Do I have autoimmune thyroid disease?

[Yogibo]

my last blood test from medichecks gave a autoimmunity reading of :

thyroglobulin antibodies = 12.000 kIU/L

range <115

Thyroid peroxidase antibodies 15.2 kIU/L

range < 34

Thank you

[tattybogle]

these negative results say not .. but negative antibodies can't rule it out 100%. These is a small % of people who do have clearly visible autoimmune damage to thyroid seem on thyroid (ultrsound? )scans,... who do not have positive antibodies.

But the thyroid damage has to be bad enough to see, so in early stages they still wouldn't necessarily see it.. (i'm not totally sure what sort of scan is best )

[Yogibo in reply to tattybogle]

Thank you

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Previous post from 2 years ago

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Yes almost certainly you have autoimmune thyroid disease, despite negative thyroid antibodies

A) you have other autoimmune disease (lichen planus)

B) gluten free diet frequently reduces TPO antibodies over time

C) have you ever had ultrasound scan of thyroid

Looking at previous posts you have had terrible vitamin levels

When were vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 last tested

Did you test negative for PA

What vitamin supplements are you currently taking

[Yogibo in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you , another piece of the puzzle .

No I have not had it ever been offered ever a ultrasound scan of my thyroid..? Do you think there wold be value in exploring this ?

Looking at previous posts you have had terrible vitamin levels..the doctor wasn’t interested in the vitamins levels and said tge blood test was not reliable …she suggested over the counter vitD…so I still take vita biotic so ultra vitD 2000iu

Sambucol for vitC & zinc magnesium, folic acid ,Ginsens complex …but looking at the leaflet vitamins and minerals in tge Thyroid uk pack I can see there is a list that I will start once I’ve had my blood test.

So last blood test from the NHS was Jan 2020..

vitamin D/A

folate, was N/A

ferritin was 42 but was not given the range

B12 was N/A

I have booked an independent blood test to get an update on levels just waiting on the pack to arrive .

Did you test negative for PA…I don’t think I know what PA is but looking on blood test results can’t see anything PA..

Thanks , I appreciate your time and patience x

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Yogibo]

PA = Pernicious Anaemia

Test results 3 years ago

Folate - Serum 4.49 ug/L (Range: > 3.89)

Vitamin B12 - Active 38.800 pmol/L (Range: 37.5 - 188)

Vitamin D X 44 nmol/L (Range: 50 - 175)

Any active B12 result below 70 requires further investigation

Clearly your B12 was dire

viapath.co.uk/our-tests/act...

>70*; * between 25-70 referred for MMA

GP should have tested for Pernicious Anaemia before starting on B12 injections if PA confirmed or daily B12 supplements if not PA

Do you have Low B12 symptoms

b12deficiency.info/signs-an...

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Yogibo]

Ferritin 22.3 ug/L (Range: 13 - 150)

From 3 years ago

And GP test was 20 ug/mL

cks.nice.org.uk/topics/anae...

In all people, a serum ferritin level of less than 30 micrograms/L confirms the diagnosis of iron deficiency

Look at increasing iron rich foods in diet

Eating iron rich foods like liver or liver pate once a week plus other red meat, pumpkin seeds and dark chocolate, plus daily orange juice or other vitamin C rich drink can help improve iron absorption

List of iron rich foods

dailyiron.net

Links about iron and ferritin

An article that explains why Low ferritin and low thyroid levels are often linked

preventmiscarriage.com/iron...

irondisorders.org/too-littl...

davidg170.sg-host.com/wp-co...

Great in-depth article on low ferritin

oatext.com/iron-deficiency-...

drhedberg.com/ferritin-hypo...

This is interesting because I have noticed that many patients with Hashimoto’s disease and hypothyroidism, start to feel worse when their ferritin drops below 80 and usually there is hair loss when it drops below 50.

Thyroid disease is as much about optimising vitamins as thyroid hormones

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

restartmed.com/hypothyroidi...

Post discussing just how long it can take to raise low ferritin

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Never supplement iron without doing full iron panel test for anaemia first and retest 3-4 times a year if self supplementing.

It’s possible to have low ferritin but high iron

Medichecks iron panel test

medichecks.com/products/iro...

Iron and thyroid link

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Posts discussing why important to do full iron panel test

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Chicken livers if iron is good, but ferritin low

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Good explanations of iron

theironclinic.com/iron-defi...

theironclinic.com/ironc/wp/...

[SlowDragon Administrator]

First step is to get FULL Thyroid and vitamin testing done via Medichecks or Blue horizon

Always do private testing early Monday or Tuesday morning, ideally before 9am and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test

How much levothyroxine are you currently taking

Which brand of levothyroxine are you currently taking

Do you always get same brand levothyroxine at each prescription

If yes which brand

Do you normally take levothyroxine waking or bedtime or middle of night

NHS only tests and treats vitamin deficiencies

Down to us to self supplement GOOD QUALITY vitamin supplements to maintain optimal vitamin levels

Multivitamin never recommended on here - cheap poorly absorbed ingredients and too little to treat deficiencies

Any supplements that contain magnesium need to be minimum 4 hours away from levothyroxine

Stop any supplements that contain biotin a week before ALL blood tests as biotin can falsely affect test results (used in lots of lab equipment)

You can take vitamin D up to day before test

Vitamin D tablets you swallow need to be minimum 4 hours away from levothyroxine

Come back with new post once you get results

Likely to need to work on improving low vitamin levels BEFORE considering seeing any thyroid specialist endocrinologist

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Metaformin lowers TSH …..so it’s ESSENTIAL to always test TSH, Ft4 and Ft3

Metaformin lowers TSH

cureus.com/articles/50564-e...

Testing full thyroid and vitamin levels at least once year via Medichecks or Blue horizon

Then use Monitor My Health for just TSH, Ft4 and Ft3 after any dose change or brand change in diet (or T3 once you get prescribed)

This is 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/

No other medication or supplements at same as Levothyroxine, leave at least 2 hour gap.

Some like iron, calcium, magnesium, HRT, omeprazole or Lansoprazole vitamin D should be four hours away

(Time gap doesn't apply to Vitamin D mouth spray)

If you normally take levothyroxine at bedtime/in night ...adjust timings as follows prior to blood test

If testing Monday morning, delay Saturday evening dose levothyroxine until Sunday morning. Delay Sunday evening dose levothyroxine until after blood test on Monday morning. Take Monday evening dose levothyroxine as per normal

[SlowDragon Administrator]

PPI like Lansoprazole is to treat high stomach acid

Low stomach acid can be a common hypothyroid issue

Thousands of posts on here about low stomach acid

healthunlocked.com/search/p...

But never assume you have low stomach acid

healthygut.com/4-common-bet...

Web links re low stomach acid and reflux and hypothyroidism

nutritionjersey.com/high-or...

articles.mercola.com/sites/...

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

stopthethyroidmadness.com/s...

healthygut.com/articles/3-t...

naturalendocrinesolutions.c...

meraki-nutrition.co.uk/indi...

huffingtonpost.co.uk/laura-...

lispine.com/blog/10-telling...

Protect your teeth if using ACV with mother

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Ppi

Omeprazole or Lansoprazole will tend lower vitamin levels even further

gov.uk/drug-safety-update/p...

webmd.com/heartburn-gerd/ne...

pharmacytimes.com/publicati...

PPI and increased risk T2 diabetes

gut.bmj.com/content/early/2...

Iron Deficiency and PPI

medpagetoday.com/resource-c...

futurity.org/anemia-proton-...

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi...

sciencedirect.com/science/a...

[Yogibo in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you so much for all the info …I will work through all this information…I’ll get finished and respond tomorrow x

[Yogibo in reply to SlowDragon]

Blood test are discounted by £11.00 on a Thursday with medichecks plus I might also get the Thyroid uk discount ..soo reminder in phone to order advanced thyroid function lest this Thursday ..

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Yogibo]

I think you can only have one discount….

Either Thyroid U.K. one

10% for Medichecks

30% for B H

Or look out for special offers on Thursdays on Medichecks