I went to the doctors to find out why I wasn't having regular periods for the past year (44years old). She diagnosed me with hypothyroidism and perscribed 25mcg levo because of my high antibodies. I stayed on this dosage for 6 weeks with lots of aches & pains. After reading lots of good information on this site i asked for an increase in dosage to try & get my periods back as I didn't want to be pushed into an early menopause. She agreed to 50mcg but she stated 'I am in range & she doesn't perscribe on symptoms only on test results'.
The doctor was happy with my vitamin levels but reading into them I decided to take supplements as I have been told not to come back for a year and so I thought I needed to help myself so I am taking Holland & Barrett B12 1000 and Feroglobin plus with zinc, b complex & vit D. Should I be supplementing & I am taking the correct ones?
Doesn't seem to be too bothered about my high cholesterol and I haven't had a period for 6 months, she just told me to take calcium. I feel very low & tired but she won't increase dosage anymore and told me to come back next year to discuss HRT!
26/3 Tsh 12.2 range 10-26
T4 11.5 0.2-5
Serum oestradiol level 187 pmol/L normal
Serum FSH 88 iu/L
Serum LH 54 iu/L
2/5 Tsh 4.2
T4 13.7
TPO 1159 0-50
26.5 Cholesterol 5.9
27/6 Tsh 2.69
T4 17.9
9/7 TPO 1221
Serum 25-HO vit D2 0.8 nmol/l
Serum 25-HO vit D3 67.2 nmol/l
Combined total 67.2 Greater than 75 optimal.
Serum Folate 12.2 ng/mL range 6.60-18.70ng/mL
Serum Ferritin 24 ng/mL normal range 13-150
Serum vit B12 484pg/mL normal range low below 122 normal above 183.
20/8 Tsh 1.7 (took levo)
T4 20.6
TPO 1060
Cholesterol 6.4
26/9 Tsh 1.14
T4 18.3
Cholesterol 6
Fsh 127 iu/L
LH 100 iu/L
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skimmy
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Your iron levels are low and if iron is low then the body is unable to use thyroid medication properly. Your ferritin levels need to be over 70 but nearer 90.
If you are going to supplement iron then it needs to be taken with meals to avoid damage to the lining of the gut and with VitC so that the body can absorb it.
You may need to always take a low maintenance dose once you have your levels up as some people don't store iron very well. Several members of my family have this problem so always have to take some iron. It is important that you get tested regularly though.
Low ferritin can make you feel rubbish even if you are not anaemic and don't have a thyroid problem.
As you have high antibodies you probably will always need to take a maintenance size of vitamin D, preferably with vitamin k2. You may also find that a selenium supplement helps to stop the antibodies getting out of control.
Don't worry about your cholesterol. It's not normally a problem unless it is very high and you have coronary artery disease or have had a heart attack or angina. Statins to lower your cholesterol are likely to do more harm than good. They have no benefit for women and limited benefit for men and even then they only benefit men who have previously had a heart attack. Cholesterol is extremely important and you will be worse off with a lower level than a slightly high level. Statins are also contraindicated for thyroid patients.
I suspect you will stay to feel somewhat better as your ferritin rises.
You are taking a good combination of supplements. You may benefit from the addition of selenium and magnesium too.
I have been taking ferrous sulphate 200mcg's for about 7 months now and my ferritin level has gone from a very low 12 to 63 and the more my iron improves the more I have had to reduce my levo as iron help the body convert the levo you are taking into the T3 it needs. It is also vital for the body to be able to uptake the T3 into the cells, which is where it is needed to stop symptoms, so I kept finding myself going overmedicated.
I take it just after my lunch and with a very good vitc powder in a little made up orange squash, my GP told me to take it with pure orange juice but I do not like the pure juices so took another route. I dont know if the obsorption would be the same as taking it with a good vitc powder but, in the long run, I dont think it would be any cheaper, in actual fact I think it would cost more to go down the pure juice route.
Iron needs to be kept, at least, four hours away from all thyroid medication, which is why I take mine at lunchtime and my levo at bedtime.
Have you had a vitd test as it can be quite dangerous to supplement vitd without being tested first. The more vitamin D you take the more calcium your body will make and if you are taking vitd whilst not really needing it then your body will be making extra calcium, which means your it will start depositing the unwanted calcium in the kidneys (kidney stones) or possible more serious places. I would get a vitd test done before taking anymore vitd if I were you. Thyroid suffer dont normal take multi vitamins but take specific vitamins for specific low vitamins
Your B12 could be a little bit higher but not to much higher, although with b12 your body will get rid of any excess through your urine.
If it was me, firstly I would think about changing my GP as her attitude towards you and your illness is appalling. She seems a very uncaring sort of GP going by her attitude towards you and the key to getting better with this illness is to have a good GP behind you. Has she ever mentioned an illness called hashimotos?
Have a look at this link as an auto immune illness (hashimotos) is different to being hypothyroid -the reatment is the same but the illness is different. Your TPO levels are high so with link could interest you.
After reading about hashimotos on this site I asked for an antibodies test and she agreed but told me it wouldn't change the medication I need. I am concerned that its a possible link with early menopause and there doesn't seem anything I can do about it as I am on the "right dosage." Thanks for your reply Moggie, it was very helpful.
200mcgs of iron seems small. Would it not be 200mgs? I was told on another site to take 200mgs of iron for a few months cos my ferritin was on the floor, then to get tested in case going too high. The iron I take is chelated (Bluebonnet), but mgs not mcgs. Maybe yours is stronger?
Thanks so much for clearing that up, Moggie. Could you tell me - how long does it take on the 200mgs to get that ferritin level up. I've only been on been on it 3 wks and no noticeable result yet in terms of improvement in symptoms. I thought it might take a couple of months but I see it's taken 7 months with you. But wow you've got a significant result there so that's good news
This post is 3 months old so yes I was on the for 7 or 8 months but then I got a really horrible matallic taste in my mouth so I stopped them for a month and got retested (ferritin was the 67 so still not quite there) and have now gone back on them again,
Apparently if you get a matallic taste in your mouth it is a sign that the body has enough iron but I really want to get my levels over 80, as it can help with hair loss at 80 or above, so having stopped for while the matallic taste has gone so will try again to see if I can get my levels a little higher.
Thanks, Moggie. I'll definitely persist now though I was getting disheartened. I'm only just about a month on so far so I suppose I was expecting too much to feel better already. I'm shoving so much into me plus the Westhroid P! Glad to hear you were successful and that your'e feeling better. Best of luck x
Its so to get disheartened isn't it but dont give up and yes a month on iron will not have done much yet so keep going (you are taking it with a good VitC supplements and food arn't you?) and you'll get there in the end.
Good luck with it and just shout if you have any more questions or need more advice.
Cheers, Moggie. Appreciate the advice. Yes, taking it with vit C & bioflavinoids (easier on my tummy) - got it on iHerb.com. But I didn't realise it was to be on empty stomach until you said it. In fact I thought it was the opposite for better absorption! But since you said it, I've been taking it with food. I used to take Floradix liquid iron (not v strong) and the bottle said empty stomach about 20 mins before meals. But with the 200mg dose we're on I can see it might hard on tummy without food. Glad you told me 'cos I'm coeliac and tummy problems are the last thing I need. x
If taken on an empty stomach it can cause damage to the lining of the gut - you are o.k taking it 20 mins before food but not hours before any food or on a completely empty stomach. My endo told me with food so this is what I did and my levels have risen nicely so I must have been doing something right.
No a hash's diagnoses wont change your medication but she should be alerting you to the fact the it is an auto immune illness and therefore other problems could occur. Lots of people with Hash's have gut issue from being unable to absorb their thyroid medication and vitamins (hence why we find ourselves low in B12, VitD, iron etc) to being wheat intolerant. Its not so much that your doctor has to treat you differently but that you are aware other problems could be going on as well. An auto immune illness means that your body is attacking itself and this is not always limited to your thyroid.
Again I stress - change your doctor as this one seems to have as much compassion as a lump of wood. A good doctor is the key to getting better and with this one as your GP you will struggle.
You're so right. I had no idea of any of this until I learned myself recently through sites like this. I wish I'd had this good advice 14 years ago when I first became ill. Years of unnecessary suffering due to GPs ignorance and endocrinologists were every bit as uninformed and sometimes plain wrong
I thought when I picked my doctor (because she's young) that she would be more interested with treating all my ailments but she has left me to figure it all out myself and with not knowing what to do about my cholesterol as I have a good diet already (don't eat meat). Next time I'm due for blood tests I'll request another doctor and hopefully they'll deal with all my issues & not just my thyroid! I'm hoping the supplements I'm taking will lift my mood as we head into winter. Thanks for your help x
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