signs of mild hypothyroidism?

[totk]

Hi there,

New to this forum 👋 grateful to be here 🙏

I’m wondering if anyone could shine some light on my thyroid test results.

In March 2023 my TSH was 0.98 (range 0.27-4.2), and my T4 was 15.5 (range 12-22) - this was done with a private GP so sadly no T3. These bloods were taken after 12pm and not fasted. So perhaps this could affect things in relation to my newer results below. I had not intended to do these bloods, so a proper protocol was not followed annoyingly!

Medichecks results back this morning (I tested at 8.10am and had taken no supplements at least 24 hours prior) - my TSH has increased to 2.250 (same range as previous), T4 has decreased to 14.3 (same range) and my T3 is 3.2 (range 3.1-6.8)

I have also done a DUTCH test which showed my salivary cortisol to be very low at 9.49 (range 9.60-19.3). I also have low estrogen and progesterone throughout my cycle - the results are so difficult to comprehend however so they’ve gone over my head somewhat.

I have been supplementing with D3/K2, magnesium, zinc, phosphatidylcholine and NAC. I have stopped all supplements as been taking since June 2023. In an effort to stop so many supplements I have just started (about 3 weeks ago) following an animal based diet. I’ve removed all processed foods, processed sugar, seed oils, grains, nuts, seeds, pulses, legumes. I eat primarily red meat, raw dairy, eggs, raw honey, low toxic veges, fruit and berries. I also take 100% grass fed liver supplements as I can’t stomach the taste of liver! The diet is not keto per se, as I eat all fruits, squash, sweet potato. I did just read that a low carb isn’t a good idea for hypothyroidism.

One thing I have also been doing for a while is cold showers. Never cold plunges.

I am 35 years old, female.

Any thoughts/advice would be amazing. Thank you in advance 🙏

[FallingInReverse]

Hello and welcome! Do you have any symptoms? How are you feeling?

[totk in reply to FallingInReverse]

Hi 👋 thank you for replying 🙏

I feel generally ok. I’m a very active person, I go to the gym quite a lot. Sometimes can get tired but this tends to fall around my luteal phase as my heart rate and body temp increase. Generally though I would say I have good energy. I sleep pretty well.

Looking at the symptoms listed on here though, I relate to the following:

- Mild body acne (much improved since cleaning up my diet but still noticeable and worsens during week before my cycle starts).

- My voice has been a bit croaky recently

- Cold hands and feet

- Palpitations (mainly after eating but not always)

- Dry skin

- PMS (my cycle is generally regular but has been quite light recently)

- Poor concentration

- Mood swingy

- Anxiety

- OCD

- ADHD (undiagnosed)

- Lack of confidence

- Lack of drive (professional)

- Zero libido

- IBS symptoms - never had any pains but loose stool, gas/bloating (this has improved somewhat with recent diet changes however). A recent stool test I did showed my secretory IgA as off the scale high at 557 (range 30-275)

- Brain fog (occasionally)

[TiggerMe Ambassador in reply to totk]

A lot of these symptoms cross over with peri-meno seems quite common that the two come at the same time 😕 Have you had any recent vit and min blood tests... key ones for thyroid are B12, folate, ferritin and Vit D

[totk in reply to TiggerMe]

I’ve wondered about perimeno too but I don’t think I’m there yet.

B12 - 109 (37.5-188)

Folate (serum) - 20.4 (range >7)

Ferritin - 61.10 (range 30-180)

Vit D - 144 (range 50-250)

[TiggerMe Ambassador in reply to totk]

They all look pretty good... I wonder what is causing your low sex hormones... you sound very fit do you have very little body fat as I think this can have quite an effect... what level is your SHBG?

[totk in reply to TiggerMe]

I’m not sure what my body fat is but it’s probably quite low. I don’t think I have any test results for my SHBG.. I did do the DUTCH complete test which apparently shows everything, but it’s impossible to understand 🫠 what would I be looking for?

[TiggerMe Ambassador in reply to totk]

Just pulled up a sample results 😕cripes lots of information about hormones and cortisol but couldn't see a sex hormone binding globulin which is usually done via a blood test

I thought Dutch was a dried urine test but you say about low cortisol saliva am I looking at the wrong thing??

[totk in reply to TiggerMe]

Ah ok, yes the DUTCH is a dried urine test, but it also tests cortisol via saliva on the 4th day (if I remember correctly!) of your new cycle during testing. So I did get cortisol and DHEA levels from it. It’s bamboozling to try and interpret. I’ve been working with a functional practitioner, but starting to think they are a little lacking in their knowledge sadly, and they don’t explain anything in layman’s terms so I’ve been a bit at their mercy, trusting and buying supplements based on their advice. I’ll look at possibly getting a blood test for SHBG. Thank you, hadn’t heard of this before.

[TiggerMe Ambassador in reply to totk]

Ah ok, so do you remember what time of day you did the saliva test? They are useful but usually done 4 times in a day to see its rhythm, how is your DHEA looking?

I found the cheapest sex hormone test that actually includes progesterone is via randoxhealth.com/en-GB/at-h...

I realized afterwards if I had paid extra for the cleaver little gizmo it would have given me estrogen and testosterone levels (though I know where these are as they are often included in fuller test) which using transdermal means finger prick tests are no good 🙄 next year...

I'm not sure about using a functional practitioner either, I did and OAT test and they are relatively easy to understand 😅 I'm keen to understand rather than just be told

[totk in reply to TiggerMe]

I’m exactly the same. I want to know what’s going on and why, not just be told to take this and that! I even asked them to break it all down in an email (after a lengthy, confusing zoom call) so I could better understand, and they said their governing body doesn’t allow consultations via email or something like that. Bizarre.

My total DHEA at the time was 1255 (range 500-3000). For my age range 20-39 the range is 1300-3000). Individually my DHEA-S was 268.5 (range 20-750), androsterone 421 (range 200-1650), etiocholanolone 565 (range 200-1000). And yes the saliva was done upon waking and then again 3 more times throughout the day, so 4 in total. My metabolised cortisol (THF+THE) was 2854 (range 2750-6500).

Really wish it was all easier to understand. But that’s why I was paying a functional practitioner 🙃

Thanks for the test link, will take a look!

[TiggerMe Ambassador in reply to totk]

Does makes it hard to believe they know what they are talking about if they can't explain it clearly 😕

So your DHEA cortisol ratio is certainly out of whack... I'm going to put a shout out to radd as she is head and shoulders above my understanding of literally everything!

[totk in reply to TiggerMe]

Indeed!

Ah thank you so much, I really appreciate your help.

[TiggerMe Ambassador in reply to totk]

We all learn by discussing it 🤗

[TiggerMe Ambassador]

Hi, I'm thinking a good book for you would be Dr Myhill's 'The Underactive Thyroid' also much of her information on the website and a few good interviews available 🤗

[greygoose]

Hi totk, welcome to the forum.

These bloods were taken after 12pm and not fasted.

That would have affected your TSH, yes. It would be at its lowest at 12pm, so that's why your latest TSH is higher. Also, some foods and caffeine can lower TSH.

my TSH has increased to 2.250 (same range as previous), T4 has decreased to 14.3 (same range) and my T3 is 3.2 (range 3.1-6.8)

So, whether your FT4 is 15.5 (35.00% through the range) or 14.3 (23.00% through the range) it's still too low. A 'normal' (euthyroid) FT4 would be about 50%.

Your FT3 is even lower at 2.8%! So, wouldn't be surprising if you had hypo symptoms.

What is surprising is that your TSH isn't higher. With that low FT3, it should be higher. So, you could be dealing with a sluggish pituitary here (TSH is a pituitary hormone). Trouble is, doctors know nothing about pituitaries - they don't know much about thyroids, either! So, all you can do is carry on testing until things get worse, I'm afraid, bad enough to get a doctor's attention. Because whilst everything is in-range, they are going to say that everything has to be OK. That's how little they know about it all!

[totk in reply to greygoose]

Thanks for your reply. The joys of ‘Dr’s’!

How does one test for sluggish pituitary? Is there such a test?!

[greygoose in reply to totk]

All you can do is test the pituitary hormones - and there are many of them. If they're all low, then the pituitary isn't working correctly.

But, a good start would be adrenal testing: either an early morning serum cortisol or a 24 hour saliva cortisol test.

Or, a brain scan to see if there's any visible damage to the pituitary. But, you're going to have to see an endo to get any of that. Although maybe the GP couls do the early morning cortisol. And you could buy the 24 hour saliva test yourself.

[totk in reply to greygoose]

Thank you so much for your help 🙏

[greygoose in reply to totk]

You're welcome.

[katyy94x]

Hello! I did a DUTCH test back in 2021. I didn’t understand any of it, and didn’t feel like the professional I was working with explained it either. I recently found it and spent literally days watching their videos on the DUTCH website - but I did find them really really useful. I drew out a whole diagram to understand how my hormones interact with each other. It’s a whole minefield but definitely recommend trying the videos they have online and seeing if they help at all

[totk in reply to katyy94x]

Ah this is genius! Thank you for this!