I’d like some advice , I know I will get the correct help from here I have followed this site and posted on and off for several years . Under active thyroid is in a lot of my family .
My sister is 55 and has had thyroid issues since she was 23 and has taken thyroxine since then usually about 100 ,she is slightly built .She has been diagnosed with osteoporosis,,,she has always been vegetarian and has never eaten a lot of dairy . Her Dr will not give her any more than 75 throxine now ,she is so tired and grey looking …surely this cannot be a good thing to do whatever the situation with her bones .
She is trying to eat more dairy now but doesn’t want to take osteo treatment due to side effects !
What would be best option
Thankyou
Written by
Val-55
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First step is to get FULL Thyroid and vitamin testing
If TSH is over 2 she’s highly likely under medicated
Presumably she has autoimmune thyroid disease
As vegetarian it’s especially important to test vitamin levels and all thyroid patients need to maintain OPTIMAL vitamin levels
Do you know what vitamin supplements she takes
Get her to join the forum herself
For full Thyroid evaluation she needs TSH, FT4 and FT3 tested
Also both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested at least once
Very important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 at least once year minimum
About 90% of primary hypothyroidism is autoimmune thyroid disease, usually diagnosed by high thyroid antibodies
Autoimmune thyroid disease with goitre is Hashimoto’s
Autoimmune thyroid disease without goitre is Ord’s thyroiditis.
Both are autoimmune and generally called Hashimoto’s.
20% of autoimmune thyroid patients never have high thyroid antibodies and ultrasound scan of thyroid can get diagnosis
In U.K. medics hardly ever refer to autoimmune thyroid disease as Hashimoto’s (or Ord’s thyroiditis)
Recommended that all thyroid blood tests 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)
Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or all relevant vitamins
Testing options and includes money off codes for private testing
what are her thyroid bloods showing including her vitamin levels ? Also antibody levels .
There are veggi foods that contain calcium ,Almonds for one . What about her vitamin D level? Very important for bone health .Being a veggie or vegan means you really do have to take care of your diet . More freshly prepared meals not prepacks . Finding out which foods contain the vitamins she may lack .It does take effort but you soon get into the groove .
Having her levels optimal not just in range will help with absorption. She has to take control of her own health now ! If she is being under prescribed then she needs to speak with an Endocrinologist.
Best advice here is get your sister to sign up, however I have recently been diagnosed as having osteoporosis and was given the standard prescription- on reading the side effects I decided a stooped back was better than no jaw!!
However I was also given a calcium prescription which turned out to be Rennies… yep the indigestion Rennies! Do check all your other vitamin levels and be sure to take them in a manner that facilitates and doesn’t inhibit their absorption.
Rennie ??oh no ? My sister has been using a vibration plate to stand on for the last 2 years and hopefully it seems not to have got any worse . I’ve got osteopenia and thyroid disease too so trying to up the vit D and dairy ,,,,the pleasures of getting older ,,,,, it’s prob all caused by the menopause ,😳
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TSH of 2.61
TSH 
Strange reading TSH 8.7 T4 21.8 - confused!
