Low folate level?

[catalonia]

Hi,

I have TED and am hypothyroid, on 50mg Levo a day, Just had the 3 monthly test done, they didn't check iron (I take 400mg a day as body does not store iron) they didn't check my anti-bodies (formally positive) and only did TSH, not FT3 and FT4.

Serum folate is 3.1 ug/L (2.7 - 15) is this not low, should they be doing anything about it?

[shaws Administrator]

When you get a copy of your blood test results, post them with the ranges and members will respond. You should have your medication raised from 50mcg.

This is an excerpt re folate from another thread:-

In adddition to B12 her folate is low and I would recommend folic acid for 3 months. Ferritin is optimal at 70-90 and vitD 75-200. I'd supplement 5,000iu vitD3 for 6 weeks to build levels and then cut back to 5,000iu on alernate days.

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[catalonia in reply to shaws]

Thanks Shaws,

Last weeks results

Serum TSH level 2.35mu/L (0.35 - 3.5)

Serum vitamin B12 619ng/L (130.0 - 1100.0)

Serum folate 3.1 ug/L (2.7 - 15.0)

Follow up action: no further action (there's a surprise!)

The folate appears low to me?

[shaws Administrator]

Also TED and hypothyroidism should be treated as two separate conditions. I am sorry you have both.

[catalonia in reply to shaws]

They are Shaws, hospital eye clinic for TED (thankfully); (useless) endocrinologist dismissed me 3 months ago after begrudgingly giving me 25mg Levo a day! It was the eye clinic that told me to double the Levo and that did help for a few weeks, now just back to square one re symptoms

[shaws Administrator in reply to catalonia]

25mcg is only (I believe) for incremental use. i.e. 50mcg is normally a starting dose with increments around every 4 to 6 weeks until patient is well. Unfortunately the GPs appear unaware of this. A low dose can make us worse than we were before.

It is so ridiculous that we have to be on forums in order to try to get well. I would up your dose anyway to 75mcg to see how that goes and just tell your GP you need a higher dose. Unless someone is very frail there is no need for a 25mcg dose. Go to the date November 25, 2002 on this link to read answer.

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

[catalonia]

The Endo said to stay on 25mg but Eye Clinic said to double it, which I did, back in June, it helped a lot for a couple of weeks, Dr agreed to keep me on 50mg and didn't want to re-test for 6 months, I asked for one last week though as lethargy/fatigue back