I want to first thank everyone who posts and replies on here. This has been a mine of information for me and I greatly appreciate the time and effort from all.
I have recently had full blood test through Blue Horizon and would be grateful for help in interpreting them. I currently take 125mcg levothyroxine daily. I have followed the blood test advice on here ( bloods taken at 9:30am (earliest time I could get) no vitamin B for week prior, etc) .
I am booking a private consultation with one of the consultants on the Thyroid UK specialist list but would like your advice before seeing him.
I am also on HRT (Estradiol pump x 3 pumps and Utrogestan tablets x1 daily). My mother has Addison’s disease and an underactive thyroid.
With thanks.
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Flowergrower2
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Welcome to the group. If you could complete your profile it helps members understand your thyroid journey. Click on your image icon to start.
What has prompted you to book and see a private Endo?
Did you know you have positive thyroid antibodies? Many with autoimmune thyroid disease aka Hashimoto's benefit from a gluten free diet. A smaller percentage of those also need to remove dairy from their diet to feel well.
When was last Levo taken before this test?
Free T4 (fT4) 19.1 pmol/L (12 - 22) 71.0%
Free T3 (fT3) 4.07 pmol/L (3.1 - 6.8) 26.2%
Your conversion rate isn't the best but may be improved by working on vitamin levels to bring them up to OPTIMAL levels. You do have room for a Levo increase currently as TSH is above 2. To feel well most people need TSH to be at or just under 1.
What vitamins are you taking?
►Vitamin D should be around 100 - 150. Buy one that includes vit K2 to help it go to your bones. Some are available in oil or you can take it with an oily meal for better absorption. Use this calculator to work out how much to take to get your level to 100-150. wildatlantichealth.com/vita...
►Your vitamin B12 is quite low. Are you a vegan or vegetarian?
Thank you. I will complete the profile later today.
I wanted to see a private endo as my current gp is not very engaged at all with my thyroid issues and is very dismissive. I currently have very achy joints am sluggish, brain fog etc which I really want to get to the bottom of. I wil focus more on vitamins and diet but wondered whether i should try T3?
If you can remain on Levo only it is much simpler, so optimising that treatment by working on vitamins and you need possibly several dose increases before anyone can assess if T3 might be appropriate.
As thyroid patients we do need to become our own health advocates with GP’s and Endocrinologists. They get little training in how to make us feel well, instead relying on lab numbers on paper. Take some time to read up on your condition, learn and get your confidence up. This will stand you in good stead when discussing your condition and challenging things that medic say.
B12 - do you have symptoms of B12 deficiency? The reference range for B12 is very wide and cut off point too low. theb12society.com/signs-and...
If you do then you should discuss this with your doctor for further tests for Pernicious Anaemia.
If not, then start with a B12 sublingual spray or lozenge for a week, then add a good B complex. This B complex has all the right vitamins at a not unreasonable cost for 90 days supply(also contains folate). amazon.co.uk/Liposomal-Soft...
Once B12 is good you can stop the stand alone B12 and just continue with the B complex.
Folate - aim for a level of 20. Recommend taking an active/methyl (should say on label) B complex which contains 400mcgs folate (also B12). Occasionally some people require a higher dose of folate, often due to having MTHFR genes in which case buy a separate 400mcgs methylfolate and slowly add to your dose over several weeks.
High rT3 can be caused by many things, only one of which has anything to do with the thyroid and that's when there is an excess of unconverted T4 and you will know this from the FT4 and FT3 results. So looking at your FT4 and FT3 we can see that you're not converting that well and there is possibly an excess of unconverted T4.
Also, high rT3 could be caused by low ferritin, by an infection, by low-calorie diets, selenium or zinc deficiency, cortisol issues, stress, dieting, chronic illness, inadequate or low iron, chronic inflammation, high cortisol, or liver issues and any other chronic health issues, and probably several more things.
Other conditions that contribute to increased Reverse T3 levels include:
· Chronic fatigue
· Acute illness and injury
· Chronic disease
· Increased cortisol (stress)
· Low cortisol (adrenal fatigue)
· Low iron
· Lyme disease
· Chronic inflammation
Also selenium deficiency, excess physical, mental and environmental stresses. Also Beta-blocker long-term use such as propranolol, metoprolol, etc. Physical injury is a common cause of increased RT3, also illnesses like the flu. Starvation/severe calorie restriction is known to raise RT3. Diabetes when poorly treated is known to increase RT3. Cirrhosis of the liver. Fatty liver disease. Any other liver stress Renal Failure. A fever of unknown cause. Detoxing of high heavy metals.
I tested rT3 about 6 years ago (before I learned about it). It was high in range at 22 (10-24) and at the time my FT4 was 18.26 (12-22) and FT3 was 6.14 (3.1-6.8). This was not long after I started adding T3 to my Levo.
Because I was curious I repeated the test 6 months later and my rT3 had gone over range 29 (10-24) and FT4 was 15.57 (12-22) and FT3 was 5.9 (3.1-6.8).
You can see from my results that there definitely was no unconverted T4 as my FT3 levels were very good both times so my high rT3 was not connected to my thyroid. I've no idea what caused it, whether I would have high rT3 if I tested now, nor am I bothered about it and I wouldn't waste money on testing again. I understand that reverse T3 doesn't hang around long because it eventually converts to T2, etc, so it's not necessarily a problem. See article by Paul Robinson here:
gosh, thank you all so much. It will take me some time to digest all of this. I’m not on any particular diet or dieting. I do have a histamine intolerance which I have had for some years and manage fairly well, but has meant I have avoided plant based mills and strong cheeses.
I will definitely start going gluten free. Thank you all again.
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