Please can someone help me understand my blood ... - Thyroid UK

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Please can someone help me understand my blood results?

MrsJim profile image
6 Replies

Hello everyone,

My blood results are finally here and truth be known I'm a bit stumped by them.

Any insight would be greatly received.

The Dr from Blue Horizon said this about the results which has confused me as I thought my RT3 was high not low so very confused, especially as my symptoms and genetic history is more Graves:

'The low reverse T3 ratio is unlikely to be of clinical significance. There is much controversy about the role of reverse T3 in thyroid illness. Conventional endocrinologists (hormone specialists) generally believe that knowing of the level of this substance does not influence thyroid treatment decisions. The alternative view however is that reverse T3 is effectively 'antithyroid' - T3 is the active thyroid hormone that stimulates the body's energy system (metabolism). Reverse T3 is a mirror image - it goes into cells, and instead of controlling metabolic processes it blocks the effect of T3. In this model, reverse T3 is effectively a hibernation hormone - in times of stress and chronic illness it lowers energy release from the cells - so normal thyroid levels with high reverse T3 may still result in hypothyroidism.'

Thank you for any support you can give me, it means so much more than I'll ever be able to express.x

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MrsJim
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6 Replies
MrsJim profile image
MrsJim

Hidden thank you for replying, I feel like part of my brain is missing. I'm not diagnosed with any thyroid issues but a couple of my family members have Graves, but that doesn't mean I've got it. We are estranged so I've no idea what their symptoms are or how it affects them but we all have fibromyalgia and severe migraine as well.

Thanks again x

bluebug profile image
bluebug

You need to get both your folate and vitamin B12 levels higher. You want folate at least half way in the range and vitamin B12 at the minimum at the top of the range but preferably higher. The Pernicious Anaemia society recommend a level of 1,000.

Take methlyfolate for the folate, and methlycolbalamine lozenges for the vitamin B12. Once you have finished the course then take a good B complex tablet as a maintenance dose. The B complex should have more than the RDA of the B vitamins and should not be gender specific to ensure an equal balance of them.

Unfortunately there is no point testing serum B12 once you start supplementing as the results just show that you are supplementing.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

Reading your very first post, you say in a reply that you are taking 5000iu Vit D daily

Are you also taking a good quality vitamin B complex? If not you might find this article interesting. (Apparently, according to this .......We also need to supplement with a complete Vit B complex, as all the B's like to be together.)

drgominak.com/vitamin-d-hor...

Small relevant excerpt

"Supplementing with vitamin D produces a B vitamin deficiency state if the intestinal bacteria are not “healthy” and the B’s are not supplemented in addition. Usually within the first year of vitamin D supplementation the B5 body stores get used up and new symptoms of pain, burning and balance difficulties begin. Patients who have fibromyalgia or arthritis or autoimmune disease are already severely B5 deficient even before their vitamin D deficiency is detected"

This seems to apply to me. I had high reading (actually above range) B12 and folate, but low vitamin D, until I started to correct the low vitamin D......About a month after starting vitamin D supplements, experienced "burning" soles of feet, increasingly dizzy, muscle pain, sharp pain in kidneys/adrenals and falling energy.

Googling, I found Dr Gominack's website. Decided to try her suggestion. Adding Vit B complex has improved all these, but soon after, revealed low B12 (pins & needles) so now also added extra Vit B12 too.

One other thing, if taking Vit D, it's good idea to take vitamin K2 and also magnesium. - they are both co-factors for vitamin D.

MrsJim profile image
MrsJim

Does this mean my thyroid is working at optimal level and there's no hyperthyroid issues? Thanks again y'all xx

Musicmonkey profile image
Musicmonkey

Your T3 and T4 look like they could be higher in range. As you have rT3 below 20 this may be affecting absorption of your hormones at cellular level.

Look for other rT3 posts or Google for further info.

Answers to my previous posts might help...

MrsJim profile image
MrsJim in reply to Musicmonkey

Thank you so much,

It's a struggle to understand simple info at the moment and your post really helps.

Mel x

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