Update from previous post B12 serum levels ....

[Ktchard]

Good morning, 

I recently had a full mot at the Dr's because I'm suffering from chronic pain and fatigue also the tingling problems with my vision & balance, the list could go on anyway.

My vitamin b12 levels are in the UK are at the high end of normal which is 787 ng/L

I had thyroid function which was 

Serum tsh level is 1.65 mU /L

Serum free T4 level is 12 pmol /L

Folate level is 11.3 ug/L 

Serum ferritin is 33 ug/L 

It seems that all my levels are fine what do you guys think of this 

Thanks for your time 😊

[humanbean]

Do you have reference ranges for your results? Usually reference ranges are numbers in brackets after the results e.g. an imaginary example 20 nmol/L (10 - 30)

[Ktchard in reply to humanbean]

Hi human bean 

Yes sorry I didn't look at those ..

Serum tsh level is 1.65mu/L  (0.30 -4.40) 

Serum free t4 12 pmol/L  (9.0-19.1) 

Serum B12  787 ng/L  (180-900)

Serum folate 11.3 ug/L  > 2.4 

Serum ferritin 33 ug/ L  (15-300 ) 

I also had a full blood count but Il put that up if need be 

Thanks for your interest 😊

[humanbean in reply to Ktchard]

In my non-medical and untrained opinion...

Your ferritin (iron stores) level is too low for you to feel at your best and you would probably feel better if you supplemented. On the Thyroid UK forum on this site, which I use a lot, the general advice for people with low ferritin is that it should be about mid-range for best health, which on the test you had done is approximately 150 or 160 (reference ranges vary from lab to lab and test to test so always check).

I've been extremely iron deficient in the past, and improving my iron levels made a massive improvement in how well I felt. I was struggling to get upstairs and was constantly breathless before getting my levels up. That is a thing of the past now.

There are difficulties to be aware of though, when improving iron levels. People absorb iron at different rates. Some people might repair a low level within 3 - 4 months, others might take up to 2 years, some might never get their levels up very high at all. Regular testing is vital because iron is poisonous in overdose, so people must not overshoot their target.

To improve absorption of iron it is a good idea to take each dose of iron with a decent dose of vitamin C. This also helps to mitigate the constipation that people often get with iron supplements, since vitamin C in fairly high dose is a laxative.

For information on how NHS doctors would treat low iron (if they bothered to), look at this page from the British National Formulary :

evidence.nhs.uk/formulary/b...

It is possible to get prescription strength iron supplements from some pharmacies without a prescription. (Boots insist on a prescription but Tesco pharmacy and Lloyds don't). Avoid ferrous sulphate, it is very poorly tolerated.

A non-prescription iron supplement that is popular and well-tolerated is iron or ferrous bisglycinate. Solgar sell this as Gentle Iron, but there is lots of choice of brand on Amazon.

For more authoritative information on iron this website is helpful, but can be heavy going in places :

irondisorders.org/

Ignore the fact they are trying to sell something. Much of the iron information they supply is worth reading.

irondisorders.org/Websites/...

irondisorders.org/Websites/...

I like the table at the bottom of the second link and have found it helpful in the past.

[Ktchard in reply to humanbean]

Hi thanks human bean it's only now I noticed this post my gp thinks my ferritin is fine so Il check what is considered normal & go from there thanks 

[humanbean in reply to Ktchard]

If you can't get your doctor to test your ferritin often enough for your liking you can pay for blood tests privately without involving a doctor.

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

The above link gives you lots of info. Finger prick tests are convenient and obviously don't require phlebotomy and you can get those here :

homebloodtests.co.uk/

bluehorizonmedicals.co.uk/

Obviously quite a few tests require phlebotomy. The Spire and Nuffield testing sites listed in my first link include phlebotomy in the price. Some NHS hospital phlebotomy departments will take blood for private testing (for a price, which varies enormously from free up to about £30 - buyer beware and shop around). Obviously in that case the blood is taken and then given back to you to deal with yourself.

If you want to follow up on the thyroid numbers you could join the Thyroid UK forum and ask what they think :

healthunlocked.com/thyroiduk

Good luck.

[Ktchard]

Thanks for the info 😊 have a nice day.