thyroid nhs results

[Thyroidmeg]

updated thyroid results since monitor my health one in may

says suggests poor compliance etc but I would never not take my meds

[ERIC107]

It also says "... or inadequate dose" - so, hopefully, if you are still symptomatic and you feel that you need a dose increase, you can convince your GP/prescriber that you're taking your thyroid hormones just fine and use the second half of that sentence to show that you need a dose increase 😊

[Thyroidmeg in reply to ERIC107]

Yes 2 difference people at surgery have implied I’m not taking it but I am . They’ve upped my dose to 225 and retest is in October.

In the monitor my health test (may 2024) the tsh was in range and t4 was above range and t3 was bottom of range

So it’s changed since may

[Thyroid17 in reply to Thyroidmeg]

Maybe check Genetic test as this was similar to myself. Could not convert T4 to T3. Test evidenced the non-conversion so I now get T3/T4 combo. Good luck

[Thyroidmeg in reply to Thyroid17]

What’s genetic test ? I suspect conversion may be the issue

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Thyroidmeg]

The tests usually discussed are for a couple (or so) DIO genes.

My blog doesn't explain much but does list what seemed a comprehensive list of the genes potentially involved. But it is really for reference rather than to gain understanding!

helvella - DIO1, DIO2 & DIO3 Variants

How to find out more about the DIO1, DIO2 and DIO3 genetic variants.

Last updated 16/09/2024

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

[Thyroid17 in reply to Thyroidmeg]

Helvella has given good reply, I am work and only just got my break. Recommend selecting test then leave in online basket for day or two in hope of discount offer 🤞I think I got mine via BHM if I remember correctly but others may offer it now too. Do not forget the Thyroid UK discount code too as tests costly. All the Best xx

[Jaydee1507 Administrator]

Levothyroxine is an extremely fussy hormone. It must be taken on an empty stomach, 1 hour before anything other than water and with no other medication taken at the same time.

How do you take your Levo?

How did you take this test?

Recommended blood test protocol: Test at 9am (or as close as possible), fasting, last levo dose 24hrs before the blood draw & no biotin containing supplements for 3-7 days (Biotin can interfere with thyroid blood results as it is used in the testing process).

Testing like this gives consistency in your results and will show stable blood levels of hormone and highest TSH which varies throughout the day. Taking Levo/T3 just prior to blood draw can show a falsely elevated result and your GP/Endo might change your dose incorrectly as a result.

[Thyroidmeg in reply to Jaydee1507]

I didn’t take it til after my 9am test that day .

My t4 isn’t above range like it was in may

My other tests show glucose above and white blood etc so getting another total blood count

[Jaydee1507 Administrator in reply to Thyroidmeg]

Its important how you take your Levo. I'm sure you are taking it but try it as I have described above.

[Thyroidmeg]

I’ve been doing it as per above as I learnt that from you before .

[Jaydee1507 Administrator in reply to Thyroidmeg]

Try taking it at bedtime.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

previous post 27 days ago

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

You said

A) when ferritin last tested it was deficient at only 11

Have you had full iron panel test done

Levo won’t be effective unless vitamin levels are OPTIMAL

Ferritin at least over 70

B) vitamin D was very low but only on tiny 800iu dose vitamin D

Test twice yearly when supplementing

Can test via NHS private testing service

vitamindtest.org.uk

Many, many thyroid patients find they need at least 2000iu-4000iu daily

C) extremely important to always take Levo on empty stomach and then nothing else apart from water for at least an hour after

No other medications or supplements within 2 hours

Iron, magnesium, vitamin D tablets or calcium at least 4 hours away from Levo

D) have you had coeliac blood test done yet

coeliac blood as per NICE Guidelines

Reasons

Low ferritin,

poor absorption of Levo

Autoimmune thyroid disease

nice.org.uk/guidance/ng20/c...

[Thyroidmeg in reply to SlowDragon]

A- No full iron it seems but haemoglobin high

I’ll ask for ferritin etc again as it seems she ignored me

B- I’ve increased vitamin d it’s insufficient now not deficient anymore

c - I do that anyway

D - coeliac not been tested but my grampa had it so I will ask for that test

Thanks

Blood test results fbc

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Thyroidmeg]

So you need to get full iron panel test privately

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

If taking any iron supplements stop 5-7 days before testing

Medichecks iron panel test

medichecks.com/products/iro...

Look at increasing iron rich foods in diet

Eating iron rich foods like liver or liver pate once a week plus other red meat, 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

Links about iron and ferritin

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

Great replies from @FallingInReverse

re ferritin and Three arrows

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu......

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Great reply by @fallinginreverse

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Ferrodyn supplement

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...

Chicken livers if iron is good, but ferritin low

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Shellfish and Mussels are excellent source of iron

healthline.com/nutrition/he...

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 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.

[Thyroidmeg in reply to SlowDragon]

Great I’ll order that test from medichecks thanks

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Thyroidmeg]

Another in-depth discussion on iron and ferritin here

High iron….low ferritin and how to treat

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Thyroidmeg]

how much vitamin D are you taking

GP should advise on self supplementing if over 50nmol, but under 75nmol (but they rarely do)

mm.wirral.nhs.uk/document_u...

But with Hashimoto’s, improving to around 80nmol or 100nmol by self supplementing may be better

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/218...

vitamindsociety.org/pdf/Vit...

Once you Improve level, very likely you will need on going maintenance dose to keep it there.

Test twice yearly when supplementing

Can test via NHS private testing service

vitamindtest.org.uk

Vitamin D mouth spray by Better You is very effective as it avoids poor gut function.

There’s a version made that also contains vitamin K2 Mk7.

One spray = 1000iu

amazon.co.uk/BetterYou-Dlux...

It’s trial and error what dose we need, with thyroid issues we frequently need higher dose than average

Vitamin D may prevent Autoimmune disease

newscientist.com/article/23...

Web links about taking important cofactors - magnesium and Vit K2-MK7

Magnesium best taken in the afternoon or evening, but must be four hours away from levothyroxine

betterbones.com/bone-nutrit...

medicalnewstoday.com/articl...

livescience.com/61866-magne...

sciencedaily.com/releases/2...

Recipe ideas

bbc.co.uk/food/articles/mag...

Interesting article by Dr Malcolm Kendrick on magnesium

drmalcolmkendrick.org/categ...

Vitamin K2 mk7

betterbones.com/bone-nutrit...

healthline.com/nutrition/vi...

[Thyroidmeg in reply to SlowDragon]

I’m taking 4000iu (dr only gave me 800iu)

It’s at 41 now so it’s improved . I’d read links to low d affecting blood sugar etc

I’ll order the sorry you mentioned as helping the gut sounds good

I like daily cultures tea which helps the gut too but tastes good

I don’t think that I have hashimoto.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Thyroidmeg]

What was reason for your thyroidectomy ?

[Thyroidmeg in reply to SlowDragon]

I went to dr as I had a lump on my neck . Goiter it was worse in one side but hospital said I was young and it would grow so suggested total thyroidectomy

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Thyroidmeg]

So could easily have been Hashimoto’s

Were thyroid antibodies ever tested before thyroidectomy

suggest you include testing both TPO and TG antibodies at next test

Testing options and includes money off codes for private testing

thyroiduk.org/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...

[Thyroidmeg in reply to SlowDragon]

Hi thanks again . When I had the lump I’d never knowingly had thyroid issues so not sure what was tested I was still naively believing everything dr said .

I actually have a monitor my health blood test here to test soon (not sure when I’ll do it as I’m going on holiday soon) which measures antibodies etc . I was curious to see what they were . Also to see how blood results have changed (with the change in dose) before I get the nhs one at end of October

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Thyroidmeg]

Unfortunately MMH only test TPO antibodies……but it’s a start!

[Thyroidmeg in reply to SlowDragon]

Oh no I did t realise I’ll do it anyway as it’s paid for and then look at other tests you’ve recommended

[McPammy]

Looks like T3 is possibly too low. You could request a 6 months trial of combining t3 5mcg twice a day. When my TSH was high and TSH also high my t3 was too low. As soon as I was prescribed T3 also I felt energised and my TSH went from over range to back in range. You look like you’re a poor converter of t4 to t3. I also did the gene test DIO2 and mine came back positive. I’m a poor converter and that’s the reason why.

[Thyroidmeg in reply to McPammy]

I will ask as energy sounds very good it’s been a while

[SleepyKitty]

This happened to me early days in my treatment. I was quite offended at first, but the GP rang me himself (never mentioned lab comments as I found those later) and told me to double my dose straightaway. After a few weeks it began to help. Hope you feel better soon and get to the bottom of it.

[Thyroidmeg in reply to SleepyKitty]

Me too I was 100 mcg when I left hospital anl those years ago and by first blood test showed tsh 30+. So dr called and said take 200mcg from now on. I’ve been on 200mcg ever since . Until this month I was changed to 225mcg

[Hashihouseman]

looks like you could be taking too much T4 which then causes a negative feedback to reduce excess but limits free T3 conversion and potentially causes other adverse effects… try splitting T4 dose within an overall lower dose? And introducing T3 supplement! freeT3 monitoring with freeT4 and TSH is all but essential to know what’s going on. Increasing T4 has its limits and you may be over that already?

[Thyroidmeg in reply to Hashihouseman]

I will ask about this when I go for blood test in oct to see if increased dose has worked

[SlowDragon Administrator]

in-depth article on malabsorption of Levo

academic.oup.com/edrv/artic...

You need testing for

Coeliac

H Pylori

SIBO

Etc

Approximately how much do you weigh in kilo

Is your dose significantly higher than guidelines of 1.6mcg per kilo of your weight per day

If yes…..this suggests malabsorption

You would almost certainly need to see endocrinologist privately initially to trial T3 alongside levothyroxine

Here’s link for how to request Thyroid U.K.list of private Doctors emailed to you, but within the email a link to download list of recommended thyroid specialist endocrinologists who will prescribe T3

Ideally choose an endocrinologist to see privately initially and who also does NHS consultations so that might eventually transfer to getting T3 on NHS

thyroiduk.org/contact-us/ge...

Regenerus do Dio2 gene test in a DNA test

regeneruslabs.com/products/...

portal-app.inspira-regeneru...

[Thyroidmeg in reply to SlowDragon]

Hi no sadly I’m now very overweight so dose not above guidelines .