Help with results please

[Mst27]

Hi,

Back story I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism in October. I was accidentally put on 75mcg for a week then put on the original dose of 25mcg. I was prescribed vitamin b12 and folic acid and advised to take 2000mcg vitamin d. I felt awful on the 75mcg better on the 25mcg but definitely not feeling well mainly exhausted emotional and foggy at times. I had an episode of palpitations for 3 days. This prompted my gp to test for lots of different things including the possibility that I am making too much adrenaline. He also included tests for T3 and antibodies test. However I am still waiting for these test results it’s been over two weeks not sure if that is normal. The results in the photo are from a blood test I took yesterday which was my original 6-8weeks check. I didn’t take my Levo in the morning but stupidly ate breakfast and had only stopped my vitamins for two days I was also wearing a 24 hour ecg monitor at the time. For the blood test taken two weeks ago I believe I followed the right way to have a blood test no vitamins for a week and no levo or food. I am due a consultation next Thursday with my GP and am wondering as I am still having symptoms if I need my dose increased but with results listed as normal I’m not sure. I am on Teva but will change to a different brand with next prescription. I have changed pharmacy as it was the pharmacists mistake that I was put on 75mcg. Thanks for any help

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Standard starter dose of levothyroxine is 50mcg unless over 65 years old

How long have you been on 25mcg dose

Ft4 is low in range and TSH too high so you need to increase dose to 50mcg

Retest again 6-8 weeks after each dose change or brand change in levothyroxine

Likely to need further increase in levothyroxine after next test

Have you had iron and ferritin levels tested?

Retest vitamin D in 2-3 months

vitamindtest.org.uk

Vitamin D mouth spray by Better You is very effective as it avoids poor gut function. There’s a version made that also contains vitamin K2 Mk7

amazon.co.uk/BetterYou-Dlux...

It’s trial and error what dose we need, with hashimoto’s we frequently need higher dose than average

Vitamin D and thyroid disease

grassrootshealth.net/blog/t...

Web links about taking important cofactors - magnesium and Vit K2-MK7

Magnesium best taken in the afternoon or evening, but must be four hours away from levothyroxine

betterbones.com/bone-nutrit...

medicalnewstoday.com/articl...

livescience.com/61866-magne...

sciencedaily.com/releases/2...

Vitamin K2 mk7

betterbones.com/bone-nutrit...

healthline.com/nutrition/vi...

[Mst27 in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks for your reply I have been on 25mcg for 7 weeks. I will get some of the mouth spray and the magnesium and vitamin K2 to try. I will request an increase to 50mcg when I speak with my gp. I really appreciate your help I think I am slowly starting to understand all of this.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Mst27]

Dose levothyroxine should be slowly increased upwards in 25mcg steps over coming months …..we have to get use to each increase before moving upwards

Retest 6-8 weeks after each dose increase

Work out which brand levothyroxine suits you best and then always get same brand

The aim of levothyroxine is to increase until TSH is ALWAYS under 2

Most people when adequately treated will have TSH around or under one…Ft4 approx 60-70% through range and Ft3 at least 50-60% through range

All four vitamins need to be optimal

[fuchsia-pink]

YES you need that dose increase - the words "normal" just mean "in the lab range" - and please do not confuse "in range" as "acceptable"! So you are "in the lab range" if free T4 is 11.5 or 20 - but most of us would feel absolutely dreadful at 11.5 and MUCH better at 20 ...

You cannot feel good with TSH that high [once on levo this should be less than 2 and probably less than 1] and free T4 is a feeble 21.5% through range. You will likely feel better once it is 65% or higher.

Also note you only need to stop supplements containing biotin before the blood test x

[Mst27 in reply to fuchsia-pink]

Thank you I will definitely push for an increase my GP has actually been very easy to talk to and was open to me requesting different blood tests.The one before him was a nightmare and prescribed diazepam for anxiety in a 3 minute phone call which had I not pushed for a blood test in that 3 minutes I would not have know that I have hypothyroidism. I didn’t take the diazepam as I knew it was something more than anxiety. I have struggled to understand all the information everyone has been kind enough to give me on here but I think I am starting to understand a little better. Thanks for the tip about biotin I have been stopping everything so that probably hasn’t helped. I have had 5 blood tests in the last seven weeks. Thanks for all your help it’s really appreciated.

[fuchsia-pink in reply to Mst27]

A good GP is a god-send - hang on to this one! Ask to have key nutrients tested next time - ferritin, folate, vit D and B12. I've had some success with mine by saying that these are the tests recommended by Thyroid UK x

[Mst27 in reply to fuchsia-pink]

Thank you i will

[shaws Administrator in reply to Mst27]

Many doctors seem not to have been on a course about a dysfunctional thyroid gland and how best to restore patients' health.

If you want to draw a member to a response put and @ sign before their name and a few suggestions will pop up. Select the one you want and the member will be notified and you will see the name is bow blue and he/she will be notifieid. i.e. Mst27

[DippyDame]

Back story I was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism in October..... overactive thyroid gland

I guess you meant to write HYPOthyroidism...underactive thyroid gland?

Might be a good idea to edit your post

Agree with the others!

[Mst27 in reply to DippyDame]

Thank you I have edited it now 👍

[thyreoidea]

Do you have access to your medical records via your GP surgery such as EMIS, this is very useful for checking all sorts of things including your blood test results and prescriptions from your doctors amongst many others, one way to see if the pharmacy has given you the correct medication.