmune thyroid disease