Hi all, thank you so much for your really helpful replies. I managed to get an appointment with a GP who I hadn’t seen before and was disarmingly young. She looked at my recent bloods but I’m not sure she knew what she was looking at. I’m not totally sure how but she asked if I would be willing to see a private endocrinologist since she said she knew an excellent one in London and has given me a referral for him. I said I would go private if they really did specialise in the thyroid and not diabetes. I asked for a trial on T4 but she thought it would be better to see the consultant first.
I asked if she would arrange for me to have full blood test beforehand and below are the results. I can see there are a few problems, but I’d really like your advice on where to start, since I trust the opinon of the community.
Also the consultant my GP suggested works at the Physicians Clinic in London and I wondered if anyone had experience of going there? Also does anyone have a good endocrinologist in London they could recommend?
Thanks for all your support
Blood NHS 17th November 2023
Test Results Range Percentage
TSH 2.51 mIU/L (0.27 - 4.20) 57.0%
Free T4 (fT4) 19.8 pmol/L (11.9 - 21.6) 81.4%
Free T3 (fT3) 4.0 pmol/L (3.10 - 6.8) 24.3%
T4:T3 Ratio 4.950
Folate - Serum 9.7 ug/L (2.9 - 50) 14.4%
Vitamin D 51 nmol/L (51 - 250) 0.0%
Ferritin 139 ug/L (40 - 250) 47.1%
Serum vitamin B12 578 ng/L (160 - 925) 54.6%
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So looking at those you need to get yourself a decent B Complex such as Thorne Basic B or Igennus Super B to get your B12 and folate up nearer the top of range and also a some D3 with K2-MK7 Nature provides does a good sublingual (aiming for 100+).... these things will give you a better chance of converting fT4 into active fT3
You might find this will make all the difference 🤗
Better You Vit D oral Spray is recommended - comes with or without K and you can get different strengths. Prob the 3000 or 4000 would be best to get yours up.
I think Boots have a deal on Better You. I'll have a look around. Just read that there are Vit D injections. Would this be useful to raise my levels quickly.
I don't know about those? Perhaps pop a new post up for feedback
I didn't find it hard to get levels up with sublingual, I double dosed the first couple of weeks 😏 you'll need magnesium to make good use of Vit D... and so the list grows 😁
Not advisable in my opinion as some people cannot tolerate large doses all at once, and you won't necessarily know that you're one of them until it's too late! Better to raise your levels steadily by taking oral supplements. Vitamin D can also be applied to the skin instead (transdermal). Just open a liquid gel capsule and rub the contents into a fleshy part of your body.
I understand that the ratio of VitD3 to VitK2MK7 isn’t enough. So no, this brand in not really recommended. I am a member of the Vitamin D and cofactors group and they have devised a protocol. Anyone can join. Worth looking at on Facebook. Hope this is helpful. I used this product in the past but have now stopped using it as there isn’t enough VitK….
I stopped using VitD3 when I finished my the bottle before I had a hip replacement operation in February. It took me a while to recover and I didn’t restart taking VitD3…. However, I will try naturplus VitD3 (my choice is 4000 IU but you ca decide 5000 or 3000 and adjust to a higher/lower dose later after testing). The link I was given is:
Bro son vitK2 as VitK2MK7 (as Menaquinone)100 mcg , GMO free 120 capsules This product as superior quality bioavailability and a trusted brand. Magnesium is also required as a cofactors helping with VitD absorption and absorption of calcium. Research is important.
I might use a VitK2 with only 75 mcg.. Will do further research before placing an order.
I am not medically qualified, taking advice from people who have been researching this subject for a long time and the VitaminD and cofactors group.
Please do your research before deciding what you need. Good luck.
JGBH 'Anyone can join. Worth looking at on Facebook. '
There are plenty of people that prefer not to join FB for all sorts of valid reasons. Those people might appreciate it if you could give some clues about this protocol here on the forum?
This group is similar to HealthUnlocked group. Many people choose not to use Fb, which I understand. One needs to be careful and sensible and taking responsibility. Their interest is in VitD3 and cofactors. The administrators have done intensive research (just as people do on HU) on use of VItD and cofactors. They have also researched the prices (they don’t have any financial interests) giving several options. Like on HU it is only advice of course and people need to check for themselves, doing their own research. Best wishes.
Having read it and I note he said 90 mcg VitK2 per 1000 IU VitD3…. Then goes back to state 10 mcg/1000 IIU Vit D3… hum confusing.
It’s up to you to decide what might be best for you, we all need to take responsibility for our decisions of course
I have decided to to take 45 mcg vitK2 per 1000 IU VitD3 to start with. I wil monitor closely and will let my GP know. If necessary I shall increase/decrease accordingly.
Adults need approximately 1 microgram a day of vitamin K for each kilogram of their body weight. For example, someone who weighs 65kg would need 65 micrograms a day of vitamin K, while a person who weighs 75kg would need 75 micrograms a day.
Because I also have a clotting disease so it’s contra indicated. Anyone who has had a clot or who takes anticoagulants can’t take Vit K as far as I understand.
Vitamin K1 is the one that is associated with clotting.
Vitamin K2 is relevant to bones and calcium. K2 helps to regulate calcium to reduce the risk of it ending up lining your arteries.
I haven't heard that K2 increases clotting but then I haven't studied the subject that much. I do have this link which I bookmarked so long ago I can't remember much about it, but it has over 1200 comments too.
Well, that’s the idea, we all need to find what suits us since we’re all different. The ‘recommendations’ are guidelines. Therefore we need to take responsibility for our decisions. We need to find what is working for us, as individuals.
If you are taking too much Levo, one of the symptoms is peripheral nerve pain. Very easy to test. Just have a break. You are carrying 5-7 days worth in you, so a few day doesn't hurt
Was thyroid test done early morning, ideally just before 9am, only drink water between waking and test and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test
This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip)
Is your hypothyroidism autoimmune
Have you ever had thyroid antibodies tested?
Which brand of levothyroxine are you currently taking
Do you always get same brand at each prescription
Are you currently taking any B vitamins ?
Low folate
supplementing a good quality daily vitamin B complex, one with folate in (not folic acid)
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)
Post discussing how biotin can affect test results
Morning SlowDragon. I did the blood test following the protocol of the forum advice. I was taking Cytoplan D3+k2 and Pure B- complex Plus up until July but since there didn't seem to be any effect I stopped.I've bought Thorne Basic B Complex and intended taking it once my test results came back.
Should I wait a week before adding the folate and can I take it at the same time as the B complex?
I'm now taking mercurypharma which I've just change to from Teva. It doesn't seem to make any difference to me but I'll stick with this one now.
The last private test I had done showed my antibodies had gone up.
I had a full mineral blood test done about 7months ago and my mercury level was 0.98 (0.65-1.05) all other test were a little below average.
Do you think it would be worth having Vit D injections.? Also should I see the endocrinologist my GP recommended or try raising all my vitamin levels first? Thsnk you so much for giving me such detailed advice.😊
I finished the Cytoplan a while ago, I took it 4hrs after meds with food. I've had a coeliac test which was negative. I'll try dairy free and see how that goes.
Many (most?) thyroid patients need to supplement continuously to maintain good vitamin D
Suggest you go back on 4000iu daily and retest in 2-3 months
coeliac negative
So are you now trialing gluten free
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
I haven't gone through all 44 replies as they all seem related to supplements to re-dress the issue. However, it wasn't until I was diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy which included your symptoms as well as foot drop which was shocking, was I told this was due to DECADES of thyroid mis-diagnosis. In other words, there wasn't one UK GP/endocrinologist who thought there was a major problem with generics / the 'availability' issue which means short-changing the dosage by the unscrupulous; nor the issue of T3 which isn't provided by levothyroxine. And, medics didn't know how to prescribe 'natural' or even T3.
Getting the thyroid right was vital - Dr Sarah Myhill's book was a lifesaver. The GUT issue was also crucial - 'leaky gut' means vitamins don't get where they're supposed to be. So I changed my diet too. The GUT is the key to so much of what is a toxic environment and it's here that supplements are necessary, BUT only with the proper lab work.
BIG PHARMA is forecasting a demise of real food in the near future so eating & supporting local farms is necessary to ensure our children survive.
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