Why do my kidneys hurt on a low does of iron su... - Thyroid UK

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Why do my kidneys hurt on a low does of iron supplements? And why am I always diagnosed borderline Hypo when I have a lot of the symtoms?

s100 profile image
s100
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Hi I'm new to this site - sorry to be so long winded in my question(s) but several years ago I was unwell as I was severly anemic which caused a lot of other health problems. Every time I had a blood test it always came out borderline hypothyroid too but GP never gave me anything only iron tabs which caused me to have pain in the kidney area. Anyway lately I.have been feeling rough again - always tired, hair falling out, insomnia, no sex drive, carpel tunnel, mind fog etc so I went and got a blood test done and as I suspected results were iron deficiency and borderline hypo again. I see the GP this Friday about my results, in the meantime thought I'd try boosting my iron up by taking a low dose (25mg) liquid iron, but it's causing my kidneys to start hurting again. I've tried googling for info on this but haven't found anything yet, has anyone else found the same?

Also as I've been borderline Hypo so many times now and I have the symtoms do you think the GP would consider giving me a low dose of medication to see if it will sort these symtoms out?

Thanks in advance

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Jackie profile image
Jackie

Hi , to go through your wuestions. Thyroid can only properly be diagnosed by having tSh, T4 and Free T3 tested, often we have to have these done on line for the right treatment. GP`s , to save money often do just TSH. Any blood tests you ever have ask for print out with results, receptionist etc. this is routine, sometimes a Docs idea of normal is not ours! are you taking iron/ ferritin? has your B12 + foliates been tested, they both need to be quite high in range.Vit D hormonal, if low, corrected calcium before treated as that must always be in range. Diabetes, autoimmune, hormonal too. Renal pain feels deep inside, lots of causes. However, if thyroid low, often the Adrenal glands, sited on top of each kidney, are painful. Hope fully on the correct thyroid treatment it clears up. Other wise it is treated. Mos Endo` s prefer Spatone for iron/ ferritin. as liquid sachet , easier to digest, script or Amazon, takes a while to work.You certainly sound Hypo, classic symptoms., which is what matters, bloods show what treatment and how much you need, important for safety but how you feel best example.Have the bloods and then if Gp still unwilling to treat you, ask if she would try you on a small does for 3 months.

I hope this gives you plenty of ideas. low ferritin is common with thyroid disease and can make you feel rotten.

best wishes,

Jackie

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s100 profile image
s100 in reply toJackie

Hi Jackie and Barbara

Thank you both so much for your quick replies - I go to the GP on Friday (7th) so will ask for the results to be printed out and will let you 'experts' interpret for me on here as it's all a bit confusing. I don't know what my haemoglobin level is either - will that be on the results print out too?

To give you a bit of background, I was 51 in April and still have regular periods which can be horrendous some months and I've been diagnosed as borderline Hypo for the last few years. In Dec 2010 I had a heavy cold which resulted in me losing my voice completely for over 2 months! After several visits to the GP she finally decided my immune system was low as I was severly anemic and borderline hypo - she decided to treat the anemia only and gave me iron tabs x 3 a day, During this time I had a UTI (not had a UTI for over 20 year before then!) went to the GP who gave me antibiotics which had a reaction to the blood tabs I was taking - couldn't get rid of the infection, it went up into my kidneys and I ended up with pyelonephritis through the E-coli bacteria and spent a week in hospital. Several months later (still being tested and having borderline hypo!) I was bad again and was back in hospital again for another week with what they said was diverticulitis - I don't think they knew what it was but I was in terrible pain in my lower back and my left side. It was then they decided that I could have endometriosis so in September 2011 I had a laparoscopy where they found I had spots of it over my womb but nothing too severe, so I was put on tabs for 6 months. Since then it has been downhill really - I seem to have good and bad days but lately I feel so low - I have no energy, I forget things, I have no interest in anything, my eyes are blurry and itchy especially in the morning, work is so difficult as I'm constantly trying to keep up. Plus all the other things I mentioned in my previous post, There is a history of thyroid problems in the family - my mother had Hyper and had an 8th of it taken away quite a few years ago now and my aunt had hypo. I think the only thing that hasn't happened - I haven't put on loads of weight, as this seems to fluctuate a bit although it's not easy to lose it around my middle and I don't eat an awful lot.

Sorry to gone on a bit but I'm getting quite fed up with feeling like this now!

Thanks again

S x

Jackie profile image
Jackie in reply tos100

Hi You have had a rough time. Having had lifelong renal disease, that sounds exactly like your kidney, probably a small stone and passed in the end. I also have severe diverticulitis, nothing like that, In fact my niece had the same thing, but went on for months, she kept going to A & E and had not a clue, Then she asked me and she told them, I was right, of course!

If your thyroid is too low ( or high) then you will have an autoimmune problems most likely, n a few cases it is not autoimmune. You must insist the GP does TSH, T4 and Free T3 for a proper thyroid picture. Then ask for a print out ( receptionist) with the ranges. Easy to read, or post.. You should always do this for every blood test and always ask what is being tested.Do remember lots of tests have different ranges at different labs so essential to always have the ranges.

Good luck on Friday,

Jackie

Barbaraj profile image
Barbaraj

Do you know what your haemoglobin level is? If you are deficient in iron then this will be below range. If it is in range or above you do not need supplementary iron.

articles.mercola.com/sites/...

did you ever get to the bottom of what was going on? Going through similar - enquiring minds want to know!! :)

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