Blood Test Result Advice Please: Hello, I have my... - Thyroid UK

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Blood Test Result Advice Please

dashi2208 profile image
16 Replies

Hello, I have my latest results and would really appreciate some advice about whether or not I should adjust my meds. At the time of testing I was taking 100mg of Levothyroxine, no meds within 24 hrs. I have a supply of Liothyronine if required. Thanks very much in advance.

TSH: 2.5 .35 ~ 9.4

T4: 12.1 9.01 ~ 19.05

T3: 3.7 2.63 ~ 5.7

Folate: 4.8 3.1 ~ 20.5

Ferritin: 51 22 ~ 275

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SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

Previous post a month ago on 75mcg plus T3

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Bloods should be retested 6-8 weeks after any dose change or brand change in levothyroxine or T3

So how long have you been on just 100mcg levothyroxine

Which brand of levothyroxine is this

Do you always get same brand levothyroxine at each prescription

Have you had B12 and vitamin D tested yet

Folate is low and likely to benefit from daily vitamin B complex - one with folate in not folic acid

Ferritin low, especially for a bloke

Are you vegetarian or vegan

Look at increasing iron rich foods in diet

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

Looking at previous posts

You have autoimmune thyroid disease also called Hashimoto’s diagnosed by high thyroid antibodies

Have you had coeliac blood test done

Are you on strictly gluten free diet or dairy free diet

dashi2208 profile image
dashi2208 in reply to SlowDragon

Hello, thank you for your reply. I did test quite recently for gluten intolerance and I'm not. I've been on Accord Levothyroxine 100mg for 4 weeks. This was my dose for many years, none of which I would say I felt well in. I don't think I have ever had optimum blood test results because I wasn't sure what results I should aim for. I read somewhere TSH should be around 1 and T4/T3should be upper 1/3 so that helps. (I think?) I was hoping to get confirmation here.

B12: 444 187~883

Vit D my surgery no longer test for. When tested years ago I was low so I supplement 4000IU every day.

I'm quite desperate to stop nightly night sweats and interrupted sleep so I've increased Levo. to 150mg and will test again in 6 weeks.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply to dashi2208

Generally only ever increase levothyroxine by 25mcg

Do you always get same brand levothyroxine at each prescription

Assuming yes……Which brand

Many people find different brands are not interchangeable

B12 on low side

supplementing a good quality daily vitamin B complex, one with folate in (not folic acid) may be beneficial.

This can help keep all B vitamins in balance and will help improve B12 levels too

Difference between folate and folic acid

chriskresser.com/folate-vs-...

Many Hashimoto’s patients have MTHFR gene variation and can have trouble processing folic acid.

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

B vitamins best taken after breakfast

Thorne Basic B or Jarrow B Right are recommended options that contains folate, but both are large capsules. (You can tip powder out if can’t swallow capsule)

IMPORTANT......If you are taking vitamin B complex, or any supplements containing biotin, remember to stop these 7 days before ALL BLOOD TESTS , as biotin can falsely affect test results

endo.confex.com/endo/2016en...

endocrinenews.endocrine.org...

Low B12 symptoms - includes night sweats

b12deficiency.info/signs-an...

With serum B12 result below 500, (Or active B12 below 70) recommended to be taking a B12 supplement as well as a B Complex (to balance all the B vitamins) initially for first 2-4 months, then once your serum B12 is over 500 (or Active B12 level has reached 70), stop the B12 and just carry on with the B Complex.

B12 sublingual lozenges

amazon.co.uk/Jarrow-Methylc...

cytoplan.co.uk/shop-by-prod...

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Vitamin D

Important Test twice yearly via NHS private testing service when supplementing

vitamindtest.org.uk

dashi2208 profile image
dashi2208 in reply to SlowDragon

p.s . . jumping to 150 from 100mg probably seems fast and loose to you . . . and ill-advised. I've been adjusting dosages and variety of meds, E.G. . . NDT and adding Liothyronine etc for years . . none of which seeming to be the answer. I've reached a level of frustration and untether now where I feel inclined to gamble on a different approach than previously tried and up the levothyroxine dosage. something I've been nervous of before. . . I don't know why!?

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

approx 5% with Hashimoto's are coeliac, but a further 80% find gluten free diet helps, sometimes significantly. Either due to direct gluten intolerance (no test available) or due to leaky gut and gluten causing molecular mimicry (see Amy Myers link)

Changing to a strictly gluten free diet may help reduce symptoms, help gut heal

As your coeliac 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.

chriskresser.com/the-gluten...

amymyersmd.com/2018/04/3-re...

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

drknews.com/changing-your-d...

restartmed.com/hashimotos-g...

Non Coeliac Gluten sensitivity (NCGS) and autoimmune disease

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/296...

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

nuclmed.gr/wp/wp-content/up...

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

restartmed.com/hashimotos-g...

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.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

FT4: 12.1 pmol/l (Range 9.01 - 19.05)

Ft4 only 30.78%

FT3: 3.7 pmol/l (Range 2.63 - 5.7)

Ft3 only 34.85%

So definitely under medicated….but currently looks like good conversion

dashi2208 profile image
dashi2208 in reply to SlowDragon

Hello, I thought I should heed your advice and raise Levo. by 25mg to 125mg to begin with. I've got some 25mg pills to help with accuracy.

dashi2208 profile image
dashi2208 in reply to SlowDragon

Hi again,just got my results having taken 125mg for the last 6 weeks, up from 100mg previously as discussed with you at the time.

TSH: 0.05 NR; 0.35 ~ 4.94

T4: 17.00 NR. 9.01~ 19.05

T3: 4.2 NR. 2.63~ 5.7

So only about half way through T3 range but 3/4 through T4 range . . by my reckoning.

Satisfactory you think?

Thanks.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply to dashi2208

FT4: 17 pmol/l (Range 9.01 - 19.05) 79.58%

FT3: 4.2 pmol/l (Range 2.63 - 5.7) 51.14%

Helpful calculator for working out percentage through range

thyroid.dopiaza.org

Suggest you retest again in another 6-10 weeks

Always test thyroid levels early morning, ideally before 9am and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test

Important to test vitamin D twice year when supplementing

And test B12, folate and ferritin once a year

Maintaining optimal vitamin levels helps improve Ft3 levels

Gluten free diet can reduce symptoms, and is always worth trying

dashi2208 profile image
dashi2208 in reply to SlowDragon

After my blood test I tried upping to 150mg. I seem to feel better on this dose with less night sweats and better sleep (so far) Do you think that this dose might lead my TSH to become a problem ?

dashi2208 profile image
dashi2208 in reply to SlowDragon

Hi, do you think that FT3: 51.14% through the range is a reasonable result? It seems to me that it could be higher but there's not much headroom to increase Thyroxine with FT4: at 79.58% through range?Thanks in advance

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply to dashi2208

Personally I wouldn’t have increased after last test

Too high a Ft4 level can be counterproductive

Retest after 6-8 weeks on 150mcg

Test early Monday or Tuesday morning and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test

dashi2208 profile image
dashi2208 in reply to SlowDragon

I did go up to 150 for a week or so but somewhat instinctively felt it to be too high. I’ve dropped back to 125

dashi2208 profile image
dashi2208

Thank you So much. Very interesting re. gluten and I look forward to reading up on that tomorrow. Undermedicated! That is obviously useful info. 'Good conversion' I take to mean that Levothyroxine (accord is what I take and always have btw) should do the job well for me without the need to resort to Liothyronine or NDT.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply to dashi2208

You can’t tell if you will remain a good converter of Ft4 to Ft3. Low TSH can reduce rate of conversion

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