So all your antibody tests are negative. No autoimmune thyroid disease shown at this time although levels can fluctuate.
Regarding your thyroid tests, they haven't tested the most important level which is FT3. Armour contains T3 so its important to check where your level is at.
That said, your TSH is too high at over 2. When taking any replacement that contains T3 you would expect TSH to be very low, even suppressed which yours isn't. You really do need a dose increase.
When hypo we get low stomach acid which means we cannot absorb vitamins well from our food, regardless of a great diet. For thyroid hormone to work well we need OPTIMAL levels of vitamins. Have you recently or could you ask your GP to test levels of ferritin, folate, B12 & D3?
GP and or Endo can test vitamin levels, find a helpful, sympathetic one to ask. Failing that private tests are available which many members here to do see the levels they need to be well. Check companies and discount codes in this link. thyroiduk.org/help-and-supp...
I thought if my TSH was in mid range it was probably a good thing!
I take an iron supplement but now certainly will ask if I can have my levels checked.
The Endo who put me on Armour a year ago has left the hospital and I have had to fight to stay on it. At the moment my request is sitting with the local CCG. I know my request for a higher dose won't be met sympathetically - but I'm going to try.
The present Endo said my results (above) are all fine and that Armour is giving me a placebo effect!!!
Be sure to take iron 4 hours away from your Armour.
I did read an old post of yours about how you got it prescribed on the NHS. Amazing! I hope you are now at least getting a monthly prescription. If not then I would push for that. Its really not reasonable of them to make you go to the hospital fortnightly.
It's a very rare Endo that has anything good to say about Armour or any NDT, ignore them. You know it helps you and so it has many, many people before you.
Antibodies always have a (0-X) or (<X) upper limit type range. Its perfectly healthy to have 0 but it’s also completely normal to have some anti bodies as “background noise”.
Once the level is exceeds a higher limit, than it’s considered to signify autoimmune activity.
TSH receptor antibodies (TRAb) are antibodies directed against the TSH receptor (may be stimulatory, neutral or blocking). It’s often tested if FT4 & FT3 are high as positive levels (above the acceptable limit) is accepted as a positive marker for Graves.
A thyroid peroxidase antibodies test checks the levels of antibodies made against the compound thyroid peroxidase (TPO) in the bloodstream. Thyroid peroxidase is an enzyme produced by the thyroid gland.
The thyroid uses iodine, with the help of the enzyme TPO, to create the hormones triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4).
Antibodies are proteins made by the immune system, usually to fight bacteria, viruses, and toxins that enter or contact the body.
Ordinarily, a healthy immune system doesn't make significant levels of antibodies against thyroid peroxidase, because it's not "foreign," but rather a necessary component of thyroid tissue. In autoimmune diseases, however, the immune system malfunctions, mistakenly attacking healthy organs and tissues as though they were foreign invaders.
In people with a thyroid-related autoimmune condition, the blood level of TPO antibodies may rise. Both your TPO & TRab are negative which doesn’t confirm autoimmune.
Antibodies can’t be treated. Hypothyroid levels are treated & the cause is not a factor to doctors.
It’s possible you were previously at a positive level in past.
Was this tested around the time you were diagnosed?
A ultrasound scan can confirm appearance of autoimmune damage.
Thyroglobulin antibodies could also be tested.
Once on replace most feel well with TSH around 1, FT4 in top third of range and FT3 above 50%. Your FT4 may be too low for you. How do you feel?
You have no FT3 & FT3 level can’t be predicted by TSH & or FT4 you really need it tested to find out if at good level.
Key nutrients also need testing folate, ferritin, B12 & vitamin D.
Consider private test as often quickest way to obtain full picture in 1 go a make progress.
Thank you so m much. Am going to request testing from GP - they will probably say no. If so I will pay, as you rightly say, I need to know.
I had Lyme Disease just before I was diagnosed as being hypo. I do wonder if I had a positive antibodies level then....
Jaydee - I am still trudging to and fro to collect my prescriptions from the hospital. Such a waste of time and money.
I also have to chase up when Im running low and always get short shrift from the Endos secretary! The CCG still haven't got around to making a decision about my medication. I am very scared that they are suddenly going to take me off Armour. I cant face going back to how I felt before. Its definitely not a placebo!
They are just being difficult only prescribing 14 days at a time. I think all GP practices run on 28 days but perhaps hospital prescribing is different. You just keep doing what you have to do to keep it coming and I have everything crossed for you for the CCGs decision.
ive never had to collect a prescription from doctor / hospital or dentist , I was once given a printed bar code, & the chemist I visited didn’t have the item so they printed off prescription to take else where…..
usually the hospital instruct GP to issue & this can have problems with delays and your prescription might be the exception.
Having hypothyroidism which needs thyroid hormone replacement allows for medical exemption of all prescription charges, you may have the expense & inconvenience of arranging collection but I believe you should be be charged.
i see you are still fighting the good fight to keep your Armour prescription.
I went through similar just trying to get a prescription for anything other than T4 back in 2018 and all the upset simply exacerbated my symptoms so I Did It For Myself. =
which is likely what the NHS want us all to do :
Holding onto a prescription for Armour is likely more political than getting a new prescription for Armour.
Anyway - I sent you all I knew and you know there are other means.
Both Novothyral and Armour ( a brand of Natural Desiccated Thyroid ) contain both T3 and T4 thyroid hormones - Armour 1 grain tablets containing 9mcg T3 + 38 mcg T4.
Once on any form of thyroid hormone replacement - especially any form containing T3 - when optimally medicated your TSH will likely be suppressed/low - but you must be dosed and monitored on your T3 and T4 readings :
There is no blood test specifically for NDT - you simply dose to the relief of symptoms.
But mainstream medical will try and shoehorn you into the ranges that were introduced to be used with Big Pharma's synthetic T3 and T4 treatment options.
On NDT my TSH is at 0.01 : my T4 is proportionately lower than when I was on T4 - BUT you must be tracked on your T3 as that is the active hormone that runs the body and it should be proportionately higher than when on T4 monotherapy.
I doubt your doctor will be able to even run the basic TSH, Fre T3 and Free T4 blood test:
I've been reduced to paying for private blood tests and talking to myself and this forum !!
No thyroid hormone works well until your core strength vitamins and minerals, viz - ferritin, folate, B12 and vitamin D are up and maintained at optimal levels.
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