Hashimotos query: Hi, I had a private blood test... - Thyroid UK

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Hashimotos query

Eils2011 profile image
18 Replies

Hi, I had a private blood test that showed my thyroglobulin antibodies were very high. My other thyroid levels were normal. The results said that due to the high level of antibodies it puts me more at risk of developing thyroid problems in future. My question is....could I have hashimotos if my other levels are normal but antibodies are high? I have symptoms of extreme fatigue, very sensitive to cold, body aches/pains etc. The private blood test was from a company that gives you results but no follow up so I'm wondering whether to see my GP to discuss or not.

Thanks

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Eils2011
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18 Replies
Thyb profile image
Thyb

Can you post the results from your Blood tests so someone can look over them?

Eils2011 profile image
Eils2011

Antibodies result

Screenshot
Eils2011 profile image
Eils2011 in reply toEils2011

Bloot test results

Screenshot
Jaydee1507 profile image
Jaydee1507Administrator in reply toEils2011

What time of day was this test taken? 9am is when TSH is at its highest. If you get more thyroid tests book for as close to 9am as possible and do it fasting for consistency of results.

So with positive antibodies you do already have Hashimoto's, just its in the very early stages where you still have lots of sympotms, just the blood results appear within the normal range, although they may not be normal for you! This Isabella Wentz article describes the stages of Hashi's, ignore that shes talking about TPO antibodies, works the same whichever.

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

Would recommend you get key vitamins checked - ferritin, folate B12 & d3, GP might do this or if not then head back to Medichecks. They do special offers on Thursdays for thyroid tests or Thyroid UK offer discount codes. Hypo people get low vitamin levels due to low stomach acid and not being able to absorb vitamins well.

thyroiduk.org/help-and-supp...

I would make an appointment with GP and show them these results and ask for monitoring with blood tests overy 3-4 months.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

Did you do this test early morning, ideally around 9am latest

Next step

You need vitamin D, folate, B12 and ferritin levels tested

Suggest you print out/email GP copy of these test results

NHS won’t currently recognise autoimmune thyroid disease with only high Thyroglobulin antibodies

But get a copy of these results on your medical records anyway

Suggest you also give GP copy of this research

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/303...

Conclusions: Elevated TgAb levels are associated with symptom burden in HT patients, suggesting a role of thyroid autoimmunity in clinical manifestations of HT. Based on these results, we recommend screening for TgAb antibodies in HT patients with symptom burden. We also suggest that further work on understandings of symptoms appearance due to their autoimmune or hypothyroid causation is needed.

And request GP test vitamin levels

Come back with new post once you get results

Eils2011 profile image
Eils2011

Thank you so much for your reply, really helpful. I wasnt sure if you could still be classed as having hashimotos as some thyroid levels are normal. Im xonstantly freezing and never felt fatigue like it. The test was taken at 10.25am and was a fasting sample. My vitamin D level is very low, ferritin is on the low side of normal range and B12 is OK but I did get an injection last month to see if that would help fatigue. I'll see my GP. Thanks again 🙂

Jaydee1507 profile image
Jaydee1507Administrator in reply toEils2011

It's likely that your GP won't diagnose anything, as that is not how they are taught. They will only diagnose Primary Hypothyroidism when your TSH reaches over range on 2 separate occassions consecutively or over 10. The NHS doesn't really talk about or diagnose Hashimoto's, they just call it sometimes autoimmune hypothyroidism. The main thing is, you know what it is and why you are likely feeling terrible!

What were your vitamin results with ranges? It will help you a bit to supplement the low levels to get them OPTIMAL - top quarter of range. Did they test folate?

Use this calculator for how much vit D + K2 you should be taking to get it to about 100. Always buy a D3 supplement that has K2 as that helps it go to the bones where it is needed. grassrootshealth.net/projec...

You can try eliminating gluten from your diet, this helps many with Hashi's. The second thing Hashi people are intolerant to is dairy.

Eils2011 profile image
Eils2011 in reply toJaydee1507

Vitamin results

Screenshot
SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply toEils2011

So you need to improve all four vitamins to optimal levels

How low was B12 before injection

Low vitamin levels tend to lower TSH

optimal vitamin levels are

Vitamin D at least over 80nmol

Folate near 20

Ferritin at least over 70

Ferritin is virtually deficient

Are you vegetarian or vegan

Pre or Post menopause

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

Serum ferritin level is the biochemical test, which most reliably correlates with relative total body iron stores. 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

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...

Excellent article on iron and thyroid 

cambridge.org/core/journals...

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...

Shellfish and Mussels are excellent source of iron 

healthline.com/nutrition/he...

Heme iron v non heme

hsph.harvard.edu/nutritions...

Ferritin over 100 to alleviate symptoms 

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Low Iron implicated in hypothyroidism 

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Ferritin range on Medichecks 

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

We have received further information the lab about ferritin reference ranges. They confirm that they are sex dependent up to the age of 60, then beyond the age of 60 the reference range is the same for both sexes: 

Males 16-60: 30-400 ug/L

Female's: 16-60: 30-150

Both >60: 30-650 

The lower limit of 30 ug/L is in accordance with the updated NICE guidance and the upper limits are in accordance with guidance from the Association of Clinical Biochemists. ‘

Eils2011 profile image
Eils2011 in reply toSlowDragon

My B12 was 49 but that was tested over a year ago. I'm not vegan or vegetarian. I'm almost 43 so coming up for peri menopause.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply toEils2011

Good grief that was low

Hopefully GP did actually test for Pernicious Anaemia before giving B12 injection

Eils2011 profile image
Eils2011 in reply toSlowDragon

Unfortunately not, GP said nothing wrong with B12 so I paid privately for an injection. Starting to realise I need to be well informed before seeing GP again!

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply toEils2011

Folate is too low

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 a separate B12

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply toEils2011

Vitamin D

GP should prescribe 1600iu everyday for 6 months

NHS Guidelines on dose vitamin D required

ouh.nhs.uk/osteoporosis/use...

GP will often only prescribe to bring vitamin D levels to 50nmol.

Some areas will prescribe to bring levels to 75nmol or even 80nmol

leedsformulary.nhs.uk/docs/...

GP should advise on self supplementing if over 50nmol, but under 75nmol (but they rarely do)

mm.wirral.nhs.uk/document_u...

But with Hashimoto’s, improving to around 80nmol or 100nmol by self supplementing may be better

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/218...

vitamindsociety.org/pdf/Vit...

Once you Improve level, very likely you will need on going maintenance dose to keep it there.

Test twice yearly via NHS private testing service when supplementing 

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. 

One spray = 1000iu

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

Another member recommended this one recently

Vitamin D with k2

amazon.co.uk/Strength-Subli...

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

Vitamin D and thyroid disease 

grassrootshealth.net/blog/t...

Vitamin D may prevent Autoimmune disease 

newscientist.com/article/23...

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...

Interesting article by Dr Malcolm Kendrick on magnesium 

drmalcolmkendrick.org/categ...

Vitamin K2 mk7

betterbones.com/bone-nutrit...

healthline.com/nutrition/vi...

Eils2011 profile image
Eils2011 in reply toJaydee1507

Yes, im worried my GP will not be much help. At this stage would I need medication or mainly diet changes etc?

Jaydee1507 profile image
Jaydee1507Administrator in reply toEils2011

Gp likely won't do much but do try and get the regular blood tests. The NHS doesn't recognise Thyroglobulin antibodies, only TPO.

For ferritin it should be 90-100. Eat chicken livers twice a week or pate.

For folate & B12 its recommended to take a good B complex to keep all the B's in balance. This is a good, reasonably priced one. amazon.co.uk/Yipmai-Liposom...

It's really a watch and wait situation but at least you know why you are as you are. Just cut yourself a lot of slack, eat well, try cutting out gluten then dairy to see if they help how you feel. Don't push yourself or take on too much.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

Work on improving all vitamins

Then retest thyroid and vitamin levels again in 3 months

Improving low vitamin levels likely to significantly improve symptoms

Eils2011 profile image
Eils2011 in reply toSlowDragon

Thankyou for all the information....sp much to take in! Much appreciated 🙏

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