More test results

[NatChap]

Hi, I have just receive the results of recent tests and would like peoples opinions please?

I asked the GP for FT3 and FT4 but surprise surprise I only have a TSH which is 0.71 so obviously 'no action needed'.

The surprising one for me is Vit D which has come back as <12 (24.00-167.00nmol/L). I had a private Vit D test done in October which came back at 80.3 so optimal..any ideas why it would have dropped so drastically?

Vit B12 has come back as 629 so my supplementing has been working as in Oct that was 434.

My serum folate seems to have dropped from 15.5 to 12.3 (3.00-17.00ug/L)

My ferritin has also dropped from 41 in January (12 in Oct 2015) to 33 despite supplementing.

I am interested to hear ideas as to why these drops in my levels are happening?

thanks in advance

Nat

[hunny59]

Iron is a co-factor of B12 so as you've been supplementing B12 it's not surprising that your ferritin has dropped. Mine dropped from 70 to 50 in two months when I started B12 so I now supplement with Spatone to keep my ferritin levels up.

I had a similar experience with Vit D - private test showed 83 and five days later the endo did one which came out at 43. I think it's probably down to the different machines being used (although I don't fully understand why as the ranges appears to be the same). Either way, I keep check on mine via the City Assays test now.

Hope this helps but I'm sure there'll be others along shortly with more advice

[HarryE in reply to hunny59]

Oh, that's interesting about iron & B12. I didn't know that, thanks

[NatChap in reply to hunny59]

Hi, thanks for replying. I might be being a bit dumb but what do you mean by it is a co factor? I don't understand how supplementing B12 makes Ferritin drop? I am supplementing with Solgar gentle iron and have been since January.

[hunny59 in reply to NatChap]

Not at all - there's so much to learn about all this and I'm still a relatively new starter myself. Co-factor simply means that they work together. Supplementing B12 can use up your iron stores so you need to keep an eye on your levels once you start and supplement with iron if necessary.

[NatChap in reply to hunny59]

Ah I see, I have been researching vits and minerals but I wasn't aware of that! I am supplementing with iron anyway as my ferritin was so low which is why I was surprised it's fallen again. I can't take a higher dose of iron than I'm on as it upsets my stomach

[hunny59 in reply to NatChap]

If you're not already doing so, you may want to try taking 100mg of Vitamin C with your iron supplement which should help absorption.

[NatChap in reply to hunny59]

Thanks, yes I am x I have IBS though which I think is part of my absorption problem.

[hunny59 in reply to NatChap]

Ah yes. I was diagnosed with that about three years ago. Funnily enough, my symptoms disappeared when I came off Omeprazole for my supposed hyperacidity problem, which turned out to be the opposite but having been on them for 25 years, my stomach was in a very sorry state.

[NatChap in reply to hunny59]

I was diagnosed with IBS nearly 20 years ago. Oddly my symptoms went when I started levothyroxine last April but reappeared in October after raising my dose to 100mcg. I started taking Magnesium Citrate recently (around 2 months ago) and that seems to have sorted out my constipation, bloating etc..

[Marz]

Your B12 needs to be around 1000 to prevent cognitive decline. Only 20% of your test result can reach the cells where it is needed. Do not stop supplementing. Also take a good B complex containing Methylfolate. Maybe your D has dropped due to the winter months.

Once supplementing B12 further testing is of little or no value as the results are skewed. This is documented in the new guidelines for Folate and B12 Deficiency which your GP should have read. The Chairman of the PAS told me that results could be skewed for months.

bcshguidelines.com/document...

Look at Page 8

[NatChap in reply to Marz]

Hi, thanks for replying x My GP never told me to supplement B12, I was told it was 'within range' but I knew from this site that my levels weren't optimal. I will carry on supplementing

[Marz in reply to NatChap]

Am afraid GP's do not receive information on nutrition or vitamins at Medical School - so unless they take a personal interest they are not included in the information you receive. Check out this 4 minute video below - where Dr Rangan Chattergee explains

anhinternational.org/2015/1...

Scroll down for the video.

[NatChap in reply to Marz]

You're not wrong! Literally the only 'info' my GP gave me about Hypothyroidism was 'you have an underactive thyroid, you will need to be on medication for the rest of your life but it's only 1 pill a day and most people like taking it as it makes them feel better'. Well, that's cleared that up then..thanks Doc!!

[Marz in reply to NatChap]

b12deficiency.info/signs-an...

The above link takes you the B12D site - where there is everything you need to know about it - good videos under the Films heading....

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

The above link takes you to the main website of Thyroid UK - where you can learn so much - and know more than your Doc

[NatChap in reply to Marz]

Haha thanks, I do use that website regularly as well as a couple of thyroid Facebook groups It is myvit d result I am most shocked by..wish I knew why it had dropped so much in such a short space of time.