Post pregnancy underactive thyroid

[Essexlil]

Hi, my daughter in law has been suffering from an underactive thyroid since the birth of her son whose now 8. Her symptoms have been quite bad and she’s at last found a decent dr who says she definitely needs a levo increase. She’s very tired, stressed, thin hair and her hands, ankles and feet are painful and swollen. She’s gained a lot of weight and her face is puffy. She’s had an increase from 75mcg to 100mcg even though her blood tests didn’t point to an increase. She’s had a blood test today and this morning I read a post from Thyroid UK about products containing Biotin can affect the results. I know she’s been taking a supplement for her hair for a few years and apparently this contains biotin. She only stopped taking it on Monday and has just had her blood test today (Friday). I now wonder if this has affected her blood tests and why she’s had to beg for an increase, also will this still affect this latest test. I’ve told her to tell her GP but I’m never sure how much knowledge they have. Any advice would be appreciated as I’m very upset by her symptoms - she kept her coat on in our house last week and was almost shivering with the cold, even though the rest of us were fine. I’m scared that some damage will be permanently done if she’s left like this much longer

[SlowDragon Administrator]

NHS testing and treatment is frequently inadequate

Just testing TSH and Ft4 is completely inadequate

Which brand of levothyroxine was she taking

75mcg levothyroxine is only one step up from starter dose.

Many people find different brands are not interchangeable

Five days before test for no biotin supplements is probably long enough. Next time wait a week

Approx how much does she weigh in kilo

Guidelines on dose levothyroxine by weight is approx 1.6mcg levothyroxine per kilo

Bloods should be retested 6-8 weeks after each dose change or brand change in levothyroxine

For full Thyroid evaluation she needs TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested.

Most likely she has autoimmune thyroid disease diagnosed by high thyroid antibodies

Also EXTREMELY important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 at least annually. More frequently if deficient and supplementing

Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially with autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto’s or Ord’s thyroiditis)

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

List of private testing options

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

Medichecks Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins

medichecks.com/products/adv...

Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes antibodies, cortisol and vitamins by DIY fingerprick test

bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...

Thriva Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins By DIY fingerpick test

thriva.co/tests/thyroid-test

Thriva also offer just vitamin testing

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

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 too

Link about thyroid blood tests

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

Link about Hashimoto’s

thyroiduk.org/hypothyroid-b...

List of hypothyroid symptoms

thyroiduk.org/if-you-are-un...

Do you have her most recent blood test results and ranges

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Thin hair and her hands, ankles and feet are painful and swollen.

She’s gained a lot of weight and her face is puffy.

She’s had an increase from 75mcg to 100mcg even though her blood tests didn’t point to an increase.

Low vitamins common with autoimmune thyroid disease, but especially if left under medicated

Low vitamin levels tend to lower TSH

Thin hair - frequently low iron/ferritin

Painful joints - low vitamin D

What vitamin supplements is she currently taking

It takes minimum 6-8 weeks for each dose increase in levothyroxine to have effect

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Janspenc

It's high dose biotin that affects test results, so it depends on how much she takes. For high dose leaving off for 7 days is said to be enough.

For the amount in a B Complex then 3 days is likely to be enough.

[Essexlil in reply to SeasideSusie]

Hi, thank you for replying - I don’t think it was a high dose of biotin as only part of a hair supplement - I can tell her five days was probably ok to stop before test

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Essexlil]

Hair supplement would likely have high is high biotin in

Please add link to which brand it is

[Essexlil in reply to SlowDragon]

Hi the supplement she was taking was Hairburst

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Essexlil]

Lots of different ones all called hair burst.

Even if knew which one ….No details on actual amounts of each ingredient

[Essexlil]

Hi, thank you. Daughter in law so depressed now dr not helping and has increased her own levo and is turning to taking all the supplements she’s read that help with thyroid starting with zinc and magnesium. I’ve told her to be careful as unless you’re diagnosed with a deficiency taking supplements can be dangerous. She just says she can’t feel any worse so nothing to loose. I think GP did agree to refer her when she ‘kicked off’ but she’s got a wait before seeing consultant. I’ve suggested she go privately but I think she’s going to try self medication first which I don’t approve of but she’s desperate. I don’t know how a dr can see her swollen up and in pain and say that because her bloods are normal she’s got to get on with it, she even fell getting out of bed yesterday morning because her legs go weak.