Medicheck results – help please

[Watamu]

Today I received my results from Medichecks in preparation for my consultation with Roseway Labs next week. I wondered if you kind people could shed some light on the results, I’m a bit confused, especially with my ferritin which is now 429 (30-332) which was 43 (10 – 291) less than a year ago. I’ve been taking Three Arrows Iron off and on, but not regularly.. Also can you explain my high T4 . Does this mean that some is not being converted to T3.

I started taking T3 in January, first I started on 2.5mcg then progressed to 5mcg which I take every morning with my T4 (this is 75/100mcg alternate days). I still have many symptoms, some which I thought were lack of ferritin, hair loss, tinnitus, fatigue, bruise easily, weakness/light headed, very cold especially when the temperature changes so much lately, brain fog. Some days I feel shaky. The past few days I have needed to nap in the afternoon, and yesterday napped in the afternoon and early evening.

Since I started to take T3 I am sleeping better, when I wake to go to the bathroom I can go back to sleep straight away, before I lay awake, often until it was time to get up, usually did some reading or watch/listen to TV. Also my anxiety seems less. I get six hours sleep on average per night.

I’m wondering if I increase the T3 and decrease the T4 I might feel better. I have never felt well on T4 since starting in 2020. My GP wouldn’t let me increase to 100mg a day because he is a TSH guy and my level was well below the NHS guidelines.

Last October my liver became ‘deranged’ all tests were out of range. My bilirubin was over 200 and I had lost 6kgs in five months. I had seven days of blood tests and MRI, ultrasound and CT scans because it was thought I may have underling cancer. No cancer to be found. I saw the consultant in November, by which time my levels were becoming more normal, she suggested I have test done in four weeks to see ‘where we are’ During all of these tests I suggested that my immune system might be causing the problems but no one agreed with me. The consultant said maybe I had ‘a virus’. She said if my levels were no better after four weeks she would look at immune issues. Four weeks later everything was back to normal. I have since learnt that the liver is one of the organs which needs 100% T3 to function properly. This is what decided me to get some T3. Thank you for any information you can give me.

Inflammation

CRP HS X 6.440 mg/L (Range: < 3)

Iron Status

Ferritin X 429.00 ug/L (Range: 30 - 332)

Vitamins

Folate - Serum 34.9 nmol/L (Range: > 7)

Vitamin B12 - Active >150 pmol/L

Please note change of reference range 23 Oct 2022

(Range: 37.5 - 188)

Vitamin D 107.0 nmol/L

Thyroid Hormones

TSH X 0.013 mIU/L (Range: 0.27 - 4.2)

Free T3 6.6 pmol/L (Range: 3.1 - 6.8)

Free Thyroxine X 23.0 pmol/L (Range: 12 - 22)

Autoimmunity

Thyroglobulin Antibodies X 327.00 kIU/L (Range: 0 - 115)

Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies X >600 kIU/L (Range: 0 - 34)

Laboratory Report ( Advanced Thyroid Function Blood Test )

Observation Date : 16-MAY-2024

Medichecks.com Ltd, Ranch House, Chapel Lane, Bingham, Nottingham, NG13 8GF, UK

Registered in England & Wales - Registered no : 6491221 | Registered Office : Mathon Court, West Malvern Road, Mathon, Malvern WR13 5NZ

[greygoose]

CRP HS X 6.440 mg/L (Range: < 3)

This is why your ferritin is high. It's a false high.

Thyroglobulin Antibodies X 327.00 kIU/L (Range: 0 - 115)

Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies X >600 kIU/L (Range: 0 - 34)

You most definitely do have autoimmune thyroiditis - aka Hashi's. Which means that levels are bound to jump around a bit - or quite a lot, sometimes.

I’m wondering if I increase the T3 and decrease the T4 I might feel better.

These levels might be more to do with your Hashi's, than your dose of thyroid hormone replacement. But impossible to tell on the basis of just one test. I think it might be a good idea to reduce your levo a bit - or even stop it altogether - and see how you feel in six weeks time. But do it by yourself. Don't involve your doctor because if it does turn out that these levels are only temporary - as in a Hashi's 'hyper' swing - you're going to need to raise the dose back up again when the excess hormone has been used up/excreted. And your doctor might get a bit stroppy about that!

But I doubt you need to increase the T3 at this point. It's quite high. In any case, you should only change one thing at a time, or you won't know what is having which effect.

[Watamu in reply to greygoose]

Wow, how confusing is that!! Hashis never stops giving. My TPO level was over 1300 when I first had it checked in 2020 and haven't had a test since then so I suppose grateful for small mercies. I will reduce the levo by 25mcg as suggested by Slow Dragon and see how I go from there. Will stop the iron supplements and retest in 8 weeks. I've read about hashi flares on this forum but didn't realise it could affect ferritin levels. I most certainly will not let my GP know about reducing Levo, his reaction will be "I told you so" . But what he doesn't know is that I am now taking T3, altho I did tell him that I would try and source some if my symptoms didn't improve. I think Medichecks will inform him but that's ok. I think he thinks my problems are over now because my liver problem resolved. I try not to use the GP normally, only since this thyroid health issue arrived have I been forced to use them.Thank you for all your help and support. As usual you have given me the courage to believe in myself.

[greygoose in reply to Watamu]

A Hashi's 'hyper' swing does not affect ferritin levels. It's the inflammation that is affecting it. Whether or not the inflammation is directly due to Hashi's is another matter. But, CRP is an inflammation marker, and yours is high.

I don't think Medichecks contacts your doctor about your private labs - they shouldn't do, anyway.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Stop taking iron supplement

Get full iron panel in 6-8 weeks

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

It’s possible to have low ferritin but high iron or vice versa

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

Stop iron supplements 5-7 days before testing

Medichecks iron panel test

medichecks.com/products/iro...

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Suggest you reduce levothyroxine to 75mcg daily

Retest in 8-10 weeks

Which brand levothyroxine do you take

Do you always get same brand at each prescription

As you have Hashimoto’s

Are you on gluten free and/or dairy free diet

[Watamu in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you Slow Dragon, how do I reduce the levo, jump in at 75 per day or reduce gradually i.e reduce by 25 per week? I do get the same brand of Eltroxin for 50, 25 and 100mcg.Used to get Teva but managed to get Lloydsdirect to source the mercury pharma all the same. I tried gluten free but found no difference. When I stopped Teva my gut problems resolved. I'm not dairy free but use oat milk, goats butter and cheese. Will stop the iron supplements and do test as suggested in 8 weeks. Thank you for your help, feel assured b;y the advice given on this forum, where would we be without it 😀

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Watamu]

You are currently on 75mcg and 100mcg alternate days?

So you could try reducing to 75mcg daily

Or if you feel that’s too much of a reduction in one go

Reduce by 50mcg per week…..

[Watamu in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you, will reduce today to 75mcg per day