I had my three month bloods and results are as follows:
T4 10.6 - range 11.5-22.7
TSH 7.9 - range 0.49-5.23
SIMILAR to my initial blood tests. No TPO mentioned as they were elevated last time eg 1300.
I don’t feel I have any obvious symptoms - I think I would know if I did have anything or things were affecting me?!?
The Nurse Physician seemed quite keen to offer me tablets.. the Endo had said from the last results I was Sub Clinical. I’ll be going back in 3 months to assess. She then read the previous notes.
My question is should I have accepted the prescription as she mentioned it takes months for them to work..I know I’ll be taking them eventually but is it best practice before any symptoms?
Your thoughts please
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Margotthedog
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yes , even without symptoms, there are pretty good reasons to start taking levo with these sort of results .... particularly since the fT4 is below range .
There are increased long term risks as a result of hypothyroidism , even when it's only sub clinical ... eg thing like cardiovascular risks , raised cholesterol. and lots more stuff i've forgotten the moment .
'sub clinical' hypothyroidism is defined as TSH over range while fT4 is still within range .
you are now 'overtly' hypothyroid because your fT4 is also under range , and this is why the nurse was keen to start replacement thyroid hormone.
When fT4 is still in range , they are more reticent and won't usually 'offer' levo until TSH is higher, eg over 10 .
However , i must say that if it was me and i actually felt good at the present time , i wouldn't be too keen to start Levo just yet either ..... i'd wait till i started to feel symptoms of hypothyroidism ... which is probably not very sensible , but i've learned to value 'me feeling and functioning well , now" much higher than worrying about long term risks that come from statistics drawn from the general population.
Thank you! When a health professional is suggesting, then hasn’t read your notes to see previous bloods etc I felt it was pretty standard offering, however, I feel good for me so I’ll wait and see..
I’ll be back there like a shot when I get symptoms..
Suggest you test vitamin D, folate, B12, ferritin, cholesterol and coeliac blood test too
Likely to see high cholesterol and very likely low vitamin levels
High thyroid antibodies confirms autoimmune thyroid disease, also called Hashimoto’s
Hashimoto's affects the gut and frequently leads to low stomach acid and then low vitamin levels
Low vitamin levels affect Thyroid hormone working
Poor gut function can lead leaky gut (literally holes in gut wall) this can cause food intolerances.
Most common by far is gluten.
Dairy is second most common.
A trial of strictly gluten free diet is always worth doing
Only 5% of Hashimoto’s patients test positive for coeliac but a further 81% of Hashimoto’s patients who try gluten free diet find noticeable or significant improvement or find it’s essential
A strictly gluten free diet helps or is essential due to gluten intolerance (no test available) or due to leaky gut and gluten causing molecular mimicry (see Amy Myers link)
Changing to a strictly gluten free diet may help reduce symptoms, help gut heal and may slowly lower TPO antibodies
While still eating high gluten diet ask GP for coeliac blood test first if not already has one
or buy test online for under £20, just to rule it out first
Assuming test is negative you can immediately consider trying strictly gluten free diet
(If test is positive you will need to remain on high gluten diet until endoscopy, maximum 6 weeks wait officially)
Trying gluten free diet for 3-6 months. If no noticeable improvement then reintroduce gluten and see if symptoms get worse
The predominance of Hashimoto thyroiditis represents an interesting finding, since it has been indirectly confirmed by an Italian study, showing that autoimmune thyroid disease is a risk factor for the evolution towards NCGS in a group of patients with minimal duodenal inflammation. On these bases, an autoimmune stigma in NCGS is strongly supported
In summary, whereas it is not yet clear whether a gluten free diet can prevent autoimmune diseases, it is worth mentioning that HT patients with or without CD benefit from a diet low in gluten as far as the progression and the potential disease complications are concerned
Despite the fact that 5-10% of patients have Celiac disease, in my experience and in the experience of many other physicians, at least 80% + of patients with Hashimoto's who go gluten-free notice a reduction in their symptoms almost immediately.
Similarly few months later consider trying dairy free too. Approx 50-60% find dairy free beneficial
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