Hi. I have just had some more blood test results back:
B12 340ng/l (Range 120 - 165)
Folate 10.4ug/l (no range given i did ask!)
Ferritin 19ug/l (range 11 - 307)
TSH 2.08 (Range 0.34 - 5.6)
T3 4.2 (Range 3.8 - 6)
T4 13.9 (Range 7.5 - 20.00)
I have read that in order for levothyroxine to work best that certainly folate and ferritin need to be optimal but it would seem that the medical centre i go to is saying that everything is okay. I am currently taking 125mcg levothyroxine daily and no supplements. I feel exhausted most of the time, i am getting strange tingling sensations in my face, hands and feet. Any advice would be most appreciated. Thanks.
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1973GB
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B12 and Ferritin are LOW....only about 20% of the B12 showing in your blood can be used at a cellular level where it is needed. No wonder you are feeling tired and tingly.
b12d.org is another good one where there is a questionnaire that changes colour according to your B12 status.
Considering your T4 dose the thyroid results are also LOW. You may feel better with a TSH of 1 or below. Do you have Hashimotos ? Have your anti-bodies been tested ?
I am wondering if maybe i can ask my Doctor to up the levothyroxine from 125mcg - 150mcg or would i better off taking some B12,Folate and Ferritin or a good combined B vitamin? I have done the B12d.org and came out at 66 which i am guessing is low? I do have antibodies but have not been diagnosed as having hashimotos disease. The endocrinologist i saw a couple of months ago seems to think my treatment was started to early!!!
It is probably best to improve your Iron/B12 status before increasing the dose of T4. As good levels are needed for conversion of T4 into the ACTIVE T3. Taking a B Complex is not adequate in most cases as you will need to take more than the suggested dose in order to obtain enough B12. That may involve overdosing on some of the other B's.... Amazon sell B12 patches - Hi-Strength which may help with all the B's, Folic Acid too.
Do you have your Anti-bodies result - with range ? Gut issues ? The result of 66 is not the same as a blood test result.
Sorry range 15 - 300 but last year it was 88 same range and when I posted on this forum the level and range this when I got replies saying it was O.K. as it was over 70
Folks, I'm confused. I asked about what ReallyFedUp advised on the Facebook Thyroid site (USA) and the administrators have told me: The units (ug/L) your lab uses to measure your ferritin are international/universal. To shoot for mid-range 200 may not necessarily end up helping you feel any better. It appears although ranges differ, the optimal level does not. Your range is a broader range but optimal should be 70 - 90.
reallyfedup123 - I'm confused now! My own ferritin is 153 ug/L (range 23-393) I asked about what you mentioned re being half way in the range, on the Facebook Thyroid site (USA one), and the administrators told me this: ' The units (ug/L) your lab uses to measure your ferritin are international/universal. To shoot for mid-range 200 may not necessarily end up helping you feel any better. It appears although ranges differ, the optimal level does not. Your range is a broader range but optimal should be 70 - 90.' Any thoughts??
Yes, stop worrying. You are already above the 70-90 optimal range and not far off the half way range. Ferritin is a moveable feast. It's a iron storehouse the body can call on when it needs more iron and it's a dump the body chucks excess iron back into. Low ferritin needs iron supplementation and high (over range) ferritin needs investigation as it can denote illness and possible liver disease/damage.
Yes, but according to The US forum folk, I must have inflammation with ferritin of 153, but my WBC, ESR and CPR are all perfect, so I don't see where inflammation could be from. My pernicious anaemia and thyroid are all being looked after with B12 injections and Erfa dessicated thyroid hormone and I follow coeliac diet and take iron - yet T3 remains at low end of range and TIBC (iron) is low as is RBC (red cell count) and I have rotten muscle aches all over...when I try to raise Erfa past 2 grains I get worse unless I take massive doses of iron (taking chelated iron from Bluebonnet)...then I get a little better RBC and TIBC, but not much...
PS Liver function tests are great - well within normal range. Cholesterol HDL ratio is 2.6, which doc calls 'excellent'. So I'm really puzzled about this high ferritin. Anything else besides liver that causes it? I do have poor glucose tolerance on the challenge test (albeit in the presence of normal fasting glucose of 5..)
I suspect that taking massive amounts of iron will be the reason you have ferritin of 153, nevertheless it isn't high being less than halfway in range.
Muscle aches can also be caused by low vitamin D and B12. I assume you are having regular B12 shots but has your vitamin D been checked?
There have been problems reported with Erfa in the last few months. Have you considered changing brand or even adding in some T3 to your Erfa to raise your FT3?
It's a real pain isn't it? The US forum folk are telling me I must have inflammation with ferritin of 153, but my WBC, ESR and CPR are all perfect, so I don't what could be signalling inflammation...
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