Bloods & Ive upper my levo.Constipationp🥴

[PolyannaYorkshire]

My GP knocked my levothyroxine down to 100 when my TSH was 0.07in July 21(0.34-5.6) & T4 16.1 (7.5-21.1).Sep.21 (Blue Horizon)TSH was 0.26(0.27-4.2)& T4 was 23.9(12.0_22.0) T3 was 5.19. (3.1-6.8)

Anti thyroidperoxidase abs 171 ..( \34)

Antithyroid globulin abs 174 ( ...\115)..the report said it was a hyperthyroid result.

I contacted you before seeing my GP as I felt so ill!! You did not think I was hyperthyroid

and recommended increasing levo to 125 again.

You also thought my B12 was too low at 190ng/L

Sep.21

Free T4 23.9(12-22)

Free T3 5.19(3.1-6.8)

TSH 0.26(0.27-4.2)

Vit B12 282 (145-569)

Vit D3 92(75-200)

Oct.21

Free T4. 15.8(7.5-21.1)

.TSH 0.31(0.34-5.6)

Vit B12. 321(110-914)

Intrinsic factor negative

Folate. 8.8(3.1-19.9)

Jan.22

TSH. 3.48(0.34-5.6)

B12. 424(110-91

Results: Sep.22

TSH. 0.28(0.35-5.00)

Serum T4. 24.2(11.00-23.00)

Ferritin. 126(12.00-300)

Folate. 13.8(3.9-19.8)

B12. 634(200-900)

Results: October 22

Serum vit D. 84(50.00-150)

TSH. 3.34(0.35-5.00)

I am still taking a multivitality tablet for over 70s & vit B12 drops under the tongue & a

B complex vit& vit D (+ K2) drops under tongue each day + levothyroxine 125mcg ( I have increased the levothyroxine a week ago.

I feel pretty awful hence my email to you!!

I have dreadful constipation (despite 2 litres of water/ day...30 mins+ exercise daily & a good diet of fruit vegetables oily fish & chicken 2/3 times/week red meat 1/week.)

I have to do a manual bowel evacuation frequently (compacted faeces!!).

I sleep 2-5 hrs per night (do meditation / yoga etc!!)

I feel brain dead most of the time, cold & my balance is poor.

I am hoping you are able to advise me on my medication .. levothyroxine level 125mcg as my GP doesn't know I have increased it. I thought it would help my constipation.

I'm not able to see GP to end of November so didn't want to struggle to then on maybe too low levothyroxine.

Sorry this is so lengthy. You probably don't need most of the blood results Ive given you.

Any help will be much appreciated.

Thank you & kind regards

Judy🤗

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Why are you taking a multivitamin?

Generally not advised to not take a multivitamin

Most contain iodine not recommended for anyone on levothyroxine

Most contain iron, never supplement unless tested and deficient

But especially as you are also taking B12 and B complex and separate vitamin D o

Have you tried magnesium citrate for constipation

Calm vitality magnesium powder, dissolved in water at bedtime (or early evening if you take levothyroxine at bedtime, as magnesium supplements must be minimum 4 hours away from levothyroxine )

Can see that as you improved terrible B12 and folate levels you started to need more levothyroxine

TSH is far far too high

Strongly suggests you need dose increase in levothyroxine

You need to test TSH, Ft4 and Ft3 together

thyroid blood tests early morning, ideally just before 9am and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test 

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 and money off codes

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

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/

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Do you always test early morning and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test

Do you always get same brand levothyroxine at each prescription

TSH is changing quite a lot between tests

High thyroid antibodies confirms autoimmune thyroid disease also called Hashimoto’s

Are you on strictly gluten free diet or dairy free diet

Oct.21

F T4. 15.8(7.5-21.1).

TSH 0.31(0.34-5.6)

Jan.22

TSH. 3.48(0.34-5.6)

Sep.22

TSH . 0.28(0.35-5.00)

Serum T4. 24.2(11.00-23.00)

Ferritin. 126(12.00-300)

Folate. 13.8(3.9-19.8)

B12. 634(200-900)

October 22

vit D. 84(50.00-150)

TSH. 3.34(0.35-5.00)

[PolyannaYorkshire in reply to SlowDragon]

Hi Slow DragonI tried a strict gluten free diet but it didn't seem to improve anything ..,( I still bake gluten free bread etc,). Grey Goose has suggested magnesium citrate but I wondered if this would make my hypertension worse?!! And thought I may be netter increasing Vit C first.

My levo has always been the same brand to we moved a few weeks ago.I now have Almus in place of Accord..& I've increased my levo by 25mcgs & they are Teva. My son cannot take Teva but it doesn't seem to be causing me any problems. Thanks for your help.🤗

[greygoose]

TSH. 3.34(0.35-5.00)

You're very under-medicated now. Doctors should not be dosing on the TSH. It is the FT3 the most important number, and they don't even test it! They just have no idea what they're doing.

Looking at your FT4 result in comparison with your FT3 it shows that you are a poor converter, so highly unlikely your FT3 is ever going to be over-range, so you are never going to be over-medicated unless you take a hell of a lot of levo. The levo itself won't help your constipation, nor any other symptoms, unless you can convert it to T3, the active hormone.

I am still taking a multivitality tablet for over 70s

These wretched multis! You are being conned out of your hard-earned money. They are never going to help you. What are the ingredients in this one? There are so many reasons why you should never take a multi.

Some thoughts on constipation:

Constipation is something a lot of us get. The best things to help are magnesium citrate and large doses of vit C.

Four things to think about with constipation:

1. Are you getting enough fibre? You need fibre for your transit, BUT you don't want too much fibre because it could affect the absorption of your levo, making you more hypo, and therefore possibly more constipated. It's a matter of finding the right balance.

2. Are you drinking enough water - especially in this heat wave. Your body needs a constant supply of water, and if it's not getting enough, it will suck your poo dry (sorry for that image!) to get the water, leaving you more constipated and unable to 'go'.

3. Do you have low stomach acid? Low stomach acid can be caused by being hypo, but also by low-salt diets and B12 deficiency (also old age, but not much you can do about that). Low stomach acid will cause constipation. So, you need to check your nutrients, and your stomach acid level (bicarb test), and if either are low, you need to raise them.

4. Do you, by any chance, have high levels of calcium? Because that, too, can cause constipation. So, that’s another thing that wants testing.

[PolyannaYorkshire in reply to greygoose]

Thank you SO much Grey Goose. Yes I have 2 litres water/day.....and....I have magnesium chloride cream (Better You) that I rub on my body half an hour before bed...so magnesium should be OK. I started back on the multivitality tab. as I feel so dreadful and was not getting any help from the GP...thought it might help...but I will stop it if it could be creating more probs. (iodine & iron. It is from Healthspan. & it contains both!!). I asked for an early appointment for my bloods explaining the reason why...but they said there wasn't one at that time for months and gave me an 11.30am appointment....so I didn't have a coffee/tea or breakfast until after Id had my bloods done....so hopefully the readings are accurate.

I have had a private blood test before but the report from it said I was hyperthyroid and you said the comments were garbage...Think it was Blue Horizon... & Seaaside Susan asked me to ask the GP what planet the out of range results could be considered satisfactory from other blood tests that had come back 'satisfactory'...so I don't really knbow what to do!!

Re stomach acid...I DO have a problem with this since I had my gall bladder removed...and ended up with ulcers in my stomach. I was put on PPIs to get it better and was told to continue with them for life but the website pointed out that it could cause problems so I weaned myself off them...however at about 10pm most nights I suffer from it but try to eat ginger and that usually gets rid of it...or Apple Cider Vinegar with Mother...also works.

Calcium 2.44(2.20-2.60)...so looks OK and I think my fibre intake is OK too.

I had uterine cancer at the beginning of Covid so that could be causing the constipation?!! The person who eventually did my check up was pretty hopeless.(.my surgeon had been great...the checkup was with one of his team it said on the letter!!).

Thank you for your help...it is such an encouragement to think someone cares!!

[greygoose in reply to PolyannaYorkshire]

have magnesium chloride cream

Magnesium chloride won't help constipation. It's magnesium citrate you need. It's more about the citrate (vit C) than the magnesium itself.

(iodine & iron. It is from Healthspan. & it contains both!!).

Iron will block the absorption of the vitmamins, so although it might appear to have everything you need, they won't be getting into your system.

It's very easy to over-dose on iodine when taking thyroid hormone replacement. 100 mcg levo contains about 65 mcg iodine, which is recycled in the body. It could be that you now have an excess of iodine which could make you feel bad.

they said there wasn't one at that time for months and gave me an 11.30am appointment....so I didn't have a coffee/tea or breakfast until after Id had my bloods done....so hopefully the readings are accurate.

The readings will be accurate - for that time of day. The problem with having a blood draw at that time is that the TSH will be almost at its lowest point, which is why we recommend having them done before 9 am. Doctors only tend to look at the TSH, even though they don't know what it is or what it does, but interpret a low TSH as meaning you're over-medicated and want to reduce your dose.

I have had a private blood test before but the report from it said I was hyperthyroid and you said the comments were garbage...

They usually are garbage because the doctors that make them are just common or garden GPs, with an NHS training - or lack of it - and not thyroid experts. They assume that a low TSH means over-medication, which - in their eloquant way - they call 'hyperthyroidism'. They don't even have the knowledge to know that that is a physical impossibility. So, the comments really aren't worth having. Far better to post your results on here and get comments from our knowledgeable members.

I was put on PPIs to get it better and was told to continue with them for life but the website pointed out that it could cause problems so I weaned myself off them...

PPIs should only ever be taken short-term because they can cause a lot of problems. There are articles to that effect on my profile. And, given that you probably had low stomach acid before the PPIs, they probably made your stomach problems worse. Doctors don't understand any of that. If your stomach acid had been high you wouldn't have got stomach ulcers to begin with because the acid would have killed the bacteria that caused them. I was given PPIs in hosptial once, when I was too ill to protest. They completely messed up my gut and I was very very constipated. It took me ten years to get my gut working correctly again, taking magnesium citrate every night. If I forget to take it, I suffer for it.

(Just as an example of how little doctors understand, during this hospital stay I was put on a low/no-salt diet, given morphine and PPIs, and then they could not understand why I became constipated! They just had no idea! 🤣🤣🤣 You've got to laugh, otherwise you'd cry.)

[PolyannaYorkshire in reply to greygoose]

Thank you SO much.Ill get some magnesium citrate tomorrow!! I hope it is the excess iodine causing my probs,!! I somehow don't think so as I had about 6 months off the multis ,!! 🤗

[greygoose in reply to PolyannaYorkshire]

No, your problem is that you're a poor converter, so your FT4 is too high and your FT3 is too low. It's low T3 that causes problems because it's the active hormone needed by every single cell in your body. But, the iodine won't help, and could make things worse.

[PolyannaYorkshire in reply to greygoose]

HiI hope the magnesium citrate doesn't increase my hypertension...would zi be netter boosting my vit C first?!!

[greygoose in reply to PolyannaYorkshire]

Why would magnesium citrate increase your hypertension? If you take magnesium chloride and vit C, it's going to come to the same thing, anyway.

Your hypertension is probably due to your under-medication.

[Brightness14 in reply to PolyannaYorkshire]

After I had my gallbladder removed I sometimes suffered from constipation. A local Pharmacy put me onto Lactulose which I take maybe once a week. It is gentle on the stomach and works well. It has been working now for over sixteen years.

When I first had trouble I had a couple of Colonic irrigation's that sorted most of the problem out.

[PolyannaYorkshire in reply to Brightness14]

Thank you.I too have lactulose...which helps a bit..but it says you must not use it for over 7days????!

[PolyannaYorkshire in reply to PolyannaYorkshire]

Im so pleased you have got yourself sorted!!🤗

[Brightness14 in reply to PolyannaYorkshire]

I have never had to use it more than once or twice a week at most. Now almost never just occasionally . Why not try colonics a couple would clear and clean out all the backed up problems and then you could start again, it worked for me. Then use the lactoluse just when required.

[PolyannaYorkshire in reply to Brightness14]

Thanks for your help..maybe try your suggestion later but have other appointments at moment

[PolyannaYorkshire]

Hi It was just when I was looking to get the medication on line it said it could increase hypertension so thought I ought to run it past you as I hadnt mentioned I was on amlodipine for it...(& Its not controlled,!!)

[greygoose in reply to PolyannaYorkshire]

Get what medication? I've never heard that before. Can you link to what you read, please?

[PolyannaYorkshire in reply to greygoose]

See Partner20...they have just replied to my comments about high BP & Magnesium citrate ...but their message daid it makes it too low...I thought Id trad it makes it too high....🤗

[PolyannaYorkshire in reply to PolyannaYorkshire]

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[PolyannaYorkshire in reply to PolyannaYorkshire]

Getting ready to go to church now so will come back to you later.thank you for your great support!!

[Partner20 in reply to PolyannaYorkshire]

You are correct. Magnesium citrate is contraindicated when you are on BP meds like amlodipine because it can magnify the effect of the medication and cause your blood pressure to run too low. You should be able to keep an eye on this by checking your BP daily at home, which is always recommended if you are on BP meds. FYI, magnesium citrate did nothing for me in the bowel department, unfortunately. Hopefully you will have better luck!

[PolyannaYorkshire in reply to Partner20]

Thank you partner20!! Hope you got your constipation sorted out!!🤗

[Partner20 in reply to PolyannaYorkshire]

Thank you!!😁

[greygoose in reply to Partner20]

So is that all forms of magnesium? Or just the Citrate. If it is just the citrate then wouldn't vit C do the same thing?

[Partner20 in reply to greygoose]

Any form of magnesium supplement can interact with calcium channel blockers, including amlodipine, and increase their effect.

[PolyannaYorkshire in reply to Partner20]

Oh I've been massaging magnesium cream into my legs every evening to help me to sleep! Thank you for your info!!

[Partner20 in reply to PolyannaYorkshire]

If the cream has helped you I would perhaps continue with it but monitor bp regularly. I would think that the magnesium used topically is less likely to affect the medication than a supplement, but just keep an eye on your bp.

[PolyannaYorkshire in reply to greygoose]

I don't know..sorry

[ClareP5]

If you're supplementing with B12 your result is still quite low - normally once you're taking enough B12 the blood serum level is through the roof! I would try to get that higher if you can. Have a look at the Pernicious Aenemia feed.