I have lost weight without trying, in the last couple of months, which is strange as Iv being trying for a couple of years to lose weight and failed and Iv not done anything different.
Are the results ok
Thanks
Sharron
Written by
Norrahsjake
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Thank you for replying, I’m ok , it’s just the weight loss, I’m not complaining as Iv been overweight since being diagnosed. But it’s just that it’s suddenly dropped off .
Was test done early morning, ideally just before 9am, only drinking water between waking and test and most importantly last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before
FT4: 14.1 pmol/l (Range 9 - 19)
Ft4 only 51.00% through range
So you probably need dose increase in levothyroxine
ESSENTIAL to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 at least once year
What were last results
What vitamin supplements are you taking
Do you know if your hypothyroidism is autoimmune, usually diagnosed by high thyroid antibodies
I’m on 75mg and my dr does not test for vitamins anymore , they used to .
I will request a vitamin blood test and see what they say Iv never been told it’s autoimmune but the result is higher than my other results in the past .
I did everything that you said, had the test at 7.30am , drank water and took last tablet 24 hours before. I take vitamin D , B12 and folate and iron tabs .
Do you always get the same brand? It's ideal if you can always get the same brand of levo at every prescription. You can do this by getting GP to write the brand you prefer in the first line of the prescription. Many people find that different brands are not interchangeable.
If you have lost weight without trying then I would suggest you speak to your GP to get checked over.
Testing just TSH & FT4 is totally inadequate. You really need to see FT3 at the same time to know if you are converting well. That said you clearly need a dose increase as your FT4 is only 51% through its range and I would expect it to be upper quarter at least.
Do insist when you see your GP for a dose increase.
Free T4 (fT4) 14.1 pmol/L (9 - 19) 51.0%
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? Private tests are available, see link for companies offering private blood tests & discount codes, some offer a blood draw service at an extra cost. thyroiduk.org/help-and-supp...
There is also a new company offering walk in & mail order blood tests in London, Kent, Sussex & Surrey areas. Check to see if there is a blood test company near you. onedaytests.com/products/ul...
Only do private tests on a Monday or Tuesday to avoid postal delays.
Did you do the test as per the protocol recommended here? Recommended blood test protocol: Test at 9am (or as close as possible), fasting, last levo dose 24hrs before the blood draw & no biotin containing supplements for 3-7 days (Biotin can interfere with thyroid blood results as it is used in the testing process)? Testing like this gives consistency in your results and will show stable blood levels of hormone and highest TSH which varies throughout the day. Taking Levo just prior to blood draw can show a falsly elevated result and your GP/Endo might change your dose incorrectly as a result.
Many NHS GP surgeries do the bare minimum for thyroid testing, the labs dont help as they often refuse requests for FT4 and FT3 if TSH is "in range" . TSH is king, everything else is an irrelevance. No wonder the private blood test market is booming .
This! I have had a nightmare trying to get my Levothyroxine dose increased through my GP Surgery. None of the GP’s I have dealt with have any idea how to treat Hypothyroidism/Hashimoto’s. In the end I paid to see an Endocrinologist and she immediately tripled my Levothyroxine dose (from 25mg to 75mcg). All the things she told me were spot on (I did my research) and it was such a relief to be treated by someone who actually knows what they are doing.
Its good you researched a knowlegdeable Endo and got the treatment you need, sadly most NHS Endos are diabetes specialists and know very little about thyroid. So even a referral to them is often pointless. Its inexcusable as its a very common condition. It makes you wonder what they are being taught at medical school.
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