Has anyone with Beta Thalassemia improved their thyroid function and anemia the natural way without going on medication.

[Evaroselong]

I'm English but currently living in Germany until the summer. I have Beta thalassemia trait but apart from some tiredness, I feel healthy.

I had a standard check up and was told my TSH basal levels are elevated and the T3 and T4 levels are borderline low. My haemoglobin levels, haematocrit, Erythrocyte, MCV are not great either.

TSH 4.2 me/l

FT3 2.8 ng/l

FT4 1 ng/lHaemogloblin 11.3 G/DL

Haematocrit 35 %

Erythrocyte 5.50

Mcv 64 fl

My ferritin level is 119 and iron 107 which I am told are fine. However the haemoglobin levels would suggest I'm anemic which of course is common with this thalassemia trait.

If my Thyroid hormones further decrease in my next check up in 6 weeks time, the doctor wants to put me on medication. Which I really don't want as I'm convinced that adjustments in my diet can help me.

However, I'm totally confused about what to do. I have a balanced diet anyway but I'm sure I can do better. I'm taking iodine now in see salt. I'm eating Brazil nuts to increase my selenium.

How do I increase my haemoglobin levels? Should I be trying to increase my haemoglobin levels by eating a small piece of blood sausage everyday? I've read that we can't absorb a lot of iron and excess iron in the blood can cause huge problems.

I will take folic acid supplements.

Has anyone managed to improve thyroid function, increase haemoglobin levels naturally and stay clear of medication?

I look forward to getting help as the doctors here haven't a clue.

Eva

[shaws]

Welcome to our forum. I don't know why your doctor is dilly-dallying about waiting for your TSH to rise further.

When you give results always put the ranges as labs differ and it makes it easier to comment.

I am taking a rough guess about the ranges for your FT4 and FT3 which would seem to be towards (or at) the bottom of the range.

Does your doctor not understand that we, the patient, needs sufficient T3 which is the active thyroid hormone to enter our receptor cells to raise our metabolism. Your thyroid gland is producing nearly nil T4 so, that too, cannot produce T3. T4 is inactive and its job is to convert to T3. Everything in our body struggles without sufficient thyroid hormones, particularly heart which has to pump.

To feel well we need a TSH 1 or lower. We need both FT3 and FT4 to be towards the upper part of the range.

You should also have B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate tested as well as we can be deficient which also gives us symptoms. Everything has to be in balance.

When blood tests are done for thyroid hormones, it has to be the earliest possible and don't eat before it but you can drink water. If on thyroid hormones

I am not medically qualified or knowledgeable about other blood tests and members will respond.

Always get a print-out from the surgery with the ranges for your own records and you can post if you have a query.

We have to read and learn as much as possible in order for us to recover as it would appear that few doctors are knowledgeable, considering millions, mainly women, are affected by thyroid gland dysfunctions.

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

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

I'd make an earlier appointment pointing out that you have symptoms.

[greygoose in reply to shaws]

Shaws, FT3 is 2.2 - 4.5; FT4 is 0.7 - 1.6.

[shaws in reply to greygoose]

Too small for me to read

[greygoose in reply to shaws]

I know. When I'm on my PC, I just download the photo and enlarge it.

[shaws in reply to greygoose]

Didn't think of that and I'll try next time.

[greygoose]

Evaroselong, I think the answer to that is no. Or, if they have, they probably wouldn't be on this forum. We only tend to get people here who are still suffering. And, your FT3 level is not borderline low, it is much too low! It is crawling along the bottom of the range, when most people need it at least mid-range, if not higher.

Do you have any idea why you are hypo? Did they test antibodies? I have actually never heard of anyone curing their hypo just by diet. Diet might help, but it can't replace hormones. Obviously, you need things like iodine and selenium, but if half your factory has burnt down, shovelling more raw goods in isn't going to increase production, is it.

What makes you think that adjustments to your diet are going to save your thyroid? Eating blood sausage might improve your haemoglobin levels - although that's not certain - but it won't lower your TSH. It might help lower your TSH if your problem was just one of conversion of T4 to T3, but it isn't. You problem is that your gland isn't producing enough T4 to be converted.

Thyroid hormone replacement, is not medication in the normal sense of the word. It isn't a drug. It is hormone. It is replacing the hormone that your body can no-longer produce for itself, and which it needs to stay alive.

[Evaroselong]

Thank you for your advice. I'm not sure what antibodies need checking, but I will ask my doctor again. I'm waiting on vit D, B12 and folate results. I want to get to the cause of the increase in TSH levels. If it is an autoimmune issue I may have a leaky gut and maybe gluten or lactose intolerant.

[shaws in reply to Evaroselong]

They are thyroid antibodies. If you have them you would have an Autoimmune Thyroid Disease (the commonest cause).

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

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

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

[Marz in reply to Evaroselong]

Hi Evaroselong - from reading this forum for quite a few years - GP's are often reluctant to test thyroid anti-bodies - is spite of Hashimotos being the most common condition of the thyroid worldwide. They are under the mistaken impression that as the treatment is the same they are not important.

I disagree .... There are loads of T3 receptors in the gut - second to the brain - so as your FT3 is already low there is barely enough to go around ! When low then things begin to go wrong ...

[Evaroselong]

Sorry about the small attachment. These are the ranges.

TSH 4.2 (0.3-4)

Ft3 2.8 (2.2-4.5)

Ft4 1(0.7-1.6)

Ferritin 119(10-291)

Haemoglobin 11.3 (12-16)

Haematocrit 35(37-47)

MCV 64 (82-98)

Erythrocyte 5.5 (4-5)

[Tamzin27]

Hi Eva! How interesting! I've only just joined this online community because I am currently having lots of problems with my thyroid. I typed in beta thalassemia and came across your post. I too, have beta thalassemia trait (initially minor). However, due to me complaining so much about feeling tired, heart palpitations and many other symptoms, a haematologist decided that I am beta thalassemia intermedia. Doing my own research and trying to put everything together, I can now see that all my symptoms are mostly due to my TSH rising and T4 decreasing, after having had a partial thyroidectomy in 2009. But not one doctor thought to analyse my thyroid results instead. I have just compared my latest blood test results to yours. Very much the same, especially in regards to the MCV, haemoglobin etc. I have posted a post with more details about my thyroid problems.

My latest results:

TSH 4.1

T4 11.0

Haemoglobin 10.9

Haematocrit 36

MCV 62.1

Erythrocyte 5.0

I'm in the UK. Hope you are getting good treatment in Germany.