Can someone help me work out my bloods results .. goes over my head .. I been feeling really tired lately with my skin drying out and crusting all over.. also putting on weight. Should I lower or raise meds
TSH 0.01 ( 0.30-5.50)
Free T4 15.6. (10.30-24.50) pmol
Free T3. 6.3 (3.50-6.50)
Vit D 77 low
B12 410. (180.00-1100.00)
Folate 11.1 (3.00-13.00)
Ferritin 68 (20.00-300.00)
Lippy37 What meds are you on? Anything containing T3, such as NDT, T4/T3 combo or T3 alone, will lower TSH and FT4. Your FT3 is very close to the top of the range so not really any room to increase as FT3 should stay within range.
Optimising vitamins and minerals can help thyroid hormone to work properly.
Your Vit D meds to be at the recommended level of 100-150nmol/L so you need to supplement D3. I'd suggest 5000iu daily for 6-8 weeks then reduce to 5000iu alternate days. Retest in the Spring to ensure you stay within the recommended range.
When taking D3 we also need it's important co-factors K2-MK7 and magnesium vitamindcouncil.org/about-v...
Vit D aids absorption of calcium from food and K2 directs the calcium to bones and teeth rather than arteries and soft tissues. D3 and K2 are fat soluble so should be taken with the fattiest meal of the day. Take Vit D 4 hours away from thyroid meds.
Magnesium comes in different forms, check here to see which would suit you best and as it's calming it's best taken in the evening naturalnews.com/046401_magn...
B12 is too low. Anything under 500 can cause neurological problems. Recommended level is very top of the range, even 900-1000. You can supplement with Solgar or Jarrows sublingual methylcobalamin lozenges 1000mcg daily. Let them dissolve under the tongue to get directly into the bloodstream, don't chew or swallow as stomach acid destroys it.
Folate is fine. When taking B12 we also need to take a B Complex to balance the B vits. Look for one that doesn't have a very high methylfolate/folic acid content as you have no real need to raise your folate level.
Ferritin needs to be at least 70 for thyroid hormone to work properly. Ideally it should be half way through it's range. Eating liver once a week is a very good way of raising ferritin and saves the hassle of trying to fit an iron supplement around thyroid meds (four hour gap either side is needed) and other supplements and medication as iron affects their absorption. It can also cause constipation and tummy upset in some people. if you do decide to take an iron supplement then you should take 1000mg Vit C with each tablet to aid absorption and help prevent constipation.
Don't start all supplements at the same time, start with one, give it a week or two tomsee of any reaction, if not then add the second one, etc.
Very informative reply seaside Susie. Been taking Vit d for last 2 months but have been taking it with all my other meds incl levothyroxine. Is it best to take Levothyroxine on its own? Thanks
greeny1200 Levo should be taken on it's own, on an empty stomach one hour before or two hours after food, with water only. It can be taken in the morning upon waking or before bed, as long as it's on an empty stomach. In the early hours of the morning of you get up to go to the loo is fine too and keeps it well away from everything!
Supplements and other medication are best taken a couple of hours away from Levo, and four hours for iron as it affects it's absorption. Four hours also for Vit D.
Did you test your Vit D level?
Saw an endocrinologist last week who has tested me for a whole host of things so just waiting results. As I think and with advice on this great site that I'm undereducated but he won't increase without seeing results. He asked if I take thyroxine in a morning on empty stomach which I do but I didn't say I took everything else with it. Oops. Many thanks
greeny1200 I was wondering if you'd had a Vit D test because as it's a fat soluble vitamin then any excess is stored and you need to know that you've not reached toxicity level. When supplementing with Vit D it's recommended to re-test once or twice a year to stay within the recommended range of 100-150nmol/L.
Been years since they tested vit d level and was 1st appointment with endocrinologist as I'd eventually convinced Dr I needed to see one due to extra Symptoms. Started taking it cos of articles last year plus don't get out much due to fibro. I thought your body just got rid of it if it wasn't needed. Let's see what results are. Really appreciate your knowledge and time replying 
With water soluble vitamins the excess is excreted, fat soluble vitamins store the excess.
webmd.com/vitamins-and-supp...
nhs.uk/Conditions/vitamins-...
If Vit D hasn't been tested, you can get it done with a fingerprick blood spot test at home for £28 vitamindtest.org.uk/index.html
And as you're taking D3, are you taking K2-MK7 and magnesium as mentioned in my reply to Lippy37 above?
I wasnt but ordered some when I read it
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