It's often suggested to get those Vitamins and minerals tested and up to optimal levels (not just within range).
We have quite a few new members who may benefit by asking for these simple blood tests and eliminating deficiency (very common with Thyroid problems). If your doctor won't do them, it may be of benefit to have them tested privately.
For starters - Irons - ferritin, folate, B12 and Vitamin D.
Please don't underestimate their importance in solving the Thyroid puzzle. J
Thanks for this great for newbies (and some older member too) that dont know this, but I think for many of us it isn't a case of not getting tested, its more about not getting treated and not being able to afford the supplementation on top of having to buy vital medication, when on a low income.
I agree that supplements can be costly, but what price is health? even if you get a prescription it is often only temporary, but surely irons & B12 should be on permanent prescription, but rarely Vit D - my drops cost £8 for 3-4 months supply (there are cheaper ones 'tho but those suit me) of course sunshine is free, but we just don't get enough this time of year!
I tend to find that they won't test me, and rather offer ADs, betablockers or such like, simple vitamins/minerals must be cheaper in the long run! J x
Thankfully as a last resort my endocrinologist recommended a vitamin D test. This proved to be severely deficient . After two months on Vitamin D pro 3. my levels are now normal and thank god, I have my life back....Feel better than ever. so for oldies like me...vitamin D is not just for rickets.
Yes finding out I was 'inadequate' in Vitamin D, daughter deficient, supplementing has made a big difference to us too - I have even avoided bilateral carpal and cubital tunnel surgery, as pain eased.
Again it's importance is underestimated, also in osteoporosis... booklet here
Couldn't agree more Spareribs. If only our doctors understood this, and treated supplements as vital medicine for those with malabsorption, rather than reaching for the anti-Ds. I agree with susymac, it's the people who can't afford to sort this out themselves that suffer the most.
From my own experience, I can add that other minerals can also be too low (or too high). So if you've got your thyroid meds sorted, and your basic vits and mins sorted, and you still feel rough, consider mineral testing. Key ones are as mentioned iron, but also zinc, copper, magnesium, and selenium. Excess is as damaging as insufficiency, so testing prior to supplementing is vital.
H x
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Yes I only mentioned the basic few for starters. Do you know of where to get complete mineral testing? I'm aware of excess iron being bad & agree to not supplement anything unless found to be low first. (although water soluble ones are excreted, like B12 & magnesium). Brazil nuts for selenium.
Of course it shouldn't be necessary with a 'healthy diet' but there does tend to be a thyroid association.
I did try Zinc supplements - as I have no sense of smell/taste, no joy yet 'tho food is so boring!
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I got the Biolab one done, plasma mineral profile & RBC magnesium:
I persuaded my doctor to test my iron and found that my serum iron was below range and my ferritin and folate were very low in the range. I am gradually educating her by telling her about Thyroid UK and now she has agreed to test Vitamin D. I had that on Friday and am awaiting the result. I had B12 tested and that was about mid-range but I have been supplementing this since last summer (now its 477 so needs go higher).
So anyone that thinks these things probably don't apply to you, they probably do.
Low magnesium can also be responsible for muscles aches & weakness and most of us are probably deficient. Below are some helpful discussions and links healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Thankyou for the reminder. Since discovering this wonderful site I have been following the advise of many members about taking supplements and in the last eighteen months I have had my levo reduced five times going from .225 down to .137. I fully expect a further reduction in the near future down to .120 I take lots of sublingual b12 (about 10,000 mcg per day divided over the course of the day, 6,000 IU of vit D, divided into two doses am and pm, zinc, magnesium, selenium and iron supplements as well as lots of vitamin C). In the past I have always tested out as fine for iron levels however was unaware that we should be at the top range for iron and b12, so now feel much better on the supplements. Oh I also take folic acid with the b12. PS. I don't care if my improvement is just the result of the placebo effect, which research concludes is still a valid outcome.
Placebo effect indeed! - there's no funding points so the narrative is "go away & eat a healthy varied diet" grr! I always did but still got poorly so started supplementing too.
We can't ignore the effects of low Vitamins & Minerals J
Nutrition and the Thyroid
A link to post with Dr Osbourne's recent informative Video (thanks real_mission )
This is basic and brilliant - if only I could sent this to my Doctor - he really does not understand this at all, have had to fight him all the way, and this video encapsulates in a basic easy to understand way, all the research papers I have read to try to persuede my doc to do B12 and vit D tests.
I take selenium, magnesium and zinc myself - but my doc has no clue about these and their role and has never ever had a conversation with me about my thyroid - he does not want to hear that the thyroxine replacement meds are not working, and they only test the TSH.
Thank-you for posting this - it encapsulates the main areas to test, and describes it in an easy overview.
Hi everyone , I was diagnosed overactive jan this year, after having what feels like menopause during period, that's what took me to docs first place , put on proponolol by doc til got in with endo , next day endo gave carbimazole 5mg 1 a day of each ok for 3 months , within last month more panic attacks , don't wanna be on my own have a little boy , need to be with family all time , have had real bad days to the point felt like well you know BAD !!! Let myself go down hill but I rang endo 2 weeks ago they said on norm range but carry on and now carbimazole has kicked in can reduce proponolol brill cos seriously was having nitemares on it , so after going docs cos fed up feeling down muscle ache feel like another person in me , was on A&E checks blood pressure heart checks all ok!! Still not convinced ! However shaking uncontrollably tight chest muscles they gave me 4 diazepam 2mg omg more tablets , however desperate not slept after took first one had best sleep ever , all I want is sleep to feel calm relaxed , anyway it's been a week off proponolol and still on Carbi , do a have offered anti depressant , bit please no more tablets I do need something to help sleep at night cos I worry about my heart all the time damage the carbimazole and tablets are having , now diazepam it's short term want just fir emergency bad nights !!I just want a good multivitamin that will help me and pray I can safely come off Carbi get the all clear , check ups positive thinking I know '!!!! I have insisted on have water tests check my kidneys !! I go on holiday on 2 weeks I'm Soo scared I'm normally Soo looking foward I'm scared of thyroid storm happening even though on dam medication & say in normal range & without any calm to sleep it will cause heart palps seeing endo next week bloods and check up what I need think , my endo was happy for me to come off proponolol so that's good I suppose wanna eat well & sleep well x just checking my hotel has a hospital near by on holiday !! Or should I just take diazepam with me arrrrgh
I'm so sorry you're feeling so awful Binky - but folks won't see your post here, you need to ask it as a new question for knowledgeable folk to reply, I'm guessing you have Graves. Click on 'Questions' on the purple bar above, then 'Ask question' (yellow button).
Although I did have some HYPER symptoms (before my op) and was prescribed propranolol I didn't take it & I don't pretend to know anything about Graves, but very glad you got checked out at A&E - again please repost your question for folk to see and help - ((hugs)) and take care sweetie, Jane
Folate is mentioned as one of the vitamins that people may benefit from yet some replies here mention they are taking folic acid ( the synthetic version of folate). It's now known that quite a high percentage of people have a gene defect that prevents them converting folic acid to folate. You can either get tested for the defect ( expensive) or be on the safe side and take folate or look for supplements containing in the form 5-MTHF.
thanks for the links - that's why mums say 'eat your greens' aka 'foliage'.
Interesting - seems not so much as a gene defect but rather a bad copy due to toxins J
Thank you all so much for your help and advice, I asked a doctor today about these tests but he dismissed them, I have seen at least 5 docs now as experiencing sinus tachycardia...thyroid removed 10years ago...looks like I am going to have to fork out dosh for these tests to be done!
Hi, If you've already had Thyroid tests from your GP no harm asking to test related vital minerals too..
Blood tests have reference ranges (which can differ throughout the country) if he/she doesn't explain you can post your results on the forum for others' opinions.
(you can ask for a printout including ranges & try not to supplement before testing, otherwise you won't know what's needed).
Iron - All GPs should test for iron, low iron is very common - ferritin is 'stored' iron.
Folate & B12 should be tested together
Vitamin D is often low too - if the GP won't do it it's £25 here..(NHS lab)
Thanks very much. A good reminder for me too. My GP's surgery labs refused to test me for Vit D last year, and things like magnesium would be luxury form them anyway, I feel. This has prompted me to go down the self test route and I just sent a message to biolabs asking for a price on all of those tests plus magnesium....eek. Meanwhile, I'll tackle my doc again.
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