Thyroid and B12 issues

[Tills62]

Hello all, I posted this post in the thyroid forum and was advised to post here before taking any more of the supplements at the bottom of the post. I'm not sure why. I just started taking these. Anyway, here is the original post. Any help much appreciated.

Hi everyone. I'm new to posting here but have been reading and lurking for a couple of years! Anyway, I wonder if anyone can help me with interpreting my blood results.

I have been feeling hypothyroid for about 10 yrs. in the last few yrs I stopped feeling cold all the time and having cold extremities, and instead started overheating, sweating all the time, and I cannot tolerate the summer weather, for example. However, all the exhaustion, weight gain, hair loss etc remained. My GP said my symptoms were due to the menopause and would not give me a thyroid test, instead he persuaded me to start HRT - which I had never planned to do. Anyway, the HRT has helped with precisely nothing. So, I saw on here the finger prick test - this was perfect for me as I have now barely left the house in the last two years and find it very difficult to go to the dr, for example.

Anyway, my thyroid results have surprised me as my TSH is so low but so too are T4 results. It seems I am also B12 deficient and maybe that is the causing all my symptoms and not my thyroid?

Also, in desperation I did a very stupid thing. I got myself some Thyroid -S and for two days took a quarter of a 1 grain tablet, then for two days I took half a grain per day, then for one day I 3/4 of a tablet. Then I discovered The existence of the finger prick test that I could do at home, so I stopped taking any Thyroid S on Friday morning and did the test on the following Monday. Could those few low doses of Thyroid S have affected my results?

Thank you for any help you can give me, And here are my results.

TSH 0.19 (0.27 - 4.2)

Total T4 58.6 (64.5 - 142)

Free T4 9.11 (12 - 22)

Free T3 4.37. (3.1 - 6.8)

Ferritin 95.4 (20-150)

CRP 1.50 (< 5.0)

Antithyroid Peroxidase abs 10.2 (<34)

Antithyroglobulin Abs < 10 (<115)

Vit D 43 (50 - 175)

B12 165 (250 - 725)

Serum Folate 10 (8.83 - 60.8)

I've just begun taking B12 (methyl type) sublingual 5000mcg bd, folate (methyl type) 1000mcg, D, 10000 iu, c, multi, multi B.

[Gambit62 Administrator]

are you taking progesterone as part of the HRT - this can actually affect your ability to absorb B12 from your diet? or it could be possible that you have another absorption problem. Supplementing with B12 can make it at best difficult and at worst impossible to get a proper diagnosis of a B12 absorption problem and your B12 levels are very low - your folate is quite low as well.

Have you read through the the pinned posts - there is lots of information there that can help you with trying to get your GP to recognise a B12 absorption pole and treat it properly.

The levels of vitamins you are taking are very high - and could potentially cause problems - vitamin D can interfere with calcium for instance - so would strongly advise that you discuss with your GP.

[Tills62 in reply to Gambit62]

Hi Gambit62, thank you for your response. The HRT I take is in patch form so I don't think that would affect absorption? I do think I have problems possibly with intrinsic factors as I've had Hpylori and I've had IBS for about twenty years.

The vit D I was only thinking of taking at this high level for six weeks, and then halving it and retesting.

I've given up on my GP, he's spent the best part of 20 yrs trying to convince me I suffer from panic attacks and depression, and now it's the menopause, and I don't even feel well enough any more to 'stand up for myself' or fight him. All he's ever done is throw lorazepam, propranolol, SSRIs, and now HRT at me. I'm now tapering off the Citalopram, which, after years of refusing, I gave in and started taking 8 months ago. But nothing has improved at all.

Anyway, Now I've had my bloods done I can see at least part of the picture so my first step is to get my nutrients back to the top of normal, then retest and test other things too.

[Gambit62 Administrator in reply to Tills62]

h pylori infection can cause B12 absorption problems but is not related to intrinsic factor.

metabolism of B12 is complicated and could possibly be affected by presence of chemicals and hormones that haven't necessarily been introduced orally.

[Maga1]

Hi,im the same as yrself hyperthyroidism, and I was symptomatic to extreme cold etc, im not menopausal yet but eventually I showed id pernicious anaemia then from there my vitamin d went lowand now my folic acid, when u have hyperthyroidism youve it all they work together I was like you so frustrated as new my body lacked vitamins, I recently put myself on a b12 cos it also borderline and 100perc I knew id all symptoms from the deficiency of it shortness of breath etc,sadly doctors dont understand thyroid as they should,its easier to say ur depressed or youve fibromylia

[Tills62 in reply to Maga1]

I agree. I'm so tired of being told I am anxious and depressed. However, frustration with Drs have made me both!

[jacrjacr]

make sure you take a b complex at the same time of taking the b12 5000 and retest in 2 mths...and u may have to lower the dosage....b vitamins work best together

make sure you are taking d3 with k2 in it available online which protects from the calcium issue mentioned. I took 5000 daily for two months and retested...

this is what dr ordered me to do and in 2 mths I came up all the way to the top of normal and I stopped taking supplements ....don't make that mistake....you may have to cut down but I learned to continue taking supplements or it will fall again...I now take de w k2 5000 4-5 times a week and b12 2500 daily under the tongue....

both of these can make you feel like you are hypothyroid and cause body aches as well...

deficiencies many times are caused by lack of acid in the gut and digestion problems so if you bloat a lot that is a sign or are constipated.....and taking enzymes with meals helps alot

[Tills62 in reply to jacrjacr]

Thank you jacrjacr, I am taking enzymes too, and I have some K2 somewhere which I will take. I am also taking a multi and a multi B. Fingers crossed.

[jacrjacr in reply to Tills62]

I meant to say a lack of b12 or d3 can make you feel like you are dragging yourself just like hypothyroidism.....and body aches and carpel tunnel and all kinds of things.......