Are these symptoms caused by hypothyroidism, low b12, vit and mineral deficiencies or something else?

[whitenoise]

Hi everyone, sorry to pester you guys again with another question. I’ve had the following ‘symptoms’ for quite some time and while I have got used to them as being ‘normal’, I’m starting to think that things aren’t quite right.

Poor short term memory

Forgetfullness

Anxiety

Sometimes problems focusing on an task

Difficulty concentrating sometimes

Easily distracted

Slowness to learn new things or register new instructions

Mood swings (more long term, so could be in a really low mood for a few days/a week. Then can feel better for a few days etc)

Problems making decisions

Procrastination

OCD

No ‘get up and go’

Problems getting up in the morning

Tiredness, especially in the afternoon after lunch and early evening

Not as good sleep as in previous years (used to be like a log)

Poor stress tolerance

Irritable

Low mood, with periods of depression

‘Happy things’ tend not to make me that happy

Poor sense of smell

Some taste of metals in mouth (dental amalgams?)

Cold hands (even if body is warm)

Feel the cold

Dry Skin, especially on face, elbows, heels and sometimes fingers

Rosacea (got worse in the last year or so)

Eczema

Lots of grey hairs (I’m only in my early 30’s!)

Some hair loss

Father on b12 injections, sister had them in the past (no longer)

---------------------------------------------

Some blood results from a few months ago:

Serum B12: 182 ng/L (180-1000)

Serum folate: 5ug/l

Serum Ferritin: 116ug/l

Serum TSH level: 1.3 IU/ml (0.2-5.5)

VitD: 34.5 nmol/L

And these recently:

Serum B12: 202 ng/L (range not given)

Homocysteine: 9.9umol/l

Anti-instrintic factor: Negative

---------------------------------------------

I’ve been thinking that maybe I have B12 problems. However the more I look at the low B12, low Vit D and I think low other vitamins and minerals, I’m thinking about low stomach acid. Done the bicarbonate of soda test once so far and nothing after 10 minutes. I shall do it another couple of times though. This leads me to thinking about maybe it’s hypothyroidism, which is causing low stomach acid, which in turn is causing vit and mineral deficiencies? It might be a stretch, but I have also read about dental amalgams (of which I have 8, some for many years), mercury and it's connection with the thyroid.

Do you think I’m on the right track? For my piece of mind I’d like the full thyroid panel done just to see. I doubt my GP (who is probably fed up with me by now) wouldn’t probably order more than the TSH test he had done already. What do you guys think/recommend?

Many thanks (sorry the the long post)!

[Hidden]

Are you still waiting on the MMA result?

[whitenoise in reply to Hidden]

Still waiting....was starting to think it was another waste of time where the lab refuses to do it, but then the homocysteine result came back as 9.9, which was marked as 'normal' as it was under 14.9 which is their range apparently.

Keep meaning to check out the facebook group but haven't had the chance yet!

Why can't doctors just give you lots of tests, know what to look for, tell you what is wrong, or what is causing the problem and tell you have to fix it?! I'm finding it really confusing as to what is actually the problem, and identifying where the root cause lies.

[Hidden in reply to whitenoise]

See what the MMA comes back at, that's the one that's most specific for B12d. Negative IF doesn't really discount it, it only picks up about 50%. Your homocysteine is a bit high, should ideally be below 7.

[whitenoise in reply to Hidden]

Going to phone up again on Monday to see if it has come back. Considering it was done on the 20th June, it certainly is taking its time! If it hasn't come by then I might ask to speak to the GP to see what has happened to it.

Lets hope the MMA shows something more conclusive, as it's frustrating to get tests done only to find out things are still not clear!

[whitenoise]

Thanks for your reply reallyfedup.

Problem is my GP doesn't believe I have a problem, so I know he won't want to do any additional tests. Don't think my surgery or the NHS do the Free T tests anyway, so might have to do them privately?

My intrinsic factor antibodies came back negative.

My father has not been diagnosed with PA, he just takes B12 injections every three months.

[whitenoise]

My father has never had intrinsic factor tests. I think a while ago they found out he was low on B12 and has given him B12 injections 3 monthly ever since. However according to him they make no difference.

He certainly wouldn't have asked for tests since he dismisses what I say as all "looking into too much" or "hocus pocus" and isn't interested.