Advice on test results

[Purple_Stars]

Hello, just loooking for some advice on my test results. I had a blood test at the beginning of December that showed my TSH to be >100 and my FT4 was <2. I increased my dose of ThyroGold from one 300mg capsule daily to two.

After six weeks a blood test showed my FT4 had changed to 3.3, and another test at 7 weeks showed it to be 3.4. My TSH was still >100.

My endo is suggesting I take Levothyroxine but I have struggled with side effects in the past. Any thoughts on the blood results / slight improvement in T4. Thanks.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

suggest you go back on Levo and if Ft3 remains low once adequately treated and vitamin levels good……then get small doses T3 prescribed alongside Levo

Starting at 50mcg levothyroxine

Pay attention to which brand you use

Many members find different brands are not interchangeable

Increase Levo SLOWLY upwards in 25mcg steps ……retest 6-8 weeks after each increase

until

TSH around 1, Ft4 at least 70%

Test and maintain GOOD vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

Exactly what vitamin supplements are you taking

is your hypothyroidism autoimmune

Are you on gluten free or dairy free diet

[Purple_Stars in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank-you for your reply. Yes it's autoimmune.

I currently take Cytoplan CQ10 multivitamin and Cytoplan women's wholefood vitamin on alternate days, and Cytoplan Vit D3 with K2.

My RBC, Haemoglobin and HCT were low on my last blood test. I have started taking the above vitmains more regularly since then.

I did really struggle with different brands of Levo when I was on that a number of years ago. I'm hoping to try Tirosint if I have to go back on it.

I'm not dairy or gluten free (but low wheat/gluten). Also vegetarian.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Purple_Stars]

Multivitamins never recommended on here

They won’t help with vitamin deficiencies and most contain iodine

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Please add most recent ferritin, folate, B12 and vitamin D results

As a vegetarian especially likely to need to work harder at maintaining iron and ferritin

And B12

Improving nutrients improves conversion

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Many, (most?) thyroid patients need to supplement a separate vitamin D, magnesium and Vitamin B complex

Some need separate B12 especially initially/vegetarian

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 3-5 days before testing

Medichecks iron panel test

medichecks.com/products/iro...

Look at increasing iron rich foods in diet

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.

[Purple_Stars in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks for the above information. I will ask my consultant or GP to test my ferritin, B12, folate and Vit D as they have not done them recently. Thanks.