Hashimotos and Cardiac Issues: Hello all - My... - Thyroid UK

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Hashimotos and Cardiac Issues

Emmastace profile image
8 Replies

Hello all - My diagnosis of Hashimotos was approx 3 years ago and by the end of the first year of adjusting dose of Levo I felt reasonably well and I know my TSH was below 1 at that stage because it had been 0.02 when I was taking 125 Levo and GP dropped it to 100 which I wasn't happy with as I felt really well at 125. Unable to fight the GP's decision I continued on the 100 Levo but asked for blood tests last Feb as I was starting to have niggly symptoms. GP insisted I was 'normal' and refused to adjust the meds. A couple of weeks ago my symptoms had become so bad I couldn't function so asked for bloods to be taken to look at Thyroid (and diabetes because that hadn't been checked for over a year either). GP called me on Tuesday because blood results showed, in the words of the GP, 'dangerously high' triglyceride levels, and very high Red Blood Count, Hematocrit and Hemoglobin so she wanted my permission to refer me to Cardiology (I had stents around 8 years ago following several non-stemi heart attacks). I asked what the Thyroid results were and she said they hadn't done them (or the vitamins that I also specifically asked for). GP did agree that I should go back and take more blood for Thyroid results.

Results are

TSH 1.62 mu/l (range 0.38-5.33)

Serum Free T3 pmol/L 4.7 (range 4.0-6.6)

Serum Free T4 12.8 pmol/L with no range given

Serum Total 25-OH Vitamin D 27 nmol/L

I have received a text this morning saying I need to go to the chemist and take 1000IU per day of vitamin D but no mention of talking about the Thyroid and my symptoms (which are brain fog, itchy skin, sleep problems, anxiety, short temper, achy joints, permanently tearful, shortness of breath, tummy pain, constipation)

With all that in mind should I call the surgery and insist on a conversation about my Thyroid or wait for the cardiology appointment in case all my symptoms are down to other things and not Thyroid?

Any help or advice gratefully received

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8 Replies
Jaydee1507 profile image
Jaydee1507Administrator

At 1.62 your TSH is too high so a dose increase would help a bit. That said, your FT3 is low at 27% of it's range so ideally long term you need to be thinking about how you are going to get some T3 added. Even working on vitamin levels which you likely need to do won't be enough to help.

Are they going to run the other vitamin levels?

1000 D3 won't be enough to bring your levels up to where they need to be at 100. Use this calc to work out what you need to take and go buy some D3 with K2. The NHS do not get our levels to optimal. grassrootshealth.net/projec...

Have you tried a gluten free diet?

Emmastace profile image
Emmastace in reply to Jaydee1507

Thank you. I haven't tried gluten free but I have been very careful and cut down on gluten where I can. I asked for full vitamins but they only did D and B12. B12 result was 307 ng/L (range 145-914)

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply to Emmastace

B12 is far too low

Has Folate been tested?

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 

Then once your serum B12 is over 500 (or Active B12 level has reached 70), you may be able to reduce then stop the B12 and just carry on with the B Complex.

If Vegetarian or vegan likely to need ongoing separate B12 few times a week 

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...

Vitamin B complex

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-...

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 - iherb.com might have some

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

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

Vitamin D is virtually deficient

You’re going to need higher dose that 1000iu

Technically GP should prescribe 1600iu daily for 6 month

Suggest you consider 3000iu daily and retest in 2-3 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

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...

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...

Emmastace profile image
Emmastace in reply to SlowDragon

Thank you. GP called me not long after I posted here and apologized for not realizing how low the Vit D level was and had looked back and seen I was prescribed it back in 2021 so said she would write a new script. I have just picked it up and it says it is 15 Fultium-d3 20000u caps with one to be taken twice a week for 7 weeks while I was there I picked up over the counter vit D to carry on taking after the script stuff finishes

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

You need the range on Ft4 result

Were these results online or printed or just verbal?

Was thyroid blood test done 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...

Medichecks Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins

medichecks.com/products/adv...

Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes antibodies, cortisol and vitamins

bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...

Just Thyroid includes BOTH TPO and TG antibodies -£49

randoxhealth.com/at-home/Th...

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...

Only do private testing early Monday or Tuesday morning. 

Emmastace profile image
Emmastace in reply to SlowDragon

The results were picked up from my online account. Yes the thyroid results were from blood taken before 9am and I hadn't taken Levo that morning so more or less 24 hours since last dose. For some reason my historic results have disappeared from my online record so I will ask the surgery to get them for me including the ranges so I can look back at what they were.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply to Emmastace

Good plan

TSH 1.62 mu/l (range 0.38-5.33)

Serum Free T4 12.8 pmol/L with no range given

FT3: 4.7 pmol/l (Range 4 - 6.6)

Ft3 is only 26.92% through range

Most people when adequately treated will have Ft3 at least 60% through range

Can’t comment on Ft4 without ranges

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