Also have tried increasing thyroxine (temporarily) for 3 months, to see if cholesterol results come down. They have come down from 8.9 to 7.5 in that 3 months.
Not low enough I know, but it has reduced it. Trying my best not to be put on statins if I possibly can, or BP meds.
Has anyone tried Plant Sterols like 'OKSterol' powders, alongside Thyroxine, is this safe??
Thank you.
High cholesterol suggests your dose levothyroxine might need adjusting upwards
How much levothyroxine are you taking
is your hypothyroidism autoimmune
Bloods should be retested 6-8 weeks after each dose change or brand change in levothyroxine
For full Thyroid evaluation you need 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 TPO and/or high TG 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.
Significant minority of Hashimoto’s patients only have high TG antibodies (thyroglobulin)
Low vitamin levels are extremely common when hypothyroid, especially with autoimmune thyroid disease
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)
T3 ….day before test split T3 as 2 or 3 smaller doses spread through the day, with last dose approximately 8-12 hours before test
Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or all relevant vitamins
Testing options and includes money off codes for private testing
Medichecks Thyroid plus BOTH TPO and TG antibodies and vitamins
medichecks.com/products/adv...
Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes BOTH TPO and TG antibodies, cortisol and vitamins
bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...
Only do private testing early Monday or Tuesday morning.
Link about thyroid blood tests
thyroiduk.org/testing/thyro...
Link about Hashimoto’s
thyroiduk.org/hypothyroid-b...
Symptoms of hypothyroidism
thyroiduk.org/signs-and-sym...
Tips on how to do DIY finger prick test
support.medichecks.com/hc/e...
Medichecks and BH also offer private blood draw at clinic near you, or private nurse to your own home…..for an extra fee
Hi, and thank you so much for your reply.
I have been hypo for 18+ years, since the birth of my last of my 4 children.
I gradually increased in dosage from 25 up to 100 which is where I have remained all these years.
Cholesterol is at a worrying 8.9. GP eventually agreed to increase Thyroxine from 100 to 112.5 for 3 months only as a trial, as my levels are ok (they were 1.61), to see if any decrease in cholesterol.
Took the extra 12.5 mcg per day religiously for the 3 months, and pretty much prayed ...
Low and behold, when re tested for chol and Thy at the end of the 3 months, cholesterol was still pretty high, granted, (and still a way to go), but had come down from 8,9 to 7.5 ....
Thyroid results down from 1.61 to 0.98 ..... hence still within normal limits ...
The main difference in ME though is huge.
I have read (since completing this new dose) however, that as a guideline, you need approximately 1.6 mcg of Thyroxine per day per kg of your body weight. If I work this out, I should be on approximately 109 mcg per day - so, no wonder this slight increase to my dose has been of great benefit to me. We as patients I think, know instinctively, what we need.
Thank you for your help.
Thyroid results down from 1.61 to 0.98 ..... hence still within normal limits ...
Just testing TSH is completely inadequate
Do you always test early morning, ideally before 9am…..only drink water between waking and test and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test
Which brand levothyroxine for 100mcg
Same brand for 12.5mcg?
Extremely common for conversion of Ft4 (levothyroxine) to Ft3 (active hormone) to get worse the longer been on levothyroxine, especially around peri menopause or post menopause
ESSENTIAL To test Ft4 and Ft3
And test vitamin levels at least once a year
What vitamin supplements are you taking
Low Ft3 will result in higher cholesterol…..and lower vitamin levels too
Examples of private tests
Medichecks
healthunlocked.com/search/p...
Blue horizon
Great that the increase in levo is having some effect, you need to push for a fT3 result to see how well you are converting to the active hormone as this is key to well being, it could still be on the low side hence the high cholesterol
The problem with fT3 is GP’s will not do it! If you have it done privately they still ignore it.
If you get it done privately and your fT3 levels are low you can then push for an Endo referral, that's how I got to see an NHS Endo and a T3 prescription
nhs.uk/conditions/statins/c...
If you have an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism), treatment may be delayed until this problem is treated. This is because having an underactive thyroid can lead to an increased cholesterol level, and treating hypothyroidism may cause your cholesterol level to decrease, without the need for statins. Statins are also more likely to cause muscle damage in people with an underactive thyroid.
Stop worrying about the cholesterol. It is a symptom, not a disease. It does not cause heart attacks or strokes as doctors would have you believe. It really isn't the problem they make it out to be, just a symptom of low FT3 - probably one of the reasons they won't test FT3! They just want to get you on statins.
This is exactly where I am at the moment except I have had to go on BP meds as I have been in hospital assessment unit twice in a week with a BP of over 200/100. I take 100mcg levo and have done for years. My cholesterol is 6.2 and due to my high BP the Dr is keen to put me on statins, I too wondered whetger plant sterols would help to lower it? I like you would rather try to lower it without the medication.
Hello. My husband was on BP meds for a number of years but have found olive leaf extract and beetroot extract in supplement form has reduced his BP. He had his MOT at GP surgery (1st time in 5 yrs) + all ok. When asked if still taking her normal BP meds, he said, 'no!'. My wife found olive leaf extract-beetroot extract instead. Was told to keep on doing what he is doing as it's working. He is 79+on no medication! Nurse is going to look up olive leaf extract+how it works! Is this something you can investigate? Trust all goes well for you.👌
Thank you for that recommendation, I will certainly look into both of those supplements. I just need something to reduce my cholesterol now as well 🙄
You might take a look at berberine to reduce your cholesterol. But really it is under treated thyroid.
Well my thyroid test results were fine at the last test and I wouldn't have a clue about my high BP except that I am having dental surgery and had gone for pre-op assessment and they took my blood pressure 3 times in 90 minutes - all sky high. At the hospital.when they were doing the ECG and blood tests is when I found out about my cholesterol. I have no symptoms of being under medicated. I go to the gym 4 times a week, walk every day and am generally fit and well. I no absolutely nothing about berberine but will have a search of it - thank you.
And be sure to test Free T3 and Free T4.
Do you have white coat syndrome? My BP is always high when I go to the surgery, but fine at home.
I may have slight anxiety when I see a white coat but my BP was off the charts, hence the ECG/blood tests in hospital, fortunately all ok, just high BP. It has come down a significant amount in 12 days so going in the right direction now.
The doctor will always be keen for you to go onto statins. They are besotted with them. But your cholesterol is not too high. They keep moving the darn goal posts lower and lower. Blood pressure is a serious issue that needs to be addressed. Cholesterol is not the danger we have been forced to believe it is.
I totally agree about the statins and don't want to take them at all. I definitely needed the BP medication though which is working to get the readings down.
Yes, don't mess about with blood pressure.
I've had doctors pushing statins at me for years. I just politely say "no thank you" and they shut up, until next time one of them has a bash.
Yes that will be my answer too. Apparently there are numerous other medications now to lower your cholesterol that aren't statins but I don't think they want to prescribe them, probably more expensive? I am having a blood test at the GP surgery on the 20th Feb so won't worry till after that daye, my BP was my biggest concern.
This is a random quote about a relatively new cholesterol medicine:
"PCSK9 inhibitors (sometimes also shown as PCSK9i) are a new type of medicine for lowering cholesterol in the blood."
Interesting that one justification is that they avoid the side effects and contraindications of statins. Remember when statins were so safe they should be put in the water supply?
(I know that water supply thing was dismissed at the time. But it was said.)
Thank you very much for that, yes statins are king I'm afraid but definitely not for me.
Also have tried increasing thyroxine (temporarily) for 3 months, to see if cholesterol results come down. They have come down from 8.9 to 7.5 in that 3 months.
I hope your doctor will have the nous to understand what that indicates and thus continue with your increase.
What is the measure for your triglycerides (that is a vital component in the cholesterol numbers).
Providing you like them and can buy organic walnuts at a reasonable price, a handful every day (your handful) is very effective for increasing HDL and reducing LDL. We need both of course and in any event it is LDL Particle Size that is more important, but a so-called "high" HDL reading is a well documented marker for a long healthy life (contrary to the various drug dealers).
Hi Blissful. Thanks for your reply and suggestions. Apologies for the delay.
I have been eating walnuts just for around 3 weeks now, so I'm glad you brought this suggestion up also.
I've just checked my January 24 results, so
TSH was 0.98,
Serum Cholesterol level 7.5 mmol/L,
HDL 1.64,
LDL 5.4, and
Serum triglyceride 0.87.
Hope that helps.
Thanks for your question levy24. At the time if writing I can’t see any answers to your plant sterols aspect of your question, According to the British Heart Foundation Plant Sterols and Stanols can help reduce your LDL cholesterol kevels. They recommend 2g of Plant Sterols a day but also say you may be able to get these from your diet. bhf.org.uk/-/media/files/in...
You can get enough sterols from yoghurt, milk and cheese (see link above).
I’m hypo thyroid and I take one plant sterol pill a day (800 mg), so just boosting the level but 0.8 gr is no where near the daily recommended 2 gr.
The pills are fine if you don’t want to consume dairy. There are also versions added to spreads such as butter or margarine if you prefer or mini yoghurts.
Doctors are taught that high cholesterol kills people, and that people are in danger of getting a stroke or a heart attack with high levels. Study the graphs in the following link carefully. The left hand one is most important in my opinion :
drmalcolmkendrick.org/2012/...
The left hand graph shows the risk of death from any cause is highest at the lowest levels of cholesterol for both men and women.
The problem is that doctors concentrate only on the risk of heart disease and stroke when it comes to cholesterol. But people can die of lots of things, not just heart disease and stroke.
It appears that statins might reduce risk of death by cardiovascular disease in some people but raise your risk of death from other causes. Overall mortality should be the factor that is highlighted, but it isn't very often.
This is my personal choice, but I would prefer not to have a long drawn-out really painful death from cancer, and would prefer to snuff it with a quick heart attack.
Some other links on cholesterol and statins :
spacedoc.com/articles/50-fa...
diabetes.co.uk/forum/thread...
diabetes.co.uk/forum/thread...
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