Please take a look at my blood tests and help if you can

[rollonsummerrunning]

Serum folate 5.3ug/l (3.0 - 17.0)

Serum B12 790ng/l (211 - 911)

Serum TSH *0.17 mlU/L (0.2 - 4.0)

Free T4 16.6pmol/L (10.0 - 30.0)

25 OH vitamin D 60 nmol/L

HB 141 g/L (130 - 160)

I have other results too. I'm suffering with terrible air hunger/breathless feeling. Headaches, tiredness and brain fog. Feeling fed up, a bit jittery and very irritable. My GP seems happy with my bloods except says I may be a little overmedicated. This air hunger is driving me mad, anyone have any suggestions on how I can improve it? I'm taking 100micro grams levothyroxine a day, on an empty stomach, an hour before food. Please help.

[PinkNinja]

Your folate is on the low sod. It might be wise to take folic acid and a b vitamin complex.

It could also be that your iron is lost than it should be. Your haemoglobin is low in range which suggests your iron and/or ferritin (stored iron) are also lots in range. If your ferritin is below 70 you may well benefit from taking an iron supplement. Low iron could be contributing to the air hunger too. I think it would be a good idea to get son iron and ferritin checked.

I hope you find the answer.

Carolyn x

[rollonsummerrunning]

Hi Carolyn, my ferritin in Sept was 86 ng/ml (10 - 322). The more I read about hypothyroidism, the more confused I get. Whats worse, when I go to the GP, I forget what I was going to tell her. Huh!

[Clutter]

Notebook, mate. Invaluable

I don't think you're overmedicated, your FT4 could be higher in range. I'm feeling stupid, is your vitD 60? If so, I think it's barely sufficient and 2,000-5,000iu until summer could make a big difference.

If you supplement iron, as Carolyn suggests, take it with 1000mg vitC to aid absorption and at least 4 hours away from your thyroid medication.

[rollonsummerrunning]

Hi Clutter, yes my vitD is 60, was told it was nothing to worry about, as if it was 61 it would not be insufficient.

[Clutter in reply to rollonsummerrunning]

I thought under 75 was insufficient. Whatever, it's low in range and I'd supplement until summer.

[mummytina]

Sorry to be divvy but what is "air hunger " never heard of it.

Pardon my ignorance

Tina x

[rollonsummerrunning in reply to mummytina]

Hi Mummytina, I feel like I can't get enough air in, like the air that I breathe doesn't satisfy my body. Sorry if that doesn't sound right, but I find it difficult to explain. It's not like a wheeze, more like a 'feeling' of lack of oxygen. X

[helvella Administrator]

Are you supplementing B12?

Your result looks pretty good - but if you are supplementing then you can get high serum B12 results whilst still being effectively low!

Low B12 is often referred to in air hunger.

Rod

[shaws Administrator]

Scientific studies have also been done re hypo and air-hunger. Maybe you need T3 added or T3 altogether. This is a link and first question applies.:-

web.archive.org/web/2010103...

[rollonsummerrunning]

Thank you all for your kind help and advice. I'll start with iron supplement with vitC and see how that goes. X