Bit of Good News...: Hello Everyone, I wanted to... - Thyroid UK

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Bit of Good News...

BookLover2020 profile image
20 Replies

Hello Everyone,

I wanted to share some good news to brighten up the day!

Yesterday, I had my NHS Health Check, and my QRisk score came in at 2.86%.

The staff commented on how low and healthy that score is, which led to a great conversation about my diet and exercise habits. I proudly shared that I’ve cut out sugary foods and sweets—a decision that has clearly paid off!

I also had some blood tests done the week before, and here are some of the results:

1. Haemoglobin A1c level: 35 mmol/mol [Normal Range: 20.0 - 41.0]

This is slightly higher than my reading of 32 in April 2024, but still within the healthy range.

2. Serum TSH level: 0.47 mIU/L [Normal Range: 0.35 - 4.94]

This test was taken in the afternoon after I had already had my T4 and T3 in the morning.

3. Serum cholesterol level: 5.0 mmol/L

4. Serum HDL cholesterol level: 0.95 mmol/L [Normal Range: 1.0 - 5.0]

5. Serum cholesterol/HDL ratio: 5.3

6. Serum LDL cholesterol level: 3.5 mmol/L

7. Serum triglyceride levels: 1.1 mmol/L [Normal Range: 0.0 - 1.7]

8. Serum ferritin level 126 ug/L [30.0 - 300.0]

I was a bit concerned about my HbA1c, but it’s still in the healthy range, even though it has gone up since April.

On a positive note, ever since I started taking Vitamin B12 before going to bed (thanks to  SlowDragon ), my night sweats have stopped, and I’m sleeping much better. While I’ve noticed I feel a bit more tired lately, it’s manageable.

Looking ahead, I plan to maintain my current diet. I've lost some muscle over the past few months, so I'm get back to the gym and focus on rebuilding strength.

I still have brain fog though and it's not gone away but I manage it with black coffee with bit of milk.

On a different note, I’m planning to transition to organic food products as much as possible. If anyone can recommend a high-quality organic jumbo porridge oats brand, I’d greatly appreciate it!

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BookLover2020 profile image
BookLover2020
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20 Replies
SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

these are best certified gluten free oats I have tried….lovely large oat flakes, great in museli …..but not organic

waitrose.com/ecom/products/...

Not tried these

waitrose.com/ecom/products/...

TiggerMe profile image
TiggerMeAmbassador in reply toSlowDragon

Need to find you an Organic Gluten Free brand to avoid the pre-harvest glyphosate 😟

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply toTiggerMe

Just ordered some from Forest whole foods…..will see what they are like

Buddy195 profile image
Buddy195Administrator

Great news about improvements in your health BookLover2020…Hope this continues! 🦋

BookLover2020 profile image
BookLover2020 in reply toBuddy195

Thank you.

I wish I could have made those diet changes years ago. Anyway, I'm glad that I did that early this year.

DippyDame profile image
DippyDame

Well done re progress.

Your QRISK score will tell you whether you are at low, moderate or high risk of developing CVD in the next 10 years

However, you haven't offered us any recent thyroid labs which are equally if not more important

For good health every cell in the body must be flooded daily with T3 by way of an adequate and constant supply

On going brain fog needs to be addressed and suggests undermedication, most likely low FT3

Have blood draws been taken at 9am, after overnight fasting, 24 hrs after last dose of T4 and 12 hrs after last T3 dose.....it doesn't seem so.

I cannot see a recent reliable FT4 and FT3 labs

A year ago your FT3 was taken 4 hours before the blood draw so that result was most likely a false high

6 months ago you posted, Fasting blood sample taken in the morning (10:20am) . Levo and T3 (last T3 taken 24 hours before) taken after the blood draw.

5 months ago you had an unusually high FT3

Those results were marked abnormal....have you addressed this?

Being Dio2 heterozygous does not necessarily mean you need T3......being homozygous however does have a greater impact on T4 to T3 conversion (Panicker et al)

Are you sure you need T3 now that your levo has been increased?

I don't wish to rain on your parade but to monitor health it is important to accurately test...

TSH, FT4, FT3, vit D, vit B12, folate and ferritin

Just a few thoughts

BookLover2020 profile image
BookLover2020 in reply toDippyDame

Thank you, @DippyDame. You've made some excellent points, and I really appreciate your input.

I do plan to undergo further tests before my next appointment with the endocrinologist, which will likely be later this year or early next year. Hopefully, I'll be able to share those results then.

Regarding the Vitamin B12, I did bring it up with my GP, but despite being on the lower end of the range, they insisted it was still within acceptable limits. It can be frustrating when they hesitate to order additional tests unless there's an urgent need.

As for my high FT3 levels, I repeated the test on June 29, 2024, and fortunately, it came back within range:

Free T3: 6.5 pmol/L [Range: 3.1 - 6.8].

I have added the serum ferritin result in the main post as well.

DippyDame profile image
DippyDame in reply toBookLover2020

A full thyroid test would be wise but for accuracy must be carried out under the protocol we advise here ( as in my post above)

You will feel much better once thyroid medication is correct.

Being "in range" or"normal" does not mean the dose is correct and many medics fail to understand this...we aim to find the exact point within the range where we feel well.

That last FT3 lab is 91.89% through the ref range which for most people is on the high side....we are advised to aim for, approaching 75%.....but your testing protocol may have skewed the result!!

I can't see a vit D result....this is often on the low side to support thyroid function....aim for 100 - 150 nmol/L

You're doing well so far.

diagnosed2013 profile image
diagnosed2013 in reply toDippyDame

Hi...sorry to ask on this post but I'm hoping to get some light on my low T3...it just came back at 3.5 (I'm not on any meds for thyroid function) tested due to ongoing symptoms....a lot neurological so want to get vitamin b12 looked at & ask my gp to test for pernicious anaemia. My bloods a few months back for fbc were low, the mcv & red blood cells & white were all lower than the range too. The doctor said they were all fine....but I don't feel fine :( Should I supplement B12 before a test? I'm going to do my iron panel again this week with monitor my health as the test last week didn't get to them in time so they are sending out a new one. Any help on how to ask my doctor to test for pernicious anaemia & to talk about low T3 would be very much appreciated & thank you.

Regenallotment profile image
RegenallotmentAmbassador in reply todiagnosed2013

Hi there, I noticed you haven’t had a reply, best thing to do would be to copy this question and paste it into a new post/message for folks to reply to. 🌱

DippyDame profile image
DippyDame in reply todiagnosed2013

Sorry, missed your post....

In your bio you wrote......

I was originally diagnosed in 2013 & I took levothyroxine for 3 years. I stopped taking it when I thought I was well

I suspect at least part of your problem lies there!

You only felt well because the levo was doing its job!

If you have been diagnosed as hypothyroid then that applies for life and you must take thyroid replacement hormone for life.

Stopping medication will have put you back in a hypothyroid state and that can affect many parts of the body

I suspect your FT3 is very low

For good health every cell in the body must be flooded with T3 by way of an adequate and constant supply.

Make an appointment with your GP ( they should be monitoring your thyroid health regularly after diagnosis) and ask for a full thyroid test with a view to restarting medication

FTT to include TSH, FT4, FT3, vit D, vit B12, folate and ferritin. And if not previouusly tested, thyroid antibodies TPO and Tg.

Don't take supplements before testing!

Many of us test privately....

thyroiduk.org/testing/our-v...

thyroiduk.org/testing/priva...

Come back with the results, for advice

diagnosed2013 profile image
diagnosed2013 in reply toDippyDame

Thank you DippyDame....Having to re do the iron panel test for the other ones as blood didn't get there on time so they've sent me the results above via email & I will do the other part Monday. Should I get the thyroid antibodies tested too? Only got the one done....tpo I think it was & was ok. Many thanks for your help 🙏

Only have the active b12 & hb
diagnosed2013 profile image
diagnosed2013 in reply toDippyDame

Should I get tg tested too? Only had tpo done on last thyroid function test...sorry for all the questions...& many thanks for your help 🙏

BookLover2020 profile image
BookLover2020 in reply toDippyDame

Thank you DippyDame . I will have to do the Vitamin D and Full thyroid end of the year. I do take high strength Vitamin D supplement to make sure I'm not at lower end of the range.

DippyDame profile image
DippyDame in reply toBookLover2020

Do you know that vit D should be taken with vit K2......

While vitamin D3 helps your body absorb more calcium, vitamin K2 helps your body transport it to your bones and teeth rather than letting it sit in your arteries and other soft tissues in your body. This not only helps to promote bone health, but it also helps to keep your heart healthy as well.

Milkyway88 profile image
Milkyway88

Great to hear this, Booklover. 🙌

I have to ask, what’s an NHS health check? Is it a regional thing? Same for QRisk?

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministrator in reply toMilkyway88

I posted the other day a somewhat tongue in cheek piece largely about QRISK3:

Statins, heart disease, strokes, levothyroxine doses and liothyronine. A check on the logic

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

It contains relevant links.

BookLover2020 profile image
BookLover2020 in reply toMilkyway88

Milkyway88 I think some GP Surgeries do this annual health check for people over 40.

Regenallotment profile image
RegenallotmentAmbassador

great work! Oats are one of the crops with the most heavily applied pesticides. It’s part of the harvesting process to spray off the field. A local regen farmer told me this. Always try to get organic and gluten free 🌱

BookLover2020 profile image
BookLover2020 in reply toRegenallotment

Thank you Regenallotment for this tip. I bought a Organic Scottish Oats one from M&S the other day. I hope it cooks well in a microwave.

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