Little help with results

[Leaht]

Hi,

I had my thyroid removed in March 2012 and since then been on 125mg Levothyroxine. I've visited the doctors on numerous occasions because I still don't feel right, I suffer from fatigue on a daily basis to the point I have to have afternoon naps and still able to get a full 8 hr sleep at night. My hair comes out in clumps every time I wash my hair so it's thinned out a lot over the last couple of yrs. I've put on 4 stone since having my operation despite killing myself at the gym each day and changing my diet completely. My personalities changed and it's affected my personal relationships. But when I explain all this to the doctors all I get each time is 'this is normal' I feel far from it. I last saw an Endo 2 yrs ago and they were happy to sign me off despite everything.

I decided to pay for a Blue Horizon Thyroid plus 12 test and these are my results,

CRP - 0.60

Ferritin - 9.21

TSH - 0.42

Free T4 - H 28.22

T4 Total - H 152.7

Free T3 - 4.54

Reverse T3 - H 48.0

Reverse T3 Ratio - L 6.16

Vitamin D - 65

Vitamin B12 - L 177

Serum Folate - 20.34

If anyone can offer any advice I'd be really grateful because I feel like I'm running out of options and that I'm going to have to continue to live like this forever.

Thanks

[Clutter]

Leaht,

Ferritin 9.21 is very low. Having ferritin <70 can cause hair loss. I think you should show the result to your GP and ask for a full iron panel to rule out iron anaemia.

B12 171 is very low, probably deficient. Ask your GP to test intrinsic factor and gastric parietal cell antibodies to rule out pernicious anaemia causing B12 deficiency.

TSH is low, FT4 is high and over range, and FT3 is less than half way through range which indicates you are not converting well. Your high reverse T3 (rT3) indicates you have a lot of unconverted Levothyroxine in your system. Without a thyroid gland patients don't always convert T4 to T3 very well and may need the addition of Liothyronine (T3) to a reduced Levothyroxine dose to feel well and this will also reduce the high rT3.

Some CCGs insist upon an NHS endocrinologist or other specialist before GPs can prescribe T3. Others have banned prescribing due to the extortionate cost of NHS T3. If you can't get it prescribed post a question asking where you can source Turkish or Greek T3 which is very affordable.

Vitamin D is sub optimal, 75-200 is replete and most people are comfortable around 100. Supplement 1,000iu D3 daily and increase to 2,500iu Oct-April when ultraviolet light is low.

Folate level is fine.

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I am not a medical professional and this information is not intended to be a substitute for medical guidance from your own doctor. Please check with your personal physician before applying any of these suggestions.

[Leaht in reply to Clutter]

Thank you very much for your reply and information you've given. 🙂

[humanbean]

I have just one thing to add to Clutter's comments above...

On the assumption that your doctor prescribes iron supplements for you, please buy yourself some vitamin C tablets with a dose of 500mg - 1000mg each, and take one vitamin C tablet with each iron pill.

Iron supplements may cause constipation. Vitamin C in high doses causes diarrhoea. The idea is to get the balance right so that you don't suffer with either. Vitamin C also helps the body to absorb iron.