Blood results

[JacquelineM]

Hi got my test results but they mean nothing to me.

I have been on 150 mcg since January but still feel tired, aching legs, foggy head.

Results from bloods before my increase

Thyroid peroxide antibodies (<70) 363 test in Nov

TSH (0.35-5.0) 0.46 test in Jan

Free T3 (3.3-5.3) 3.8 test in Aug

Free T 4 (7.0-20.0) 10.5 test in Nov

Ferritin. (12-250) 17 in Jan

Serum B12 (130-800) 539 in Jan

This just all seams very confusing , doctor told me my thyroid level was ok in January but he increased my dose from 100 to 150mcg as I insisted I was still unwell.

Thank you for reading this post.

[Clutter]

jacquelineM, Ferritin 17 is extremely low and is likely the reason you were fatigued on 100mcg. Optimal is halfway through range. Musculoskeletal pain and fatigue are common symptoms of low ferritin and low vitamin D. Supplement Ferrous Fumarate and take each iron tablet with 500mg-1,000mg vitamin C to aid absorption and mitigate constipation. Good levels of ferritin aid absorption and metabolism of Levothyroxine. Take iron 4 hours away from Levothyroxine.

Levothyroxine dose increases/decreases are usually in 25mcg increments, I think your doctor was reckless increasing by 50mcg, particularly as your TSH was already low in January on 100mcg. It's usual practice to check levels 6-8 weeks after a dose adjustment and I recommend you are firm/insistent about having a follow up blood test as its likely you are very overmedicated. Ask for TSH, FT4 and FT3 to be tested from the same blood draw and leave 24 hours between last dose and blood draw. I don't understand the thinking behind piecemeal testing one value every three months. FT3 in Aug and FT4 in Nov were both low in range but its possible your FT3 is over range after the dose increase.

thyroid.about.com/od/thyroi...

B12 > 500 is usually fine although many on the forum prefer it to be at the top of range. If you want to supplement you can try 500mcg-1,000mcg methylcobalamin sublingual lozenges, spray or patches. If you supplement B12 take a B complex multivitamin too to keep the other B vitamins balanced.

[JacquelineM]

Thank you, I am due to see GP in April this will help me enormously.

[silverfox7]

I think you were under dosed as room for improvement but it's a biggish leap, particularly as he thinks your results were ok. I think as Clutter says that you should have increased by 25 tgen retested. That may have shown that you were not quite there yet of it might have gone up with a leap so either way the next step would may be alternate doses but I think it's a lot easier to keep the increase low as it's easier to see where you are going with it.

[Hidden]

You could also focus on iron rich foods - the iron in meat is more easily absorbed. Liver - any kind - is a very rich source, black pudding, or any red meat. Having meat in a meal makes the iron in vegetables at the same meal more absorbable. Don't take your iron tablets or eat your meat with milk - calcium stops iron from being absorbed. Iron from meat won't raise problems with constipation.

And whatever people tell you, spinach and Guinness will not give you iron!

[greygoose in reply to Hidden]

That's all very well if she can absorb it well. But her low level would suggest she can't. Hypos often have low stomach acid which means they have difficulty absorbing nutrients, so suppléments, unfortunately, are very necessary. However, taking vit C with the iron should help absorbtion, and a little magnesium will calm the constipation.

[Hidden in reply to greygoose]

I'm not saying "Don't take supplements", I'm saying, eat meat too. The low level could reflect a number of things, including diet which could be playing in to the low level. More than one way to skin a rabbit, Greygoose.

[greygoose in reply to Hidden]

Yes, of course. And I wasn't saying you were saying.. etc etc etc. And I agree with you, eat meat too. Meat is necessary for us for lots of reasons. But I was just saying that it might not be enough on its own.

[eeng]

Your TSH was low but so were your FT4 and FT3, so you may not be overmedicated. Did you feel any better on the higher dose?

[JacquelineM]

Thank you all for your input. I think you will not be impressed with me as I am a vegetarian but even when I ate meat chicken was about all I would have.

And yes eeng I am feeling better than I did on the lower dose. It did take quite a time to make a difference though .

I am also taking a 'wellwoman' tablet with my evening vegetables lol