Hello I'm posting on behalf of my partner, who just had these medichecks done. I'm also hypothyroid, hashi and have P.A and cortisol issues which have all affected my vit/min absorption so I've been worried about him for ages.
For the last few years he's become extra tired and achy, he's put on loads of weight. He's my full time carer as I've been very ill, and we have alot of stress and about to be moved from mould. Even so I'm not sure what has caused what.
He has also had raised ALT the last 3 years, (untested this yr) and for the 1st couple of years he was taking Sertraline meds, so assumed it was those and he eats very healthy on the whole, with some treats but nothing like the sugar fiend he used to be many years ago!
Anyway last year he started getting horrible blood sugar crash spells a couple hours after eating - it feels like hes in a rapidly dropping lift and has to gorge on food to stop from the feeling of passing out. Cold sweats and trembling. Has now been dx with Reactive Hypoglycaemia (where pancreas produces too much glucose in one go after eating) and so not diabetic. All HBA1C (sp?) tests have been good. But I have since read you need fasting glucose tests too for more clarity? About 10 years ago in one of his v active jobs he also had a few RH spells too but the past year has been awful. He tries to treat with higher protein diet etc but told there's no cure apparently, no cause they know of. I'm trying to find out any connection with thyroid and/or P.A as liver enzymes likely still high, tho gp is rubbish and does think an issue, and of course pancreas is Endocrine.
His results today as follows. He fasted and drank only water, took at 8.30am -
CRP HS - 2.05 mg/L (<3)
Ferritin - 120 ug/L (30 - 518)
Folate - sample error!
Active B12 - 102 pmol/L (37.5 - 187.50)
Vitamin D - 30.5 nmol/L (50 - 250)
TSH - 2.38 miU/L (0.27 - 4.2)
FT4 - 15.5 pmol/L (12 - 22)
FT3 - 7.1 pmol/L (3.1 - 6.8)
Tgab - 13.7 kIU/L (0 - 115)
Tpoab - <9 kIU/L (0 - 35).
To my novice eyes and going by own experience, it's looking like may be hyperthyroid and Medichecks dr said that too but it could be transient and to test in 3 months - and his TSH and FT4 were ok but I'm not so sure?
He does have *hypo* and high cholesterol in his wider family too, also type 1 diabetes and P.A. I wouldn't be surprised if his mum has hashi and /or hypo, she won't be tested though. Her sister (so my partners auntie ) has hypo and P.A though. I wouldn't say optimally treated either sadly .
I know very little about hyper, but Im guessing it would explain his terrible vit D, I also think his ferritin could be higher. Mine always needs to be optimal along with other cofactors especially with P.A.
Wonder about iron panel maybe needed too? And such a shame folate didnt process but last year on GP test was only about 8 so def not optimal. Inclined to think he's hyper hence low on so many vitamins poor guy.
Also wondering if it could well be mould too causing issues? As we've lived in it 9 years and finally being rehoused in next few weeks! I was hypo and had P.A prior to this I think but mould def hasn't helped me. But with his family history I fear the mould may not be to blame for him too.
Active B12 looks good I think tho, having said this as i know full well active B12 isn't definitive either, and intrinsic factor and other tests are needed etc. P.a can hide, as mine did and a private B12 and iron specialist dx me last year, where the GPs failed me (like thyroid!).
His thyroid antibodies are good but mine were also good when I was first diagnosed hypothyroid 2 years ago.... but have since flared at other testing times so finally dx hashi last year. So I don't trust that he could have had lower antibodies during testing and needs subsequent tests while flaring. Which is ofc hit and miss .. just wondering what and when?
Sorry for onslaught of info as I'm so ill rn but just incase anyone can advise please? I will get him on the same Vit D protocol as me and folate too... maybe some spatone or something to increase ferritin? Would getting vits sorted help at mo and see if helps FT3 level later on? Am so confused as don't know what to expect with hyper. Thanks so much if you read all this 🙏
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Thanks so much. I think the FT3 totally threw me, even though I was initially concerned his TSH/FT4 weren't great. The combination of all 3 was clearly too much for my current brain fog! Thanks very much for explaining. I'll get him on the vits and mins as you advised and hope for a miracle that thyroid doesn't get worse!
Please could I ask, have we caught it in time? I mean the damage from poss hashi to hypo? It happened for someone I know, but it never would've for me. My TSH/FT4 were both about 8 when dx and I was so ill. Or is it likely he'll continue going hypo? Thanks again
I take it that you suspect hyper due to the high FT3. But you cannot just take one result and base a diagnosis on it, you have to look at all three. And his TSH says his thyroid is struggling. His FT4 is only 35% through the range.
Someone with no thyroid problems would generally have a TSH around 1, FT4 around 50% through the range, with FT3 slightly lower. Having an FT3 higher than the FT4 is often a sign that the thyroid is failing. it could possibly be failing due to Haqhi's because you cannot rule that out on the basis of one negative test. Antibodies fluctuate, plus a good percentage of Hashi's people never even have high antibodies. But that seems to me the most logical explanation of these results. I certainly wouldn't suspect hperthyroidism. But you do need to keep and eye on this and see how things evolve.
The medichecks' doctor comments should always be taken with a grain of salt. They are just ordinary GPs, not thyroid experts, and don't know any more about it than any other GP. They will just look at the obvious and not bother to analyse the rest. Not worth asking for.
Thanks very much for explaining, I appreciate it. I think the FT3 really threw me as initially I was concerned about his TSH/FT4 but the combination of all 3 really confused me. I'm not thinking very clearly at the moment and just saw raised FT3 and clearly made an assumption! Also the medi Dr worried me too...I also rarely listen to them but I guess the mention of hyper threw me into panic. Oops!
I do worry about him due to hashi/hypo being in his family, so yes also don't trust the antibody test either. Like I said when I was first dx my antibodies were great but then pretty high last year, thankfully they showed in my P.A testing with the specialist so he could dx me hashi. Not that GP or ENT (I have small nodules) thought it mattered 🥴
Will get him on the vits and mins and keep an eye like you suggested , thankyou. Ive been nagging him for a year about this and he finally relented, ive been so worried as his symptoms fit hypo thanks again
Sorry I meant to ask do you think its too late to stop hashi progressing to hypo? Last year his TSH was 1, FT4 wasn't dint then though. Just wondering if we can stop hashi in its tracks by supplementing or is it too late? It happened for a friend of mine but was too late fir me. Thanks again and sorry another question!
You cannot stop Hashi's progressing at any point. There is no way of doing that. The immune system has decided that the thyroid is the enemy and it will continue attacking until the thyroid is destroyed. It has nothing to do with supplements, or anything else known to medical science at this point. Maybe one day they will find a cure but it hasn't happened yet.
Oh sorry think I was confused yet again, I think I've read about getting hashi into remission and if interventions like supps can slow down the onset or anything, can that be a possibilityor unlikely?
So looking at his labs he's defo hypo then, is that how I need to read this? My friend had awful TSH and then corrected her iron and B12 deficiency and other deficiencies and it's all fine now so I guess I was hoping for the same kind of thing for my partner.
I'm so sorry I'm under so much stress and ill so my brain fog is ridiculous atm. Thanks so much for your patience with me! 🌸
Optimising your nutrients could make you feel better, because low nutrient levels cause symptoms. And might help a bit with conversion. But it won't have any effect on the Hashi's itself.
Yes, Hashi's can go into temporary remission, but that has nothing to do with nutrients. That happens when coming down from a Hashi's 'hyper' swing, your levels can stay euthyroid for a period of time - sometimes quite a long time - but sooner or later you will go hypo again and the attacks on the thyroid will continue.
It often happens that, during this period of remission, people will claim to have 'cured' their Hashi's by whatever means and stop their thyroid hormone replacement. I've seen it time and again on thyroid forums. But, in the end, they always have to go back on their hormone.
Your partner was not hypo at the moment of doing those labs, but his thyroid was struggling. However, with Hashi's levels can jump around a lot, so a week, or a month, later, things could look quite different. And, if he has Hashi's, he will become hypo at some point.
Without knowing more details about your friend, I cannot comment. But, if she has Hashi's, correcting her nutritional deficiencies will not cure it.
Thanks so much. Yes I think my friend thinks cutting out gluten and getting her deficiencies has stopped it, I tried to tell her you can't actually stop it but she doesn't seem to understand. I'm pretty sure my being off gluten for years has helped me, but I know I'll always have to live with it. So gutted for my partner , this disease sucks! I really appreciate you taking the time to explain it all, I get so confused by the whole thing, thankyou so much, again!
Yes, it's quite common for people to think like that, and not be able to accept that you can't stop it. The thing with gluten is that if you have Hashi's you are more likely to be gluten-intolerant - or even have Coeliac Disease - which will cause symptoms. Cut out gluten and those symptoms will improve, but it won't have any effect on the Hashi's.
Thanks very much, the worrying thing is my friend is certain she is coeliac, and I'm pretty sure I am too.. but she thinks stopping gluten will stop the attack just like taking vitamins will. We both saw the same B12 / iron specialist who is amazing, I self inject every other day (NHS totally failed us both) and he's great but apparently he told her that likely celiac and also all her many allergies were the cause of her P.A and hashis. I'm not sure if he really said this, he didn't to me, or if she misunderstood. She can be very black and white about things. I think my allergies are actually the result of dysregualted immune system and causing imbalances, my mcas is secondary but i know for some its primary . But either way I just want to feel better, whereas she seems adamant hers are all dealt with now. I do urge her to keep tabs on her thryoid tests but I don't think she's listening sadly. At least I can help my partner in some way. I really appreciate your sound advice, thankyou 🌸
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