Here are my results blood took at 8am, after fasting for 12 hours and pre any meds. My GP results on 7.3.23 were TSH 0.48 (0.27-4.2) I’m currently on 100mcg of levothyroxine for hypothyroidism.
Why does this report say I have hyperthyroidism?
@Jaydee1507
Molly139
The report says hyperthyroidism because like most doctors the one who wrote this report doesn't know the difference between an overmedicated hypothyroid patient amd hyperthyroidism. You have hypothyroidism which is why you take Levo, you cannot suddenly become hypERthyroid but it is possible to be overmedicated.
However, what tells us if we are overmedicated is if ft3 is over range amd yours is low on it's range.
What your results show is that you need a high level of FT4 to achieve a low in range FT3 which suggests poor conversion of T4 to T3.
You also appear to have Hashimoto's suggested by your high antibodies.
Hashi's can cause poor nutrient levels and we need optimal nutrient levels for good conversion to take place. Did you have Vit D, B12, Folate and Ferritin tested? If not that should be your next step, come back with results and ranges when you have them.
Yes, I had all the tests they are in my previous posts with ranges. Do I need to go back to my GP? Will they do a full thyroid test like the one I’ve just had? Thanks for replying SeasideSusie
I haven't read your previous posts but optimal nutrient levels to aim for are:
Vit D: 100-150nmol/L
B12: top of range for Total B12, if Active B12 is tested then 100 plus
Folate: at least half way through range
Ferritin: half way through range although some experts say the optimal ferritin level for thyroid function is 90-110ug/L
Once all nutrient levels are optimal if FT4 remains high with a low FT3 then you should try for a referral to an endo for a trial of T3, preferably a different endo to the one you saw before. ThyroidUK has a list of endos, both NHS and private, who are said to be thyroid friendly and have prescribed T3. You can send for this list by emailing
tukadmin@thyroiduk.org
Will they do a full thyroid test like the one I’ve just had?
Unlikely to do FT3 at primary level, may possibly do FT4, may only do TSH. May do TPO antibodies if they think there is a need, Tg antibodies generally only done at secondary level.
These are from 7.3.23:
Vitamin B12 487 ng/L (197-771) Jaydee gave me a link for B12 which I’ll be starting
Vitamin D 86.6 nmol/L (50-125) I take 5,000 mcg of vit D daily plus Co-factors.
Folate 11.6 ug/L (deficient if <3.9)
Ferritin 158 ug/L (30-400)
Are you saying that if I get my vitamins top range it could improve conversion?
Is there anything else I can do?
Do my latest thyroid results reflect why I’m not feeling good?
Are you saying that if I get my vitamins top range it could improve conversion?
It may. If it doesn't that's the time to consider adding T3.
Is there anything else I can do?
Supplementing with selenium may help conversion. Some people prefer to test before supplementing. 100mcg is said to be a safe amount without testing. If supplementing choose either a yeast bound selenium or selenium L-selenomethionine. Avoid selenite or selenate forms.
When I was taking selenium I used this one:
It's a small tablet with no odour, some selenium supplements have an unpleasant odour.
You could always get selenium from Brazil nuts but you must be careful which ones you buy, they have to say they are grown in selenium rich soil to contain any, and preferably the amount of selenium.
Members have kindly given me the following information about Brazil nuts containing a declared amount of selenium available from well known shops/supermarkets here in the UK so if yours doesn't give this information you might want to check out the following, it's an old list so double check the packaging in case the information is not current:
Sainsburys SO organic brazil nuts contain 50mcg selenium per 30g serving of nuts
sainsburys.co.uk/gol-ui/pro...
and their Fairtrade ones have 75mcg selenium per 30g serving
sainsburys.co.uk/gol-ui/pro...
One member has said that M&S Natural Brazil Nuts say "harvested by hand in the Amazon forest and naturally high in selenium". You would have to check the nutritional information on the pack to see if it says exactly how much selenium per xxg of Brazil nuts.
Also, check out Aldi's "The Foodie Market" Brazil nuts, the packaging is said to show selenium content as 79mcg per 30g serving.
Another one is 'My Garden of Eden' Brazil nuts from Home Bargains.. They say "High in Selenium and high in vitamin E" on the front of the packet and the Nutritional Information says "one serving (25g) gives 63ug of Selenium".
More recently I've been made aware of Morrisons Market St brand which states 254mcg per 100g or 101.6mg per recommended 40g portion.
Also Waitrose Duchy Organic Brazil Nuts which they claim contain a rather startling 479mcg selenium in a 25mcg serving although that does seem to be out of proportion when looking at the others and I wonder if it's a mistake and should be 47.9mcg selenium in a 25mcg serving:
waitrose.com/ecom/products/...
Do my latest thyroid results reflect why I’m not feeling good?
Yes, your low FT3 is telling us that, it's low T3 that causes symptoms.
I’ll start with Vit B12 and selenium then test again in 3 months, does that sound ok?
I’ve googled taking T3 and it looks really scary heart attacks and strokes!
I’ll start with Vit B12 and selenium then test again in 3 months, does that sound ok?
Don't start both at same time. Start with B12, leave 2 weeks, if all OK add in the selenium. Don't forget that when taking B12 we need a B Complex to balance all the B vitamins, are you already taking B Complex?
I’ve googled taking T3 and it looks really scary heart attacks and strokes!
It's not scary and it doesn't cause heart attack and strokes, stop Googling and take advice from experienced patients here, they can guide you with the proper way to do it. It's only stupid, impatient people who take too much too soon and take higher doses than they need who get into trouble.
I have no idea what a B complex is please could you explain? I’m a pain aren’t I 😀
Promise I won’t Google again, I know I shouldn’t but when anything new appears I’m there googling!
It looks like my FT4 is within range based on these reference ranges from gloshospitals nhs
I have no idea what a B complex is please could you explain?
It's a supplement containing all the B vitamins, we should keep all the B vitamins balanced rather than taking just one of them. Jaydee mentioned B Complex in her reply to you here:
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
It looks like my FT4 is within range based on these reference ranges from gloshospitals nhs
The NHS range has nothing to do with the test results you have posted above. Each lab has it's own range and you can only use the range from the lab that did your test, you can't mix and match results and ranges. Even if you could this Ft4 test result of 25.6 is not within the Glos hospital's range of 12-22.
I've not seen that private test before, who did it?
re: Vit B complex my apologies I got confused I thought it was a link for B12
Slowdragon sent a list of private tests and I used Randox Health
I’m all sorted now a big thank you SeasideSusie much appreciated. Good night x
Molly139 Your conversion is very poor. IMHO This warrants asking your GP to see an endocrinologist to discuss getting T3 in treatment, I really cannot see how else you’d get around this poor conversion x
I had a really stressful telephone consultation with an NHS endo based on 2020 private results which were very similar to this one. The stress for me was being told by the endo that no further action was required as I had been over medicated and this has now been dealt with!
I’m sorry 😩 can you afford to self source or go private?
I hope you let us know if supplementing makes any difference to your conversion of fT4 to fT3. It's all added expense for supplements and testing, and perhaps an unnecessary delay in adding a source of T3.
From my own experience, I think I've had thyroid issues all my life, with hyper swings triggered by stress and infections, with intervening periods of (subclinical) hypothyroidism. I've been treated for hypothyroidism for nearly a decade now, and until recently was taking a combination of levothyroxine and desiccated thyroid extract, to provide approximately 150 mcg T4 and 8 mcg T3. COVID-19 sent my levels up, with both fT3 and fT4 over-range about a year after the infection, prompting me to reduce levo by 25 mcg to the dose listed, above. My results are now in range, but my supply of Thiroyd is depleted, so I've changed to 150 mcg T4, only. After a month I am still more fatigued than desirable and my mild lymphoedema has worsened. Something has started happening recently, which was quite regular in the years before I started treatment: a rush of heat during the evening. At first I thought it was due to my evening meal, but it has occurred before eating, too. I still have temperature drops to about 35.3°C, usually in the morning, and they occur whatever my thyroid treatment has been. I wish I could afford to have blood draws (not fingerprick tests) at various times of the day, to see if the test results correlate with how I feel.
Have you done a cortisol/DHEA test?
A dexamethasone suppression test is the only thing I've had, roughly in that area, but my urinary cortisol was not tested, and it was for Conn's, rather than Cushing's syndrome. Urinary catecholamines were tested, as I had high blood pressure which wasn't responding to treatment; however, I didn't have the sweating and headaches suggestive of pheochromocytoma. I was put on amiloride, which has been a great help for the hypertension, and it's possible my cardiologist didn't feel confident in diagnosing Conn's, but tried the amiloride, anyway. During a hyperthyroid phase my mouth would dry, instantaneously, with the slightest physical or emotional stress. I've been living on savings for a few months, so am a bit averse to private testing, especially if there's no easy route forward.
Hi, I'd crop your report as it shows your name and you never know who's looking 😉
Frustrated and Tired of Being Tired
Day 3 of little sleep but not being tired...
Another doctor re the unreliable-TSH Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3
tired
