Coconut Milk: Is coconut milk bad for high... - Thyroid UK

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Coconut Milk

Hamster18 profile image
15 Replies

Is coconut milk bad for high cholesterol levels? I read it was good for people who suffer from Hashimoto but my main concern is Hashimo comes with high colesterol and coconut is a saturated fat.

My cholesterol levels are high at the moment which is not good.

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Hamster18 profile image
Hamster18
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15 Replies
SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

High cholesterol is linked to being under medicated for thyroid and nothing to do with diet

nhs.uk/conditions/statins/c...

If you have an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism), treatment may be delayed until this problem is treated. This is because having an underactive thyroid can lead to an increased cholesterol level, and treating hypothyroidism may cause your cholesterol level to decrease, without the need for statins. Statins are also more likely to cause muscle damage in people with an underactive thyroid.

Hamster18 profile image
Hamster18 in reply toSlowDragon

Thanks slowdragon I am going to write to my Endocronologist and see if I can do my bloodtest for TSH and go and see her a month earlier.

If you have any advice to give me it would be very appreciated.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply toHamster18

Just testing TSH is completely useless

Though in your case, your current TSH of 5 is far to high and clearly shows you need dose increase in levothyroxine

On levothyroxine TSH should always be under 2 maximum. Many people, when adequately treated will have TSH well below one

Always test as early as possible in morning before eating or drinking anything other than water and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test

Most important results are always Ft3, followed by Ft4

Essential to maintain optimal vitamin levels for vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially if/when under medicated

Hamster18 profile image
Hamster18 in reply toSlowDragon

In the past my GP tested me for antibodies etc... this is my last test blood. I having being taking b-complex (with biotin) etc...

This is what my GP asked me to test me for as I was feeling anxious and he said it could be my thyroid. I then went on to book an appointment with the endocronologist who I haven’t been able to see due to Covid 19.

Can you give me any feedback on these blood results concerning the thyroid.

Another thing I would like to understand is if I sweat due to having been under a lot of stress e.g. burnout or undermedication like you did mention in earlier feeds.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply toHamster18

Was test done early morning BEFORE taking levothyroxine?

TSH 5.56 (0.25-4.7)

so this is obviously over top of range and far too high

Ft4 70% through range.

Suggests you took levothyroxine before blood test

No Ft3 result

No vitamin D, folate, ferritin or B12 results

Hamster18 profile image
Hamster18 in reply toSlowDragon

I took my blood test in the morning without having breakfast and without taking my medicine.

Could this be the reason she asked me if I had been taking my medicine correctly?

I am getting confused now....

In my next blood test I will ask my GP to write down test for Vit D, folate, ferritin and B12

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply toHamster18

So you need to retest getting Ft3 and vitamin levels tested

Hamster18 profile image
Hamster18 in reply toSlowDragon

Thank you for your feedback.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply toHamster18

The fact you have high TSH and high FT4 suggests either irregular medication (missing days or different brands levo) or poor conversion of levothyroxine (FT4) into active hormone (Ft3) ....common with hashimoto's and with low vitamin levels

Obviously need TSH, Ft4 and Ft3 tested together plus all four vitamins

Hamster18 profile image
Hamster18 in reply toSlowDragon

I have been taking tirosint 50mcg? I think sometimes some of the medicine remained in the vial... well I will be doing my bloodtest in 3 months ... maybe even 2 months

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply toHamster18

Needs to be tested after 6-8 weeks minimum on constant unchanging dose levothyroxine

Hamster18 profile image
Hamster18 in reply toSlowDragon

So I should test every 8 weeks if I am on the same dose?Why do endocronogist give it a year for the next check?

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply toHamster18

You should be tested 6-8 weeks after any dose change or brand change in Levothyroxine

Then, if test results are good, (obviously your results aren't good) retested in another 6-8 weeks to see if stable

If stable ....test in 6-12 months

Hamster18 profile image
Hamster18 in reply toSlowDragon

In 2018 my blood results were as follows taking 50 mcg of tirosint (in liquid form which apparently is slightly stronger). I Started taking Tirosint in 2017 in October;

2017

TSH was 8.5 , FT4 1.39 AbTPO 577. I was in London and felt terribly ill; strong nausea and felt jittery. She told me I was very lucky that I never had a heart attack. She knew I didn’t like the idea of taking medicine but she said I had to.

29/10/2018 TSH 3.46

15/05/2018 TSH 3.00

Blood test results in 2019

03/05/19. TSH 2.72

23/11/19. TSH 3.49 Abtg 253, AbTPO 688 VES 37

Oh well, I have just rang my GP and have requested another blood test.

humanbean profile image
humanbean

Saturated fat is no longer considered to be dangerous. Cholesterol isn't dangerous either. The one you have to watch out for is triglycerides. That needs to be kept low and is affected by diet. But it isn't affected by saturated fat it is raised by sugar and carbs in the diet.

You might find these links of interest :

drmalcolmkendrick.org/2012/...

spacedoc.com/articles/50-fa...

The following link is from a diabetes forum and it contains dozens of links on cholesterol :

diabetes.co.uk/forum/thread...

The following video by Dr Paul Mason is worth listening to - in fact he is always worth listening to - I really like his style and he makes things understandable for non-experts.

youtube.com/watch?v=6ePOa7J...

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