Hello. I am a 44-year-old male, and I have autoimmune hypothyroidism.
In June 2017, my situation was the following:
I had been taking Synthroid 125 (5 times per week) and Synthroid 137 (2 times per week), for about 2.5 years. I had been taking methylcobalamin Vitamin B12 (4000 mcg per week), for about 1.5 years. I had not taken any Vitamin D supplements for 5 years. I had never taken any Selenium or Vitamin E supplements.
In June 2017, I had some blood tests, and these were the results:
FT4 = 1.53 (normal range = 0.82 - 1.77)
FT3 = 3.3 (normal range = 2.0 - 4.4)
TSH = 0.084 (normal range = 0.450 - 4.500)
Vitamin D, 25-Hydroxy = 24.4 (normal range = 30 - 100)
Vitamin B12 = 873 (normal range = 211 - 946)
Folate (Folic Acid) (serum) = 13.3 (normal range = >3.0)
Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol) (serum) = 7.9 (normal range = 5.3 - 17.5)
Selenium (serum/plasma) = 136 (normal range = 79 - 326)
After the June 2017 blood tests, I lowered my Vitamin B12 dosage. I started alternating between 4000 mcg per week and 3000 mcg per week. In other words, one week, I would take 4000 mcg. The next week, I would take 3000 mcg. Everything else (Synthroid, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, and Selenium) stayed the same.
In December 2017, I had some blood tests, and these were the results:
FT4 = 1.42 (normal range = 0.82 - 1.77)
FT3 = 2.9 (normal range = 2.0 - 4.4)
TSH = 0.106 (normal range = 0.450 - 4.500)
Vitamin D, 25-Hydroxy = 19.0 (normal range = 30 - 100)
Vitamin B12 = 878 (normal range = 232 - 1245)
After the December 2017 blood tests, everything (Synthroid, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, and Selenium) stayed the same.
In late October 2018, I had some blood tests, and these were the results:
FT4 = 1.00 (normal range = 0.82 - 1.77)
FT3 = 3.0 (normal range = 2.0 - 4.4)
TSH = 3.010 (normal range = 0.450 - 4.500)
Vitamin D, 25-Hydroxy = 17.0 (normal range = 30 - 100)
Vitamin B12 = 304 (normal range = 232 - 1245)
Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol) = 7.2 (normal range = 7.0 - 25.1)
Vitamin E (Gamma Tocopherol) = 0.6 (normal range = 0.5 - 5.5)
Selenium (serum/plasma) = 174 (normal range = 91 - 198)
As you can see, the FT4 has plunged from the June 2017 and December 2017 values. The Vitamin B12 also has plunged from the June 2017 and December 2017 values. The FT3 went down from June 2017 to December 2017, but went up from December 2017 to late October 2018.
As for hypothyroidism symptoms, lately I have had excessive constipation. Also, I feel cold and pain in my lower back. And I have a wound on my leg that, in my view, is taking too long to fully heal.
In July 2018, I had CMP, CBC, and cholesterol blood tests. Everything was normal, except the following:
Platelet Count = 111 (normal range = 150 - 400)
Mono% = 12.4 (normal range = 4 - 12)
BUN = 22 (normal range = 6 - 20)
But I've had these abnormal values for years. These values are nothing new.
Because I was feeling pain in my groin area, I had a urinalysis in August 2018 and an ultrasound of my scrotum in September 2018. The urinalysis showed presence of uric acid and calcium oxalate, a squamous epi level of 5, a pH of 5.0 (normal range = 5.0 - 8.0), and a specific gravity of 1.031 (normal range = 1.005 - 1.030). I thought that the urinalysis showed kidney stones, but the primary doctor said that I was just dehydrated.
The ultrasound showed a small varicocele on one of my testicles. Varicoceles are similar to varicose veins in the leg.
There has been a significant change in my diet in the last few months. I've been eating shrimp from time to time. I noticed that the shrimp contains calcium (60 mg, 6%), and I know that calcium interferes with thyroid hormone.
So, given all of the above information, what is causing my FT4 and Vitamin B12 levels to plunge? My endo and I will be meeting soon, but she has already said that she thinks that my TSH, FT4, FT3, and B12 levels are great. So, she is clearly basing her opinion only on the normal range.
Thanks for any info.