Medicheck results just in

[Alwayssearching]

Hi all, I’ve recently had this test done at 9:30 am, fasting, last dose of NDT taken the afternoon of the previous day. I’m on 1 grain of armour thyroid taken twice a day. Does anyone have any comment on the results? Is my T4 low in range and does that matter as my T3 looks good? Is the TSH too low? I’ve got Pots and high cholesterol and struggle to work out what my problems really are related to. I’m always tired and what with menopause horrible symptoms too I spend my whole life just trying to cope day to day. The VITs look ok? No antibodies either..? Thanks if anyone has any advice. X

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Alwayssearching

The fact that you took your NDT on the afternoon of the day before the test means that your FT3 is showing a false low, and possibly FT4 may be a little lower than normal but probably only slightly lower at the most. Last dose of NDT should be 8-12 hours before test so time should have been adjusted to between 9.30pm the night before and 1.30am.

Your TSH is typical of someone on NDT, the T3 in it lowers/suppresses TSH, that's just what it does.

Your FT3 is showing quite high in range, if you'd taken last dose of NDT at the advised time it may probably be top of range or maybe even slightly over. FT4 is where one usually expects it to be when taking NDT.

CRP is a non-specific inflammation marker so the lower the better, yours is in range.

All nutrients look good although the Vit D Society and Grassroots Health recommend Vit D to be 100-150nmol/L with a recent blog post on Grassroots Health recommending at least 125nmol/L.

Do you supplement at all?

Antibodies nice and low so no suggestion of autoimmune thyroid disease with those results.

[Alwayssearching in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thanks so much. I take Vit D so would have expected that result to be higher. In your opinion should I just carry on with my current dose of ndt? I don’t take any other supplements. When I ran out of ndt I noticed my joint pain in my hips was bad and improved as soon as I got back on the ndt. Worried that if I lower the dose the pain could come back. Maybe my issues are more POTs and menopause related… it’s very confusing. Thanks for your help, as ever!

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Alwayssearching]

Alwayssearching

How much Vit D do you take?

Do you also take it's important cofactors - magnesium and Vit K2-MK7?

As for whether you should stay on the same dose of NDT, I'm not comfortable answering that as your results aren't really accurate because of too long a gap between last dose and blood test. I'd rather answer based on accurate results.

[Hapyjackie in reply to SeasideSusie]

Just a quick question re blood tests I take mine on waking in the mornings so do I just miss it on the day of test or take it the night before so will have taken two doses in 24hours? It’s such a minefield but don’t want to pay and then get an inaccurate result. Hope you don’t mind me asking

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Hapyjackie]

Hapyjackie

With NDT the day before the test you should split your dose into 2 or 3 and take the last part of your daily dose 8-12 hours before the test.

In your case, as you take your full dose on waking, then the day before the test, just for the one day, split it (into 2 or 3 so your choice, whichever is easiest) and take first dose on waking and the last dose at whatever time is 8-12 hours before the time of your test.

If you take the whole dose on waking the day before then it would be at least 24 hours before the test and that is far too long and would give you a false low FT3. If you take 2 doses in 24 hours then you will get a false high FT3.

You want to measure the normal amount of circulating hormone when testing, the nearest you will get to this is by taking the last part of your dose 8-12 hours before the blood draw.

[Hapyjackie in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you so much 😊

[Alwayssearching]

No I don’t take those cofactors. I’ll look into that. I take 10000 mu once or twice a week, sometimes more. I understand re timing.. just cross with myself as I thought I’d done it right. Will have to re do correctly but not got the energy for that at the moment! Thanks again

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Alwayssearching]

Alwayssearching

As we're now into winter and can't make Vit D naturally, it might be worth considering taking 1,000iu daily then retest in April.

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 D3 I like Doctor's Best D3 softgels, they are an oil based very small softgel which contains just two ingredients - D3 and extra virgin olive oil, a good quality, nice clean supplement which is budget friendly. Some people like BetterYou oral spray but this contains a lot of excipients and works out more expensive.

For Vit K2-MK7 I like Vitabay or Vegavero brands which contain the correct form of K2-MK7 - the "All Trans" form rather than the "Cis" form. The All Trans form is the bioactive form, a bit like methylfolate is the bioactive form of folic acid.

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, and large doses of D3 can induce depletion of magnesium. 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...

[Alwayssearching in reply to SeasideSusie]

Wonderful info. Thanks so much. Will look into this now. Best wishes

[Alwayssearching in reply to SeasideSusie]

Sorry another quick question. A naturapath type practitioner once told me my body was crying out for iodine.. can we take iodine with ndt?

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Alwayssearching]

Alwayssearching

Don't consider taking iodine unless you do a non-loading iodine test first to see if you need it. Genova do this tet:

thyroiduk.org/help-and-supp...

On page 3 of the pdf:

Urine Iodine Test:

Specimen requirements: Urine

Cost: £71.00 Order Code: END25

Turnaround time: 5 - 10 days

Iodine is an essential trace element, vital for healthy thyroid function. Adequate levels are required to enable the production of T3 and T4 thyroid hormones, whilst also being required in other areas of health. Deficiencies can lead to impaired heat and energy production, mental function and slow metabolism. Urine iodine is one of the best measures of iodine status. This test is not performed as a loading test, but can be

used to establish existing levels or to monitor iodine supplementation.

[Alwayssearching in reply to SeasideSusie]

That’s great thanks. I will do that. Best wishes