Could someone help me with my blood tests?I

[Abbychaya]

Have been suffering exhaustion, fatigue, extreme hair loss over the last 7 months. Living in Malta so not sure about results

Am 50, still menstruating, fit and healthy up to now, but so exhausted and depressed can't do any exercise. Skin and hair dreadful, dry and dead looking.. Depression, anxiety, feeling alone, have been suicidal over last few months.. the low energy is the thing that's really getting me down. I have also been told in previous health checks my cholesterol was high..

Tests done on 2/3/2014 in Malta

Iron 18.6 umol/L(6.6-26)

FT4 - 18.3 - 12-22

FT3 - 4.6 2.8-7.1

TSH 3.0 0.27-4.2

*updated results*

tests in uk on 23 April

TSH 2.36 (.35-3.50)

FT4 14 (8-21)

Ferritin 27 (23-300)

B12 415 (130-1100)

folate 10.4 (2.7-15.0)

Cholesterol 7.1 (3.6-5)

Oh yeah, Doctor says everything is normal and no they wont' investigate my thyroid function!

thank you

[Abbychaya]

Thank you, I have an appointment with my doc in UK, hope to get some answers/treatment have felt terrible.. thanks so much

Abby

[Hidden]

It is very common as women approach menopause to become depleted with most vitamins and supplements even if they were eating very healthfully and not supplementing adequately.

With these deficiencies, thyroid functioning becomes affected.

Although your TSH levels of 3.0 is considered normal by many doctors and even consultants, your thyroid is showing signs of struggle; hence, the fatigue, hair loss, high cholesterol, anxiety and depression.

The following vitamins and minerals are vital for your thyroid and general well-being:

Vitamin A, B12, B1, B6 (and balanced with a good b-complex), D,

Minerals: iron, zinc, magnesium

You'd be surprised how much difference it will make once you raise your levels to near optimal.

[Abbychaya in reply to Hidden]

Dear Melanie London, thank you for this advice.. i've also had some further tests that reveal early stage kidney disease.. High cholesterol yes B12 appears to be within normal range 415 and serum folate 10.4 am taking iron, and biotin, but will also add the zinc and magnesium...

[Hidden]

Dear Abbeychaya,

Your B12 levels need top-ups. I have had the same levels recently and I am on 1000 mcg of methylcobalamin (b12) daily. Levels should be above 500 and near 800-900. B12 and D3 will help address some of the depression symptoms.

Have they checked your iodine levels and selenium?

Perhaps you are not converting properly T4 into T3 and this could be due to all these deficiencies.

[Abbychaya in reply to Hidden]

Hi Melanie, no haven't had iodine and selenium tested.. all I know is that I feel terrible....going back to see doc's soon and hopefully will get some help... where can I get methylcobalamin? I'm taking an iodine (kelp) supplement...

[Hidden]

Dear Abbeychaya,

Sorry the early message somehow was sent before I could finish it.

Thank you for your reply note and updates. I hope you'll start getting better soon.

[Abbychaya in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Melanie.. I'm hoping so as well.. I have been feeling unwell since december and really can't take much more.. hopefully with supplements and/or meds I will feel some improvements?

[Hidden]

Hang in there, Abbychaya, you'll be fine hopefully soon.

Keep one thing in mind that the road to recovery could be long but start with one step at a time by adjusting your deficiency levels. It has been a year for me and I am not fully there yet but certainly much better than before.

Methycobalamin is the most natural form of B12. The brand I use is Pure Encapsulations 1000 mcg. It comes as capsules or liquid. I use the same brand for the vitamin D3 in liquid. I order them from purebio.co.uk/shop/ as it is best to get all supps from legal importers on behalf of the manufacturers to ensure the quality.

Be persistent in asking your doctor for a full vitamins and mineral profile as a start to make sure in addressing all deficiencies properly.

I am only a message away, if I can be of any help. Take care

[Abbychaya]

Thank you so much, that's really kind of you and helpful, the doc's are not keen on any other kinds of test, but I will persist.. Thank you again.. I will check out the site.. Abby

[Abbychaya]

thank you for your reply, I do indeed have high cholesterol (7.1 - and normal range up to 5) and B12 is 450 although doc says everything is normal and the high cholesterol is probably due to my diet... I'm a vegetarian/vegan and consume very little animal produce

[humanbean in reply to Abbychaya]

High cholesterol is a classic finding in people with untreated or under-treated hypothyroidism. Some decades ago (I'm not sure how long ago though - possibly the 60s?), a doctor finding a patient with high cholesterol would take this as a reason to check the patient's thyroid. They were more worried about the possibility of untreated thyroid problems than they were about untreated high cholesterol, and they knew that high cholesterol was often associated with thyroid problems.

How times have changed...for the worse...

I had a cholesterol level of just over 8 when my thyroid was untreated. Once I started treatment it dropped to about 6 within eight weeks.

[Abbychaya in reply to humanbean]

human bean. thanks for that info.. Yes, You'd think that the doc, seeing a fit, slim yoga teacher who eats very little in the way of unsaturated fats, meats etc would think that alarmingly high cholesterol might ring bells in terms of thyroid? She insisted its not related. Going back to get second doc opinion and then will change GPs

[helvella Administrator in reply to Abbychaya]

So far as I know, most of the cholesterol in our blood is produced within our own bodies rather than being absorbed from the gut.

Rod

[Abbychaya in reply to helvella]

yes absolutely...

[Abbychaya in reply to Abbychaya]

and yet doc insisted the high chol was diet related

why do they not know this then?