please can someone make sense.

[Loislincmum]

Hi all. These are my results from November blood tests. My GP said no action needed as results are fine. I have been on 75mcg of levothyroxine for nearly 6 years. I have now upped dose to 100mcg daily myself to see if I feel better and also lose the stone and a half that I have gained in about 4 months. Only been taking the higher dose for about a week and feeling ok. Any advice is appreciated.

[TiggerMe]

You are going to have to take a private test to find where your T3/T4 levels are but it'll be a bit squiffy now as you have altered your dose recently and really need to leave it 6-8 weeks.

Have you ever known your T3/T4 levels and if you convert well?

75mcg is a dose for a rather small adult generally...

Your TSH doesn't really tell us much other than the increase will likely put it below the range and cause you issues next time you visit the GP

B12 could be improved

Do you take supplements?

The all knowledgeable's will be along soon to guide you 🤗

[pennyannie]

Hello Loislincmum :

The only thyroid result I can see there is a TSH which once on any form of thyroid hormone replacement is the least important reading.

We need to see a Free T3 and Free T4 reading and range alongside a TSH - all drawn at the same time.

There is a list of private companies on the Thyroid UK website - thyroiduk.org - where you can arrange for a finger prick blood test kit to be sent to you - many forum members using Monitor My Health - which is a NHS laboratory.

We also need optimal vitamins and minerals for any thyroid hormone replacement to work well and assist the conversion of T4 into T3 in the body and read ferritin needs to be at least over 70 for any thyroid hormone to work well :

I now aim for a ferritin of 100 : folate at around 20 : serum B12 at least over 500++ and vitamin D up at around 100:reum B12 at 500++ and vitamin D up at around 100.

So your ferritin needs a little nudge up the range as does your folate - your B12 is not even half way through the range and needs supplementing and I can't see a vitamin D - is there another page ?

Do you have Hashimoto's auto immune thyroid disease - I think I see that your TPO antibodies - top line - are around 50 and in range, but antibodies can wax and wane so this might be having a bearing on your thyroid health - why were you put on T4 - Levothyroxine ?

Levothyroxine should be taken on an empty stomach and you should wait around an hour before eating or drinking anything.

For a blood test you need to fast overnight just taking in water and do the finger prick early morning before 9.00am and take your daily T4 medication after you have done the blood test so we measure what your body is holding onto and not what you have just taken.

Similarly with vitamins and minerals if supplementing anything leave them all off for around a week if testing so we see exactly what your body is holding.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

What vitamin supplements are you currently taking

B12 too low

No vitamin D result

Which brand of levothyroxine are you currently taking

Do you always get same brand levothyroxine at each prescription

was test done early morning and that dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test

Obviously test inadequate as no Ft4 or Ft3 results

TPO antibodies near top of range

Ever had high thyroid antibodies in past?

[SlowDragon Administrator]

all 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

If not had both antibodies tested, recommend using Medichecks or Blue horizon

List of private testing options and money off codes

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

Medichecks Thyroid plus both antibodies and vitamins

medichecks.com/products/adv...

Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes both antibodies, cortisol and vitamins

bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...

If you can get GP to test vitamins then 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/

Monitor My Health also now offer thyroid and vitamin testing, plus cholesterol and HBA1C for £65 

(Doesn’t include thyroid antibodies) 

monitormyhealth.org.uk/full...

10% off code here 

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

NHS easy postal kit vitamin D test £29 via

vitamindtest.org.uk

Only do private testing early Monday or Tuesday morning. 

Watch out for postal strikes, probably want to pay for guaranteed 24 hours delivery 

[Loislincmum]

Thank you all so much for the feedback.

I do always have the same brand of levo, I always have the Mercury pharma brand. I do really feel the difference when I don’t.

I think I will definitely try and get a blood test done privately.

I honestly take my levo first thing and then wait until at least an hour before getting my coffee.

I’ve been taking vitamin D and also started on vitamin B complex. They’re only cheap ones tbh so might try and get a more potent one.

I used to weigh around 9stone 7 lb for years, I’ve now gone to 10.10! I blaming it on being under medicated.

Thanks again for the advice.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Loislincmum]

You need to click on reply button….otherwise other poster doesn’t get notified

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

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 recommended vitamin B complex that contains folate, but they are large capsules. (You can tip powder out if can’t swallow capsule) 

Thorne currently difficult to find at reasonable price, should be around £20 

If you want to try a different brand in the meantime, one with virtually identical doses of the ingredients, and bioavailable too, then take a look at Vitablossom Liposomal B Complex. Amazon sometimes has it branded Vitablossom but it's also available there branded as Yipmai, it's the same supplement

amazon.co.uk/Yipmai-Liposom...

or available as Vitablossom brand here

hempoutlet.co.uk/vitablosso... &description=true

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...

In week before blood test, when you stop vitamin B complex, you might want to consider taking a separate methyl folate supplement and continue separate B12

 

Low B12 symptoms 

b12deficiency.info/signs-an...

methyl-life.com/blogs/defic...

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)

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 drops 

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

B12 sublingual lozenges 

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

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

B12 range in U.K. is too wide

Interesting that in this research B12 below 400 is considered inadequate 

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

How other member saw how effective improving low B vitamins has been 

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Loislincmum]

9st 7lb = 60.3kg

60.3kg x1.6mcg = 96.48mcg levothyroxine as likely daily dose required

96.48ncg x 7 days = 675mcg per week

So if your weight was still 9st 7lb you might likely need 100mcg 6 days a week and 75mcg one day week

Now you weigh 10st 10lb = 68kg

68kg x 1.6mcg = 108mcg as likely daily dose required

108mcg x 7days week = 760mcg per week

So you might need 100mcg 5 days week and 125mcg 2 days

Or 112.5mcg 4 days and 100mcg 3 days

As you reduce your weight …..remember to slowly reduce the dose levothyroxine