Help please understanding this 🙏🙏

[J2506]

Free T3 (fT3) 5.4 pmol/L (3.1 - 6.8) 62.2% my 1st attempt at using calculator😳, it all feels like a different language to me- Had recent bloods done and posted earlier in the week and now found this calculator- feel like a rabbit in head lights as I don’t know what to do- feel absolutely rubbish subsequently I’ve stopped last nights Levothyroxine as I do not feel any benefits from it 5years and never been anywhere close to optimal weight gain unbearable, joint pain constant, constipation, hands are constantly freezing cold , fatigue and brain fog Mood dips constantly and no support from GP nor Endo it’s like can’t be bothered and written me off.

[greygoose]

Well, it's telling you that your FT3 - the active hormone - is 62.2% through the range. Which isn't that high. Most of us on here need it higher than that. And, if it's not high enough for you, you will continue to have symptoms and not be well. So, seems to me that what you need to start with is an increase in your T3.

Just read your last post saying that your ignorant endo wants to reduce your dose! But, he's just looking at the TSH and doesn't have the education to look any further. So, if he isn't willing to increase your dose, would you be in a position to buy your own and increase it yourself? You can buy it on-line without a prescription.

Secondly, you said "weight gain is out of control (I follow a healthy plant based diet)" Well, sorry to say this, but a plant-based diet is not that healthy. Doesn't contain enough fat or iron, and no B12. You say that you take 'all the vitamins recommended on here'. Well, acutally, we don't recommend any nutrients. What we recommend is getting your nutrients tested and supplementing according to the results? So, to understand your situation better, perhaps you could tell us what the results and ranges were on your last nutrient test, and exactly what you are taking, and how much. Then, we might be able to help you. Otherwise, we'd just be taking a shot in the dark!

[J2506 in reply to greygoose]

Thank you for your advice- where can I get an online prescription & it depends on cost?, apologies if vitamins weren’t recommended - I take B12 complex, VitD, Selenium, (evening magnesium & Zinc) iron supplement occasional. I changed diet to plant based in January this year in hope it would benefit me with hyperthyroidism. Endo only requests to test thyroid function 😳🙃

[greygoose in reply to J2506]

Taking magnesium and B vits can be done without a problem - if you don't need them they will just be excreted, because they're water soluble. So all you lose is your money. But taking zince, iron and vit D is a whole other story. They are not water soluble and can build up to dangerous levels if taken when not needed - and excess zinc will lower your copper. So, really best to test before taking.

Did you know that you need to take vit K2 when taking vit D? Vit D increases the absorption of calcium from food, and the K2 makes sure it goes into the teeth and bones, and doesn't build up in the soft tissues and arteries.

Doctors know nothing about nutrients and don't realise the importance of optimal levels. Perhaps you could get a private test for them?

I changed diet to plant based in January this year in hope it would benefit me with hyperthyroidism.

But you aren't hyper, you're hypo. And a plant based diet certainly won't help with that. Quite the opposite, in fact. Especially if one of the plants in question is soy. That is very bad for hypos.

[J2506 in reply to greygoose]

Thanks, I avoid soy as I had read that somewhere.

[greygoose in reply to J2506]

Good! Evil stuff.

I'm afraid I cannot recommend any one place for a private blood test, because I've never had one. I live in France where such things don't exist. But there is a page on th TUK site that lists them all:

thyroiduk.org/testing/priva...

[J2506 in reply to greygoose]

Where would you recommend for private prescriptions?

[TiggerMe Ambassador]

Was waiting for you to clarify your fT4 result on your last post? Is it 15.2/16.2 or 18.2... looks and sounds like you need an increase, have you any results for folate, ferritin, B12 and Vit D

[J2506 in reply to TiggerMe]

Thank you for your reply, endo requested thyroid bloods only . I take daily vitamins B12, Vit D, Selenium, Omega , (magnesium & Zinc evening) Iron tablet occasionally

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to J2506]

I take daily vitamins B12

So you need to add a daily vitamin B complex as well

But important to remember to stop B complex 5-7 days before test, and replace with methyl folate and continue B12

Come back with new iron panel test results

[J2506 in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks, yes I do stop B bits prior to bloods & I do take B complex as well

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to J2506]

your fT4 result on your last post? Is it 15.2/16.2 or 18.2...

what was last Ft4 result

I’ve stopped last nights Levothyroxine as I do not feel any benefits from it 5years and never been anywhere close to optimal

Start back on levothyroxine …now ….take last night’s dose now and tonight’s dose as per normal

…….if anything you are likely to need dose increase in Levo

[SlowDragon Administrator]

When were B12, folate, ferritin and vitamin D last tested

Please add results

Vitamin levels 3 years ago

VIT D-93.6

Folate level 3.4ugl (3.0-20.0)

Ferritin 29ugl(10.0-307.0)

B12 result was incorrect and you never came back with correct result

Ferritin was deficient and folate effectively deficient

First step is to get all four tested and improve to OPTIMAL levels

Ferritin at least over 70

Serum B12 at least over 500

Active B12 over 100

Folate at top of range

On a plant based diet and hypothyroid you are always going to struggle to maintain good iron and ferritin without taking iron supplements

cks.nice.org.uk/topics/anae...

Serum ferritin level is the biochemical test, which most reliably correlates with relative total body iron stores. In all people, a serum ferritin level of less than 30 micrograms/L confirms the diagnosis of iron deficiency.

Never supplement iron without doing full iron panel test for anaemia first and retest 3-4 times a year if self supplementing.

It’s possible to have low ferritin but high iron

Test early morning, only water to drink between waking and test. Avoid high iron rich dinner night before test

Medichecks iron panel test

medichecks.com/products/iro...

Look at increasing iron rich foods in diet

Eating iron rich foods eg pumpkin seeds and dark chocolate, plus daily orange juice or other vitamin C rich drink can help improve iron absorption

List of iron rich foods

dailyiron.net

irondisorders.org/too-littl...

davidg170.sg-host.com/wp-co...

Great in-depth article on low ferritin

oatext.com/iron-deficiency-...

drhedberg.com/ferritin-hypo...

This is interesting because I have noticed that many patients with Hashimoto’s disease and hypothyroidism, start to feel worse when their ferritin drops below 80 and usually there is hair loss when it drops below 50.

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Posts discussing Three Arrows as very effective supplement - but not suitable for vegetarians as meat based

Great replies from @FallingInReverse

re ferritin and Three arrows

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu......

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Iron patches

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Thyroid disease is as much about optimising vitamins as thyroid hormones

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

restartmed.com/hypothyroidi...

Post discussing just how long it can take to raise low ferritin

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Iron and thyroid link

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Posts discussing why important to do full iron panel test

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Good iron but low ferritin

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Iron deficiency without anaemia

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Ferritin over 100 to alleviate symptoms

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Great research article discussing similar…..ferritin over 100 often necessary

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

Low Iron implicated in hypothyroidism

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Really interesting talk on YouTube, link in reply by Humanbean discussing both iron deficiency and weight gain and towards end how inflammation can also be an issue

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Inflammation affecting ferritin

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Updated reference ranges for top of ferritin range depending upon age

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Thank you for your incredible patience while you have been awaiting the outcome of our ferritin reference range review. We conducted this with Inuvi lab, which has now changed the reference ranges to the following:

Females 18 ≤ age < 40. 30 to 180

Females 40 ≤ age < 50. 30 to 207

Females 50 ≤ age < 60. 30 to 264l

Females Age ≥ 60. 30 to 332

Males 18 ≤ age < 40 30 to 442

Males Age ≥ 40 30 to 518

The lower limits of 30 are by the NICE threshold of <30 for iron deficiency. Our review of Medichecks data has determined the upper limits. This retrospective study used a large dataset of blood test results from 25,425 healthy participants aged 18 to 97 over seven years. This is the most extensive study on ferritin reference ranges, and we hope to achieve journal publication so that these ranges can be applied more widely.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

On a plant based diet you will need daily B12 and separate vitamin B complex too

if not currently doing this …..test BEFORE starting

Highly effective B12 drops

natureprovides.com/products...

Or

B12 sublingual lozenges

uk.iherb.com/pr/jarrow-form...

cytoplan.co.uk/shop-by-prod...

B12 range in U.K. is too wide

Interesting that in this research B12 below 400 is considered inadequate

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Low folate

supplementing a good quality daily vitamin B complex, one with folate in (not folic acid)

This can help keep all B vitamins in balance and will help improve B12 levels too

Difference between folate and folic acid

healthline.com/nutrition/fo...

Many Hashimoto’s patients have MTHFR gene variation and can have trouble processing folic acid supplements

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

B vitamins best taken after breakfast

Igennus B complex popular option. Nice small tablets. Most people only find they need one per day. But a few people find it’s not high enough dose

Post discussing different B complex

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Thorne Basic B recommended vitamin B complex that contains folate, but they are large capsules. (You can tip powder out if can’t swallow capsule) Thorne can be difficult to find at reasonable price, should be around £20-£25. iherb.com often have in stock. Or try ebay

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

endo.confex.com/endo/2016en...

endocrinenews.endocrine.org...

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

Post discussing how biotin can affect test results

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

helvella.blogspot.com/p/hel...