Hi everyone, I have just got my results back from Blue Horizons for my Thyroid +10 finger prick test, I only sent it to them yesterday, so the turnaround was very impressive!
I am a little disappointed with the results as they seem to show that my levels are all normal, they are as follows -
Free T4 - 16.29 pmol/l Norm: 12-22
Free T3 - 4.83 pmol/l Norm: 3.1-6.8
TSH - 2.26 IU/l Norm: 0.27-4.20
T4 Total - 110.9 nmol/l Norm: 64.5 - 142.0
Anti-Thyroidperoxidase abs - 13.1 kIU/l Norm: <34
Anti-Thyroglobulin abs - 15.3 kU/l Norm: <115
CRP - 0.50 mg/l Norm: <3.0
Ferritin - 105.9 ug/l Norm: 30-400
Vitamin B12: 329 pmol/l Norm: 142-725
Serum Folate: 37.25 nmol/l Norm: 10.4-42.4
Could anyone offer any advice on my levels?
If I do not have hypothyroidism, then I don't know else could be causing my low body temperature which averages 35.8c (can be as low as 34c when I first wake,) my low heart rate which averages 58bpm when I wake and then goes to approx 62bpm during the day.
I have a lot of fatigue no matter how long I sleep and my worst symptom is that when I eat during the day, I get very bad brain fog and fatigue, that almost feels like depression - I can't think straight and my head feels very heavy and clogged up which can start 10 mins after eating and go on for several hours. I have monitiored my blood glucose levels and have ruled out diabetes.
I seem to have quite a bit better at night and can tolerate food more easily without feeling fatigued.
High carb foods are definitely the worst, but I can even just eat some blackberries and suffer brain fog/fatigue.
Does anyone else suffer serious fatigue when they eat?
Thank you in advance for your comments.
Many Thanks, Adam
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adam0161
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A normal tsh is 1 and yours indicates that you thyroid is having to be pushed harder to make the hormones. In many countries people are treated when their tsh reaches 2.5 or 3.... The UK is probably the hardest place to get diagnosed in the world.
The b12 is on the low side which may be causing your problems..... In Japan they treat levels under 500 and this is the level where it's found that symptoms can appear. Usually there is a reason for not being able to absorb b12... Not taking antacids are you?
Suggest you get some sub lingual b12 and supplement for a while..... Ask on here for favourite brands.... Or have a look on Amazon.....
So do you think I should try some thyroid meds based on my tsh level?
I am vegetarian so that is probably why my b12 levels are a bit low. I did actually start taking a b12 supplement (innopure from Amazon) but it isn't sublingual, should I purchase some that are?
Adam, Hypothyroid symptoms can precede abnormal bloods by years. Thyroid antibodies are negative for autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's) but TSH >2.0 is a sign your thyroid is beginning to struggle. Your FT4 and FT3 are currently good. Eat 3-5 Brazils nuts daily or supplement 200mcg selenium as this can help support thyroid function.
Ferritin is optimal halfway through range so you could supplement iron for a few months (retest after 6 months) to see if fatigue improves. Take each iron tablet with 500mg-1,000mg vitamin C to aid absorption and minimise constipation.
B12 is low, 1,000 is optimal. Supplement 1,000mcg methylcobalamin sublingual lozenges, spray or patches and take a B Complex vitamin to keep the other B vits balanced.
CRP and folate are good.
I used to become tired and very cold about 20 minutes after eating. I assumed it was due to metabolism being lowered while food was being digested. You might try 100% gluten-free diet to see whether your brain fog and fatigue improve after eating. Gluten can cause intolerances and some think it can cross the brain barrier. Maybe worth a try for 3 months to see whether symptoms improve.
Adam, before trying gluten free have a celiac test if you haven't already. They are pretty cheap and available over the internet. This is because once you are off gluten a celiac test won't work.
Though given that your serum ferritin is pretty good (in my view) I would be surprised if you had celiac. Still, not a big deal to rule it out.
I definitely don't think i'm coeliac, but more non-celiac gluten sensitive, I've been off gluten for about 6 weeks, and I do feel some what better, but that could be because i'm also on a healthy eating plan as well. I'm cooking everything from scratch and have reduced carbs & sugar and increased fruit and veg & healthy fats.
I have read 'Grain Brain' by Dr Perlmutter, and there is a lot of evidence to suggest that wheat is pretty bad for us anyway, so i'm happy to be off gluten.
The 'free from' range of food is perhaps worse for us than gluten, so i'm limiting those to once a week, and just eating natural gluten free foods the rest of the week.
Can anyone recommend a good vegetarian iron supplement with added vit c?
I have read about spatone, but I only really drink water so not sure how it would taste in water!
Spa tone is available in apple flavor, which is very palatable... Otherwise its tastes of. Errrr... Iron! Its only about a tablespoon though... One gulp and its gone :-).
Do i think you should try thyroid meds? Actually no, i dont not until you hav sorted out iron and b12... But once these are at optimal levels if you still have raised tsh and feel crap, then i would ask for a trial.... Or just buy your own meds and do a trial.
It always seems awful to be disappointed when your blood results come back seemingly fine when you are feeling terrible, although your B12 is quite low. Mine was originally like yours and I boosted it with the Jarrow's B12 that clutter has mentioned. I think your gluten free from scratch eating can only be good for you.
Hopefully you will get somewhere soon, again as clutter says symptoms can proceed abnormal blood tests. 😊
Adam, use the orange Reply button and the member will be sent email and on-site notifications that you've responded. They'll not see replies unless they catch them on newsfeed otherwise.
I don't have an iron problem so can't speak from personal experience but.. I do belong to a natural thyroid group where there has been much discussion of people who have had trouble absorbing and increasing their iron levels. Some had great success with using lactoferrin. Some were able to increase iron levels just supplementing lactoferrin.
One of the moderators shared that she takes 1 tablespoon of black strap molasses with each meal and has seen improvement in her iron numbers. I tend to like being able to address problems with 'food-based' solutions.
I have a teaspoonful in a mug of hot milk, but that's unlikely to provide more than 5-10% of the RDA. Even so...
adam0161: if you get hold of a blood pressure monitor - and can keep awake - you could check for postprandial hypotension. Sleep apnoea can make you drop off after meals, and you may be unaware of having it if you don't snore.
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