Blood results

[Bellmitzi]

Hi any help on my blood results would be really helpful feeling awful I take 100mg of thyroxine daily also get b12 injections doctor said results are fine . The TSH level"0.73mU/L(0.27-4.20 )

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Bellmitzi That TSH result is at the lower end of the range, which is considered a good place to be for a Hypo patient. However, it's pretty useless on it's own and really you need FT4 and FT3 as well. It would also be useful to have thyroid antibody tests done (TPO and TG).

As you are having B12 injections, are you taking a B Complex as well to balance the B vits?

[Bellmitzi in reply to SeasideSusie]

Hi No I don't take any vit B are the FT4 FT3 more bloods I need and also the TPO and TG I'm really rock bottom aching from top to bottom inside my chest and throat area tday feels as if it's burning haven't got strength to go to the surgery sorry to moan Thankyou for reply

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Bellmitzi]

Bellmitzi When taking B12 we need to balance the B vitamins and this is done by taking a B Complex. Doctors don't seem to know much about nutrition so don't tell us this, probably because they don't know. A good B Complex is Thorne Basic B, Jarrows B Right is another.

If you look at Eljii's post below, she has mentioned what is needed for Levo to work properly with regard to your thyroid tests and your vitamin and minerals. So the tests needed for thyroid are:

TSH

FT4

FT3

and to rule out (or in) autoimmune thyroid disease the following are needed:

Thyroid Peroxidase antibodies

Thyroglobulin antibodies

You have had TSH only tested. It looks to be in a good place but that's not the whole picture. For you to feel so unwell something isnt right so other other thyroid tests should be done.

And vitamins and minerals all need to be at their optimal levels (not just in range) and the following tests are needed (optimal levels in brackets):

Vit D (100-150)

B12 (1000)

Ferritin (half way through range)

Folate (at least half way through range)

As you are having B12 injecions you're B12 level must have been very low. Do you know what it was? How long have you been having injections? Are you getting the active B12 test now to check your level? Get the information from your surgery, you need to understand what is going on, if you are being treated optimally. B12 deficiency can be very serious with some symptoms irreversible. You will get more information about B12 deficiency from the Pernicious Anaemia Society forum here on Health Unlocked and it would be a good idea to pop over there and chat to them.

[Bellmitzi in reply to SeasideSusie]

I cannot thank you enough for all the help I've received I've learned more the last few days than ever I had no idea on diff things with the thyroid I'm still feeling really ill very weak I've rang my surgery spoken to a doctor and after telling me yest bloods were fine doing a script for me for iron and a making up forms for full thyroid test do you know if these include all of the above I did say I feel as if I've been batterd and every day tasks are a nightmare which is really pulling me down also on my result it said. Serum C Reactive Protein Level 6 mg/L(<5). High I've no idea on this either sorry I know I'm a pain

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Bellmitzi]

Bellmitzi I have no idea what tests your GP has included. To be honest, I very much doubt whether FT3 will be done by the lab even if she has requested it, the labs seem to be able to override what GPs ask for. And I suspect the antibody tests haven't been included unless you specifically asked for them. The NHS doesn't seem to do TG antibodies, they only seem to do TPO antibodies and wrongly think that if they are negative then there can't be any TG antibodies anyway.

We have to fight our corner, it's hard I know, but if we don't help ourselves there isn't much chance of a GP helping us. This is why we have to learn as much as we can so we know what to ask for and understand the results and try to ensure we get the right amount of medication to be optimally treated.

For your thyroid blood tests, make the earliest possible appointment (first one of the morning), fast from the night before (water only, breakfast when you get home) and do not take your Levo for 24 hours before the test, take that day's Levo when you get back after your blood draw. When you have the results, make a new thread with them (include reference ranges) and members will comment.

What blood tests has your GP said are 'fine'. What are the results, with reference ranges? Post them for members' comments. Fine is an opinion, chances are they are far from optimal and optimal is what you need (details given above about optimal levels).

With your iron supplement you should take each tablet with 1000mg Vit C to aid absorption and help prevent constipation. Take iron 4 hours away from your Levo and other supplements as it will affect absorption.

Raised CRP means there can be inflammation somewhere, if you have an infection that can affect it.

PS - You have so many different posts going on at the moment, it is all getting very confusing. The site seems to be playing up (or my computer) and wont let me look at the others, telling me they no longer exist so I don't know what is going on. I did ask in a previous post what exactly your Vit D result was because what you had written was very confusing

Vit D 250 filed as 44LA.00 25OH 71NMO1/L

Now is that your Vit D result is 44 or 71? Whichever it is too low, as mentioned you need to aim for 100-150.

If you haven't had answers to any questions about your levels, then ask again but can you please keep it all in one place, a new line for each result with reference range in brackets, as it will be so much easier.

[Bellmitzi in reply to SeasideSusie]

Aww I know few of my threads have vanished that is my vit D test above which I have been told it's fine yet again I've had my blood test form now for thyroid it says. T4 and. TPO antibodies to be tested no mention of t3 but will the antibodies give a better pic I really hope so as this isn't living really sorry to moan but I've been getting gradually worse over a year with no help at all from gp if I hadn't looked at this forum think I would be on the floor thanks very much again

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Bellmitzi]

OK, so T4 (which should be FT4 which is 'free' T4, there is also TT4 which is 'total' T4 but I don't think your GP would have asked for that) and TPO antibodies. That means FT3 and TG antibodies are missing. Now you could be cheeky and add them to the form, and there is no guarantee they will be done, my guess is they wouldn't.

You will get a bit better picture than TSH alone. If you have positive antibodies - the number will be over the range given - that means you have autoimmune thyroid disease which gradually destroys your thyroid gland leading to hypothyroidism.

FT4 will tell you how much free thyroxine is in your blood. If it is below range it points to hypOthyroidism (underactive) but you'd usually need a high, over range TSH for a diagnosis. If it is over range that points to hypERthyroidism (overactive) and you'd need a suppressed or undetectable TSH for that.

If I were you, I'd wait and see what these blood tests come back like. Post the results, with ranges, for members to comment.

If there are still no answers you could think about getting a private test through Blue Horizon that you can do at home with a fingerprick test which needs a small amount of blood in a tiny tube. That will test everything including both lots of antibodies plus FT3.

Now, I still don't know if your Vit D is 44 or 71, but whichever it is it's not optimal. Have you been advised on what to supplement? If not you need D3. I'm not medically qualified but this is what I would do. Get some 5000iu dose softgels, they don't contain any unnecessary fillers, just D3 and olive oil (I like this one bodykind.com/product/2463-b... ). Take one a day for 2-3 months. Retest your Vit D level. If your GP won't do it then you can get a private fingerprick blood spot test from City Assays for £28 vitamindtest.org.uk/vitamin... . You need to retest because you don't want to reach toxic level. Once you've reached 100-150 then reduce your dose to one on alternate days. City Assays recommend retesting once or twice a year to ensure you keep within the recommended level.

When we take D3 we need K2-MK7. Vit D aids absorption of calcium from food and K2 directs it to bones and teeth rather than arteries and soft tissues. You can get K2-MK7 ASA separate supplement or you can get a combined Vit D/K2. Magnesium is another co-factor we need when taking D3. Many people take magnesium citrate but you can check out this article on the different forms of magnesium naturalnews.com/046401_magn... . We don't need testing for magnesium, most of us need it.

D3 and K2 are fat soluble and need to be taken with dietary fat, ie the fattiest meal of the day, with a cracker and butter, full fat yogurt or something. Magnesium is calming and is probably best taken in the evening as it may aid sleep.

I can't remember all your other Vit/Min levels and whether you've had suggestions, if not just yell.

I think once you've got all your vitamins and minerals to their optimal levels you should feel a difference.

[Bellmitzi in reply to SeasideSusie]

Hi thanks for taking the time for the reply I only wish I had your knowledge I'm lost with it all on the blood form dr has asked for T4. And TPO. Antibodies I hope things will pick up soon I've had ferrousFumarate 210 mg twice daily I will now follow the links you sent to get some other vitamins needed thanks so much you are very kind and helpful

[Bellmitzi]

Thanks very much I've now spoken to gp and she is doing script for iron tablets and another full thyroid test not quite sure what this includes though I did say I feel awful and it's not goin away either