I’m just wondering if anyone can help me understand these results, I’m not sure if they are good or not so good, I asked my GP for further blood tests ie TPO antibodies, vit D3 as on previous blood tests these weren’t done, he was ok with that & said he would stick on a few more, as you can see most of them aren’t really any good for Hypothyroidism, I have no idea why he did these random tests, but when I went to see him it was because I wanted to raise Levo from 50mcg to 75mcg, I told him that I was very tired all the time, i felt bloated, I had aches mainly in the hip joints, I was shedding more hair than normal & was worried about weight gain.
He then said ohh maybe there’s more going on then, hence the rather random blood test, I don’t think he really knew what I was talking about, I also asked for him to test my ft3 but he rolled his eyes & said it wasn’t necessary 🤦♀️
I did get a Levo raise though & he won’t see me again until December now.
My vit B12 294 pmol/L 145.00-569.00pmol
TSH 2.6. mu/L. 0.27-420mu/L
Thank you for any help & advise.
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What i mean is, is that what I’ve actually got then? And I’ve been taking Vitamin D3 since covid times started, I’ve recently started taking vitamin B12 tablets for a couple of months now, so hopefully the levels will increase for my next blood test. I also started a vitamin B complex around the same time, I have ACV gummies in the morning & magnesium tablet at night.
That top result TPO antibodies, that’s the one that is over range and indicates Hashimoto’s.
D would be better nearer 100, D3 with K2 is the best way to take it and supplement magnesium help absorption. I felt a whole lot better when I got my D up. Might need a loading dose (check vitamin D society) I took 4000iu for 6 months and am on 2000iu now.
So standard vitamin D3 is not good enough, what do you recommend, this is all new to me, my GP hasn’t even called me in to discuss hashimotto, I thought I just had hypothyroidism, I picked my results up from the receptionist & now I have to wait until December to have a check up.
Most hypothyroid, but not all is caused by the immune system mistakenly attacking the thyroid. Its called Hashimoto's after the Japanese doctor who discovered it, or Hashi's for short. UK doctors usually call it autoimmune thyroid disorder. Around 90% of underactive thyroid is Hashimotos.
The usual advice is to get your key vitamins and minerals checked, Vitamin D, B12, folate and Iron. These can often be very low in patients with Hashis and often need continuous supplementation. Your Levo will work much better if your nutrients are optimal.
Thank you, so when I next go to Gp, I will ask for the vitamins, & ferritin ( that’s iron isn’t it? )the folate…which he told me was the best he’s seen & that I’ve knocked it out of the park, he said normally he sees it go the other way, but I’m still going to ask for that as well because I don’t think he has much of a clue really.
The way it was explained to me (and I was too lazy/lacked capacity to do my own research) D3 with K2 ensures any calcium in your blood stream is deposited to the bones (as opposed to your arteries) I’d just switch to one that contains K2 when you next run out. Check how many iu your current D3 is. Like I said I took 4000iu per day for a good six months to get mine over 100. 🌱
Ohhh I’m not waiting until I run out, I’ve just checked mine & they’re only 400iu, I’m going to get the ones with k2 & start at 4000iu to bring my levels up, thank you so much for sharing this because I had no idea that ‘ one size doesn’t fit all’ so to speak.
my GP hasn’t even called me in to discuss hashimotto, I thought I just had hypothyroidism, I picked my results up from the receptionist
90% of primary hypothyroidism is caused by autoimmune disease..
there’s almost 2 million people in U.K. on Levo. Roughy one in 10 females over 50 are on levothyroxine
Medics don’t acknowledge/consider the autoimmune aspect of the disease but you may find it very beneficial to change to gluten free and/or dairy free diet
poor gut function and bloating common, especially when under medicated as you currently are
Only change one thing at a time
So first step is to increase your dose to 75mcg
Unless very petite likely to need further increase in levothyroxine over coming months
Hashimoto's affects the gut and 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 as per NICE guidelines
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
ok, sorry for all the separate messages, I’m not very good at cutting & pasting.
I’m currently on 75mcg Levo ( 5 weeks into it) & I did feel so much better & happier but just recently I’m getting aches again in the hips & sometimes knees/shoulders, I’m more tired mid afternoon again.
I’m currently on 75mcg Levo ( 5 weeks into it) & I did feel so much better & happier but just recently I’m getting aches again in the hips & sometimes knees/shoulders, I’m more tired mid afternoon again.
This is typical…..symptoms start to return ……your body is getting ready for next increase in levothyroxine
Retest after 8 weeks on 75mcg
guidelines on dose levothyroxine by weight
Even if we frequently start on only 50mcg, most people need to increase levothyroxine dose slowly upwards in 25mcg steps (retesting 6-8 weeks after each increase) until eventually on, or near full replacement dose
In the majority of patients 50-100 μg thyroxine can be used as the starting dose. Alterations in dose are achieved by using 25-50 μg increments and adequacy of the new dose can be confirmed by repeat measurement of TSH after 2-3 months.
The majority of patients will be clinically euthyroid with a ‘normal’ TSH and having thyroxine replacement in the range 75-150 μg/day (1.6ug/Kg on average).
The recommended approach is to titrate thyroxine therapy against the TSH concentration whilst assessing clinical well-being. The target is a serum TSH within the reference range.
……The primary target of thyroxine replacement therapy is to make the patient feel well and to achieve a serum TSH that is within the reference range. The corresponding FT4 will be within or slightly above its reference range.
The minimum period to achieve stable concentrations after a change in dose of thyroxine is two months and thyroid function tests should not normally be requested before this period has elapsed.
started taking vitamin B12 tablets for a couple of months now, so hopefully the levels will increase for my next blood test. I also started a vitamin B complex around the same time,
With serum B12 result below 500, (Or active B12 below 70) recommended to be taking a separate B12 supplement and a week later add a separate vitamin B Complex
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
Igennus B complex popular option too. Nice small tablets. Most people only find they need one per day. But a few people find it’s not high enough dose
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
In week before blood test, when you stop vitamin B complex, you might want to consider taking a separate folate supplement (eg Jarrow methyl folate 400mcg) and continue separate B12 until B12 is over 500
Post discussing how biotin can affect test results
I’m really clueless because I thought saying b12 was the supplement, it’s 100ug if that’s any good & just a run of the mill Sainsburys. But I’m guessing that it’s not good enough for my needs.
Thank you so much for all of this, I have screenshot these so I know what to look for, I may need further advice later as to when I need to take them ie: at the same time or once vit b12 is doing the job, then start the b complex, I don’t like to take up to much of your time.
I’m very grateful for everything I’ve learned today.
GP's know even less about nutrients than they do about the thyroid. A low bar admittedly but it's true. You'd be better off asking my cat, and I don't have a cat 😆
😂😂😂 now that really made me laugh, I am getting some very good advice from SlowDragon but I think I’d love a chat with your cat..that you don’t have…brilliant 😂
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