help with potential hypothyroidism : hi everyone... - Thyroid UK

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help with potential hypothyroidism

petpenguin profile image
5 Replies

hi everyone,

I am paying g to go private because of no joy with NHS but would like to arm myself with some more info too so I make the most of my short appointment times with the specialist.

I have lots of hypothyroid symptoms: exhaustion, cold, weight gain, anxiety etc.

my last test results as follows:

TSH 3.07

Free T3 3.9

free t4 13.6

Thyroglobulin antibodies 14.5

Thyroid peroxidase antibodies 14.6

Ferritin was v low on GP test at 15 and I’m on iron tablets. On this latest (private) blood test it is 41.

Folate 14.6

vitamin d 51 (just in normal range this time and often low) on

I had low estrogen too…

Wondering what the medication options I may be offered are? (Obviously not on the NHS but privately) and if others have experiences with similar numbers and have taken actions to improve things that have worked?

thanks so much in advance

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Jaydee1507 profile image
Jaydee1507Administrator

Welcome to the group. If you could complete your profile it helps members understand your thyroid journey. Click on your image icon to start.

Could you add the lab ranges for each test? They vary from lab to lab so are important.

What time of day was this test taken? Highest TSH is around 9am so always book thyroid tests then.

For diagnosis and treatment of hypothyroidism you need 2 consecutive tests with TSH above range or one above 10. This is the same privately also although rarely you might find a doctor who will prescribe before this.

Your antibodies are negative so this is less likely.

If you were to improve your low/deficient vitamin levels then this can often increase your TSH which may help you to get a diagnosis.

When hypo we get low stomach acid which means we cannot absorb vitamins well from our food, regardless of a great diet.

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...

Folate - no range given.

No result for B12.

You can email info@thyroiduk.org for a list of private Endocrinologists.

HRT often increases the need for thyroid hormone so should you start that then do get your thyroid levels rechecked.

The usual replacement hormone offered would be Levothyroxine. There are one or two other options but it is recommended to try Levo initially as it does suit the majority of hypo people and is cheapest and most readily available.

petpenguin profile image
petpenguin in reply to Jaydee1507

Thank you so much for your reply, I really appreciate it. I'm very early in my journey so not much to add to the profile at this stage but I'll take a look at it in a moment. I've posted the ranges below and the tests were all taken at 09;00am after fasting so that's good. I've added my vitamin b 12 to the list too - those were in range:

ferritin: 41 - RANGE- 30 - 150 ug/L (on recent GP test, this was 15 ug/L, with the same normal range)

Total Vit B12: 412 - RANGE = 145 - 569 pmol/L

Folate (serum): ** 14.6 - RANGE = 8.83 - 60.8 nmol/L

Thyroid Stim. Hormone: 3.07 - RANGE = 0.270 - 4.2 mIU/L

Free T3: 3.9 - RANGE = 3.1 - 6.8 pmol/L

Free Thyroxine (FT4): 13.6 - RANGE = 12 - 22 pmol/L

Thyroglobulin Antibodies: 14.5 - RANGE= 0 - 115 kIU/L Method: Roche Cobas

Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies: 14.6 - RANGE = 0 - 34 kIU/L Method: Roche Cobas

C Reactive Protein (high sensitivity): 0.93 - NORMAL = <3.0 mg/L

25 OH Vitamin D: 51 RANGE = 50 - 250 nmol/L

I'm interested in what you're saying about improving the vitamin intake and the absorption - I have started taking a digestive enzyme, so perhaps that will help. If you have time to post me to where I might read more on the better vitamin absorption increasing TSH - I'd not heard of that before. Perhaps starting by supplementing oestrogen will help further my diagnosis too. I'll talk to the specialist when I meet them later this week but great to have the extra insight and information from kind people on here.

Many thanks again

Jaydee1507 profile image
Jaydee1507Administrator in reply to petpenguin

You could also try a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar (must include the 'mother' - see label) in a glass of water before your main meal of the day to increase stomach acidity.

Your free hormone levels (FT4 & FT3 are really low in range but that isn't reflected so much by your TSH. TSH in a healthy person would be 2 or below, so yours at 3.07 is showing signs of struggling.

5-10% of Hashimoto's patients never show positive antibodies. It's worth keep testing them though as they do fluctuate. restartmed.com/hashimotos-w...

I don't have anything official to show you about low vitamin levels lowering TSH but its what has been found by people in this group time and again.

restartmed.com/hashimotos-w...

Your folate is quite low at 11% of its range. Recommend taking an active/methyl (should say on label) B complex which contains 400mcgs folate (also B12). This B complex has all the right vitamins at a not unreasonable cost for 90 days supply. amazon.co.uk/Liposomal-Soft...

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply to petpenguin

Vitamin D

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, 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...

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...

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

Suggest you work on improving all four vitamins and then retest thyroid and vitamins in another 2-3 months

Only add one supplement at a time. Then wait 10-14 days to assess before adding another

Total Vit B12: 412 - RANGE = 145 - 569 pmol/L

Folate (serum): ** 14.6 - RANGE = 8.83 - 60.8 nmol/L

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 separate B12 supplement and add a separate vitamin B Complex after two weeks

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 

natureprovides.com/products...

Or

B12 sublingual lozenges 

uk.iherb.com/pr/jarrow-form...

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...

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 

healthline.com/nutrition/fo...

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-£25. iherb.com often have in stock. Or try ebay 

Other options 

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu....

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

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