Hi All these were my blood test results 3 months ago. Ferritin 13
Serum iron 17 range 10-30
Serum transferrin 3 range 2.0-4.0
Transferrin saturation 22.6% range 20-50.
Serum cortisol 500 nmol
Serum selenium 1.01 0.75-1.46
TSH 3.9 RANGE 0.55-4.78
Free T3 4.4 3.5-6.5
T4 11.2 range 11.5-22.0
Antibodies was 1260
Following these results I just had an appointment 5 weeks ago and was told I have Hashimoto's. And advised to take Armour but the Dr gave me a few weeks to make such a big decision.
In the meantime while deciding I Went gluten ,dairy ,soy and sugar free to see if this would help at all. Continued taking my supplements. Been taking my ferrtin tablets now 11 weeks. I have just recieved my blood work so not sure if this mean I definitely need to take Armour.
My T4 has been low for 2 years because my ferritin was so low now my ferrtin is finally gtletting back up I've seen massive improvement in my T4. But my antibodies has gone worse.
Recent bloods as follows.
TSH 5.2 RANGE 0.55-4.78
T4 15.6 RANGE 11.50-22.70
T3 4.4 RANGE 3.50-6.50
Thyroid peroxidase antibodies >1300 range <60
Iron Serum iron level 14 range 10-30
Serum transferritin 2.9 range 2.0-4.0
Transferrin saturation index
Ferritin 58 range 15-300.0
19.2 range 20.0-50.0
Vit D 129 nmol
B12 1232 ng/l range 180-900
Serum magnesium 0.97 range 0.70-1.00
Cholesterol was all perfect.
FULL BLOOD COUNT
***Total white cells 3.8 range 4-11.0
Any advice welcombed. I don't have my appointment with specilist until early November as she gave me some time to consider Armour and obviously the cost that comes with it.
Thanks so much.
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With two NHS blood tests at least 6 weeks apart with TSH over 5, high thyroid antibodies and symptoms …..You could then get prescription for starting on levothyroxine on NHS at zero cost to you
Can I ask now my t4 is going up nicely now my ferritin is going up and still taking supplements for this as my private dr wants my ferritin to be about about 100. Isn't levo just for T4 so if it's going up nicely what would it do. Sorry for the stupid question.
Yes so these are the blood test results feom the gp and they haven't done anything 🤣 they haven't even reviewed the result and they are a week old. I asked for a copy to give to my specilist who I pay to see privately.
Yes so these were taken at 8.20 in the morning and I always take them the same time a week after my period every month as I know they are always around the same time.
What other thyroid tests will they do ? As I though these were all of them?
Yes so i have requested a nhs gp appointment next week to discuss my results and why they are not doing anything about them.
I've only got 10 of tablets left for my ferritin so I need to request more if they will give them to me. Ekkk.
I've been taking b complex vitamin also.
I've stopped taking my b12 as it's so high and also taken a break from my vit d after these results.
I dont know if same with you but they will only retest after 12 weeks at my drs surgery.
Thanks you so much for all the info. Obviously I was happy after 2 years my t4 has started going up and finally got my ferritin up. Xx
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 5-7 days before ALL BLOOD TESTS , as biotin can falsely affect test results
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)
Post discussing how biotin can affect test results
Oh bugger so yes I have been taking a b complex but it says folic acid. So that's a no then I'll get online now and get a better one. Dam.So I stopped taking my b complex 1 week before I was taking my protein shake that contain b6 and stopped that 3 days before.
My b12 is high now so I've stopped supplements for now regarding that one.
No not vegan or vegetarian.
Yes stopped taking biotin a good week before the tests.
Igennus B complex is this gluten free as I have noticed that being gluten free the last 5 weeks has really helped and I've been gluten dairy soy and sugar free too and I've lost 8lbs and my moon face.
You need to look at your FT3....it is the most important result followed by FT4!
Yes your FT4 has "improved" but this hasn't translated to higher FT3 which suggests your T4 to T3 conversion is poor
You need more T3, which is likely why your doctor suggested Armour.
First however you could/should try levo which, even by limited conversion may still help raise FT3 enough to make a difference...at no cost!
Improved ferritin should help T4 to T3 conversion
See SlowDragon's good advice below re visit to GP
It is important to note that for good health every cell in the body must be flooded with T3 by way of an adequate and constant supply....this isn't happening for you yet.
I don't think your medics are offering the best advice....beyond improving ferritin! As you can see it's a tad more complex than that.
Are you supplementing vit B12 if so, since it's a water soluble vitamin. Your result is high so much of it is going down the loo!
Your TPO antibodies are high which is a sign that Thyroid Autoimmune Disease / Hashimoto's is causing your hypothyroidism. You are correctly gluten free!
Thyroid peroxidase antibodies >1300 range <60
Isn't levo just for T4 so if it's going up nicely what would it do.
Levo is the bioidentical replacement thyroid hormone T4 which on a correct dose will raise FT4....depending on the person's conversion status, that T4 will in turn be converted to T3 for use as described above
I think it's far too soon to consider Armour, instead, suggest you need a starter dose of 50mcg levothyroxine strictly taken on a daily basis for 6/8 weeks to allow the hormone to settle in the system.
Test again then increase dose to 50mcg. Repeat the "increase by 25mcg, wait, retest" routine until your symptoms improve and your FT3 is approaching roughly 70% through the reference range. Smaller dose adjustments may be necessary as you approach your therapeutic dose.
It may be a bumpy journey, that is normal, but be patient and stick with it...increasing symptoms doesn't mean levo doesn't suit you, it usually just means you need more!
Speak to your GP, ask for a trial of levo as described above (some medics feel less under pressure, and in control, if you say "trial", than if you make an outright request!)
Once your thyroid hormone levels are corrected you should improve.....but be patient!
Good luck....keep us posted we're all here to help!
Thank you so much. I am so new to being diagnosed with Hashimoto's so trying to get my head around everything and trying to read blood tests has been challenging. Oh yes so my T3 hasn't improved at all. I didn't realised T3 was more important.
Yes all my blood were done with my Gp so I habe a telephone appointment with them on Monday. So hoping to get more answers as they have not been very helpful at all to this point.
Yes I have been gluten dairy soy and sugar free for 5 weeks before these blood tests and upped my protein to 120 g a day also.in doing this i have lost 8lbs in weight that i gained which is 1 brillaint thing and my moon face has gone too.
But its not helped with brain fog/ joint pain /period issues or dizziness and balance
Thank you so much for all your advice. I get so confused as there is so much to learn xx
now my t4 is going up nicely now my ferritin is going up and still taking supplements Isn't levo just for T4 so if it's going up nicely what would it do.
I don't think you realise how all this works, do you? So, forgive me if I'm telling you things you already know, but I think it's necessary.
A healthy thyroid makes mainly T4 and some T3. T4 is basically a storage hormone that doesn't do much until it's converted into T3, the active hormone needed by every single cell in your body to function correctly.
TSH is a pituitary hormone - Thyroid Stimulating Hormone. When the pituitary senses that there's not enough thyroid hormone in the blood, it increases output of TSH to stimulate the thyroid to make morel. And a healthy thyroid complies.
But, you don't have a healthy thyroid because you have Hashi's, which is slowly destroying your thyroid. At the moment, things aren't too bad, and your thyroid is still able to respond to the stimulation of TSH to make hormone. But, as more and more of the thyroid is destroyed, it will become harder and harder to respond, so the TSH will just keep going higher and higher, and your FT4 - and FT3 - lower and lower, and your symptoms will get worse and worse.
So, logically, one has to say: let's stop it before it gets too bad. There is no cure for Hashi's, or hypothyroidism. All we can do is replace the hormone your thyroid can no-longer make enough of, with Levo or NDT. This will lower the TSH, meaning that your thyroid will just give up the struggle and go to sleep. But, the Hashi's will continue its attacks on the thyroid until it is destroyed.
Raising your iron levels - and other nutrients, too - may help some of your symptoms, but it's not going to make your thyroid work better, nor affect the Hashi's in any way. It has raised your TSH, as you've seen, because low iron is just one of the things that can affect TSH levels. But that doesn't mean you problems are solved. The thyroid cannot keep up the struggle forever and will eventually be unable to produce any hormone at all, whatever the level of the TSH.
Being offered NDT to start with is not usual. The NHS will prescribe levo for you. It might suit you and it might not, same goes for NDT, but it's free and a good place to start. And that levo - T4 - is not just about T4 because the body converts it into T3, and then T2, etc. So, if I were you, I'd go and see my GP and get him to prescribe some - a starting dose of 50 mcg! Don't let him fob you off with anything less. With a retest in six weeks after starting it, and an increase of 25 mcg. Levo won't do anything for you unless you take enough of it.
Thank you so much for explaining everything I will show my husband this you've explained it amazingly. As I am so new to this it's very hard to learn all the Jargon and get so informed so thank you so much. To be honest it's the symptoms I ammstrugglijg with the most the dizziness and balance joint pain are the worst for me. I am so greatful that I've lost 8lbs in weigh and my moon face as this was really effecting my mental health the most.
I will do exactley like you said and order the b complex and folate thanks so much.
And will keep monitoring my vit b12 and vit d now I've got them uo to optimal levels.
I did think cutting gluten dairy soy and sugar may help my antibodies and others have said it does but mine have gone up.
It gets easier as you go along. And the more you read the simpler it seems. But it's bound to be confusing in the beginning.
Dizziness and balance problems can be due to low B12. OK, you've got the B12 higher, but it won't help you very much without the other B vits because they all work together. I can't see a result for folate, but there will be folate in the B complex, which will probably be enough.
Joint pain can be caused by low vit D and even if you've raised the level, the pain probably won't disappear instantly. We have to be patient.
Forget the antibodies. People talk a lot about this that or the other reducing levels, but there's no proof that anything does and even if you got rid of them completely - not likely to happen! - you would still have Hashi's. Antibodies are the result of the disease, not the cause. They are there to clean up the blood after an immune system attack. And therefore they fluctuate all the time. So, the actual number is irrelevant. But they will reduce as the destruction of the thyroid advances, because there won't be a job for them anymore.
So,, if all these free-from diets aren't making you feel better, try eating gluten, sugar and dairy - not soy! - again and see if they make you feel worse. If they don't, carry on eating them.
Actually I've had milk and I seem to be ok with this. I've also had chocolate and I was fine with this also. But I did have chocolate that contained soy and this was a definite trigger. I know gluten is as I've always had issues with gluten.
Didn't have folate tested.
Yes got the b12 up now on higher end and the vit d is also at higher end .
There’s 2 million people in U.K. on levothyroxine via NHS
Many do absolutely fine on just levothyroxine
A small percentage (10-20%) might eventually need T3 (liothyronine) added alongside levothyroxine if conversion is poor
This is increasingly available on NHS
An even smaller percentage find they need NDT (Armour) rather than Levo plus T3 …..but this is impossible to get on NHS and is huge financial commitment
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