I have my Blood Results in my hands... your comments PLEASE!

[bestbuddy]

I posted a couple of weeks ago - I have been hypothyroid for 12 years and have blithely just taken Levothyroxine without question despite chronic joint pain (under a rheumatologist), tinnitus, coeliac disease and lichen sclerosis.

In fact, it was this site that helped me request a Vitamin D test in the summer (was insufficient at 41 nmol) so self medicated against the advice of my GP to take 4000 - 5000iu per day ....it is now 101nmol!

Notably, I requested a vitamin B12 - GP said the NHS won't allow the active kind.

I now have my recent blood results. I took on board the advice from this forum and requested my results..as below:

Serum vitamin B12 284ng/L (ref range 223-1132) Normal-no action

Serum Folate 14.8 ug/L (range 4.6 – 18.7) Normal-no action

Serum ferritin 145 ug/L (range 14 - 186) Normal-no action

Serum parathyroid hormone 5.1 (range 1.1 – 6.9) Normal-no action

Serum vitamin D 101 nmol/L (range 50 - 125) Normal-no action (previous 41nmol)

Serum TSH 0.33 mu/L (0.30 – 5.50) adequate replacement (was 0.1 in the summer)!

Serum free T3 level 4.2 pmol/L (0.0 -7.0)

Serum free T4 level 20.6 pmol/L (11.5 – 22.7)

Are these OK??

Bone Profile:

Serum alkaline phosphatase 48 iu/L (35 - 105)

Serum gamma GT level 12 iu/L (7 - 32)

Serum calcium 2.44 mmol/L (2.13 – 2.63)

Serum inorganic phosphate 1.15 mmol/L (0.80 – 1.40)

Serum albumin 48g/L (36 – 52)

Corrected serum calcium level 2.28 mmol/L (2.13 – 2.63)

I don't know what the above bone profile indicates / please forgive the long post!!

[Marz]

I am not medically qualified but your B12 is far too low for someone who has a thyroid issue. it should be nearer 700/800 as it works at a cellular level as you are possibly aware of as you really wanted the Active B12 test. Docs really do not have a clue. Check out the Questionnaire which changes colour on b12d.org to see how you stand.... You could self medicate as B12 is water soluble and will be excreted if taken to excess.....

[Hidden]

Looks like you're not converting T4 to T3 very well, which could partly be due to your very low B12, which may be in the normal range, but that doesn't really mean anything. Have a read all around this website for further information:

b12deficiency.info/

There is nothing to stop your GP referring you to St Thomas' for the Active B12 test, it will cost you £18, but you need a GP referral letter:

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

If you contact Denise Oblein at St Thomas' she sends you an information sheet for your GP. If you live near London then great, it's a walk in centre for taking the blood. If you don't your GP can take the blood sample and post it, information on how it needs to be posted is on the information sheet.

Hampster

[bestbuddy]

Thank you for your comments. I need some to explain to me simply why it appears from these results why I am not converting T4 to T3 very well. I am such a novice.

[Joyful in reply to bestbuddy]

Hi bestbuddy

(Very) Basically - it appears that your T4 is in the higher part of the range - which should be the minimum expected, as you're on Levo, which is T4. Your T3 appears to be quite low to average in the range - which, isn't really the best scenario when your hypo & not feeling great.

T4 needs to convert in your body to T3, which is the active hormone and is found, and is needed, in every cell in your body.

There are many things which help in the conversion of T4 to T3 in your body - one of the most important being B12.

Just quickly found this explanation on the web, which, hopefully might be a little more helpful? health.howstuffworks.com/hu...

All the best and, do keep checking back with the forum for further info & any other questions you might have.

Jx

[shaws Administrator]

Your B12 is too low and if you supplement you have to buy methylcobalamin B12 (you can also get sublingual which goes straight into your bloodstream) as that is the superior one rather than cyanocobalamin. You cannot overdose with Vit B12 as excess is excreted. You should aim to have it nearer the top of the range. Vit B12 deficiency can cause lots of problems in itself.

[sky00 in reply to shaws]

may i query--i just rang healthspan where i bought my B12 & asked what kind of B12 was it, as the pack doesn't say ?! and the advisor told me it was cyanocobalamin--not methylcobalamin, & i said oh that's to bad & she said cyanocobalamin turns into methylcobalamin in the body--- i said really and she repeated yes it does.... so here i am--can anyone say is this true or not ?? obviously i want to buy what's best for ones body-- thanks for any clarity on this... sky

[shaws Administrator in reply to sky00]

Unfortunately, she was probably just an assistant. Here is the explanation between both types of B12. Mind you, most of us would normally go in and pick up B12 without knowing there was a difference. It's only when you find out you're deficient that there's two types.

dadamo.com/B2blogs/blogs/in...

[sky00 in reply to shaws]

i also just found this-- naturalnews.com/032766_cyan...

[shaws Administrator in reply to sky00]

Yes, that's good too.