So I started levothyroxine about 4 months ago. A couple of months at 25mg. Then onto 50mg.
At the time my vit D was low at 22. And my cholesterol high at 8.1mmol and my triglycerides at 6.45.
My endo put me on fenofibrate to bring the triglycerides down.
My latest results attached. Please note, despite what the results say, I did fast for this test and my cholesterol has sky rocketed.
Given I have congenital heart defects, had two open heart surgeries and have an ICD in situ the cholesterol level scares me even more so than it ever did, even though it was already cause for concern.
My endo has suggested more vit D, and increasing my Levo to 75mg. I am also now on 20mg of atorvastatin (for about 3 weeks.
Is there anything else my endo should be doing?
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Quyejoyce1
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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.
Good that endo has increased dose levothyroxine to 75mcg
Bloods should be retested 6-8 weeks later
ALWAYS test thyroid levels as early as possible in morning before eating or drinking anything other than water and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test
Likely to need further increase in levothyroxine after next results
Important to regularly retest vitamin D when supplementing
Thank you both, very helpful as usual. No other tests have been made available to me. I had to fight to get my gp to start levothyroxine and then I had to do a self referral to a endo at my heart hospital! I have years of out of range tsh and low vitamin levels.
I originally had low cortisol 2 years ago. A short synthan test come back ok. So addisons was ruled out but it concerns me nothing more was done and I was discharged from that particular endo due to heart difficulties at the time they wouldn’t treat my thyroid.
I’ve not had cortisol or any further thyroid tests apart from bloods since. Should I be concerned at that?
I will request a gluten allergy test and further vitamin bloods
Thousands of U.K. members are forced to get full thyroid and vitamin testing done privately to make progress
Similarly any other testing
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)
Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or all relevant vitamins
If you test positive for coeliac, will need to remain on gluten rich diet until endoscopy (officially 6 weeks wait)
If result is negative can consider trialing strictly gluten free diet for 3-6 months. Likely to see benefits. Can take many months for brain fog to lift.
If no obvious improvement, reintroduce gluten see if symptoms get worse.
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.
Eliminate Gluten. Even if you don’t have Hashimoto’s. Even if you have “no adverse reactions”. Eliminate gluten. There are no universal rules except this one.
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My recent blood test results
New Member, blood results and advice
Blood work results.
Interpreting new results ahead of Dr's appointment.
Latest blood results
