I have been struggling with thyroid issues for the last four years. Navigating the natural route with functional medicine practitioners taking supplements trying to keep myself afloat, following a paleo diet. My TSH has always been between 3 and 4 not improving though. I have asked the GP to refer me to discuss taking levothyroxine as I still suffer from tiredness and sometimes feel very cold. She explained that my numbers are not high enough to take levo and I could put myself at risk of osteoporosis and heart arrhythmia by taking levo. Do you have any insight for me. Thank you
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RachelChD
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Just testing TSH is completely inadequate. It’s looking at the whole picture
Important to also test vitamin levels and thyroid antibodies too, plus Ft4 and Ft3
If antibodies are high this confirms autoimmune thyroid disease also called Hashimoto’s
What vitamin supplements are you currently taking
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
Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially if you have autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's) diagnosed by raised Thyroid antibodies
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 .
This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip)
Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or thyroid antibodies or all relevant vitamins
If TPO or TG thyroid antibodies are high this is usually due to Hashimoto’s (commonly known in UK as autoimmune thyroid disease).
About 90% of all primary hypothyroidism in Uk is due to Hashimoto’s. Low vitamin levels are particularly common with Hashimoto’s. Gluten intolerance is often a hidden issue to.
Than you for your helpful comments I have been diagnosed with Hashimoto not at the GP though my antibodies keep getting up TPA 87.30. Free T3 3.55pmol/L Free thyroxine 14.600pmol/L the GP has accepted to do a new test including ferritin and b12. I will look at all the other test options thank you.
Likely very low vitamin levels. You need Vitamin D and folate tested too
Plus coeliac blood test
So high antibodies confirms 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 and then low vitamin levels
Low vitamin levels affect Thyroid hormone working
Low vitamin levels tend to lower TSH
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
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
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
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.
Hi Thank you for your insight I’m already on a gluten free diet but my antibodies keep going up. I will post my new blood test results as soon as I get them.
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