Help interpreting my new blood results much appreciated...

[Icescream99]

I had to convince GP to order these blood tests ...I posted a few weeks ago about my current challenge with being hypo (following RAI) and not feeling well on 75mg thyroxine - GP reluctantly upped my dose to 100m but as yet I've not noticed any improvements -not sure how long it would take to improve? This increase (I have been warned) is a trial and if my TSH becomes any more suppressed she will decrease again.

My current symptoms are extreme fatigue and difficulty 'getting going' my thinking is foggy and my memory is poor. I'm gaining weight, my arms and legs have some oedema, they are also tender and really sore to the touch (flesh and bones) - especially upper arms and legs, but sometimes my wrists and fingers hurt as well. If I bump the corner of a table or get a friendly pat on the arm it really hurts too. I've just returned to work after the holidays this week and despite it only being a 4 day week - I've just slept more than 12 hours recovering and don't feel OK yet. I've felt so down and frustrated with these symptoms this week I've been in tears most evenings.

The light at the end of the tunnel is that I've got an appointment with an endocrinologist in mid October - and totally by fluke/hopefully stroke of luck it is one of the endo's listed on the thyroid friendly consultant list - so fingers crossed!

These are the blood results I got a print out of yesterday - all have been signed off as satisfactory...

Serum vitamin B12 588 ng/L (211-911)

Serum ferritin 28 ug/L (15-290)

Serum folate >24. ug/L. (3.0 - 14.4)

HbA1c level IFCC standardised. 29 mmol/mol (20-42)

Serum total 25-OH vit D level 67.8 nmol/L

[Total 250H vitamin D <30 mmol/L indicates deficiency

30-50 mmol/L indicates insufficiency

> 50 nmol/L indicates vitamin D sufficiency]

TSH 0.33 mu/L (0.2-4.0)

(Previous TSH - 18th Aug 0.16 30th Aug 0.14)

Haemoglobin estimation 141 g/L (115-150)

Total white cell count 6.5 10*9/L (3.5-11.0)

Platelet count 335 10 *9/L (140-400)

Haematocrit 0.437 ratio (0.36-0.46)

Red blood cell (RBC) count 4.9 10*12/L (3.80 - 5.00)

Mean corpuscular volume (MCV) 89.2 fL (80.0-99.0)

Mean corpusc haemoglobin (MCH) 28.8 pg (27.5 - 32.5)

Mean corpusc Hb conc (MCHC) 323 g/L (310 - 350)

Neutrophil count 3.73 10* 9/L (1.70-8.00)

Lymphocyte count 1.87 10*9/L (1.00-4.00)

Monocyte count 0.52 10*9/L (0.20-0.80)

Eosinophil count 0.29 10*9/L (0.04-0.4)

Basophil count 0.05 10*9/L (0.02-0.10

Nucleated red blood count 0 10*9/L (0.02-0.10)

Help interpreting and suggesting any areas where supplements may help/ or to query with the endo will be invaluable.

Thank you so much

[bluebug]

Your GP and endo will say all your test results are fine.

However from a thyroid perspective they are not.

Your vitamin B12 should be at the top of the range or over it according to the pernicious anaemia society.

Your ferritin should be halfway in the range.

Your vitamin D should be near 100.

The rest are OK.

[bluebug]

The reason why your GP and endo will say the results are fine and not do anything is because NICE guidelines state they don't have to treat you unless you are outside the range.

In the case of ferritin, the World Health Organisation (WHO) whose guidelines also are part of the NICE ones, also state that any level 15+ is a good level.

This means you have to self-supplement.

Ferritin - one ferrous fumerate 2 times per day with vitamin C and water. Take 4 hours away from thyroid meds and 2 hours away from other food, drink and supplement to avoid interactions. When you have finished the course of 84 or 100 tablets wait 7 days and retest. You will have to do this privately. You can obtain them from Amazon. Alternatively go to a pharmacy e.g. Boots, Asda, Tescos where you DON'T get the rest of your prescriptions from and state something like "I have low iron and the doctor told me to get ferrous fumerate as it is cheaper off prescription".

Vitamin B12 - take methlycolbalamine lozenges either Solgar or Jarrows. Once you have finsihed the course take a B complex supplement. Make sure it contains more than the RDA of B vitamins and is not gender specific. Get these off Amazon.

Vitamin D - take 5,000IU of vitamin D3 with vitamin K and magnesium citrate for 8-10 weeks. After that drop down to 5,000IU every other day. You need to continue taking the vitamin K and magnesium for life. After 4 months retest your levels. You will have to do this privately. Get the vitamin D as a generic from a independent pharmacy or get them with the rest of the supplements from Amazon. Solgar or Jarrows are good brands.

[bluebug]

I forgot to say if your GP is young or a trainee you may get them to prescribe the iron and vitamin D for you and get them to retest you.

You simply need to go state that Thyroid.org.uk is a recognised charity for those with thyroid disorder by the NHS (there is a link to it in the NHS Choice websites and on the NICE guidelines but for hyperthyroidism) and they recommend that your levels of ferritin, vitamin D and vitamin B12 are at these levels to enable your thyroid hormones to work effectively. Also tell them this inturn will stop me from hassling you and save the practice money.

However you don't want vitamin B12 from the NHS as they give you cr*p so buy your own.

You can go to the Thyroid.org.uk website and have a look around.

[Icescream99]

Thanks guys - a lot of information! I spoke too soon about the endo - I had another letter behind the door with a change of date and different consultant ..I might phone on Monday and see if this can be changed, not sure how that works.

Thanks

[Hidden]

Get FT3 and FT4 tested if you can these are more important than TSH. Hopefully a good endo will test these. TSH will be suppressed GPS just ignorant on thyroid issues. Good luck.