Here are the results of my medichecks test,they all seem to be mid range to me which I assume is ok?,I would be very grateful for an informed opinion just to be sure because I dont really understand how it all works!.The message with the results says all fine.
The results are fine if you feel good. If not, there is scope to raise dose to improve FT4 and FT3. he goal of Levothyroxine is to restore the patient to euthyroid status. For most patients that will be when TSH is 1.0 or lower with FT4 in the upper range. FT4 needs to be in the upper range in order that sufficient T3 is converted. Read Treatment Options in thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_... Email louise.roberts@thyroiduk.org.uk if you would like a copy of the Pulse article to show your GP.
Thyroid antibodies are negative for autoimmune thyroiditis (Hashimoto's).
I am not on any medication I am just trying to get to the bottom of some symptoms at the moment and after finding this wonderful forum I thought a thyroid test couldnt hurt!.
Sorry,I should've said!.Various things,dizziness,psoriasis,eyebrows thinning,aching muscles and joints,intermittent sore wrists and fingers,sometimes tingling in my fingers,weight gain and cant lose weight unless I eat no carbs,6 weeks between periods which are really heavy for two or three days with clots,the Dr said I had polycystic ovarian syndrome but I have symptoms of endemetriosis which are horrid!,visual disturbance,brainfog sometimes I just cant find words,my husband is very good at interpreting what a "thingy" is lol.Heavy legs,my hair is thinner and a bit drab,Libido is on holiday,pre eclampsia in my last pregnancy.
You need to have vitamin B12, folate, ferritin, vitamin D and a full blood count done. Lots of women with heavy periods are iron deficient, either anaemic or non anaemic, and loads of people have low/deficient levels of vitamin D.
So many of the symptoms are common to several illnesses If you click on My Communities > + Browse Communities and enter endometriosis and PCOS you will find several HU communities.
Tingling in fingers is often due to B12 deficiency and aching joints and muscles can be due to vitamin D deficiency and iron/ferritin deficiency. Heavy periods are often due to iron anaemia. Ask your GP to check ferritin, vitamin D, B12 and folate.
I have those results too which I posted yesterday,Vit D is 19,Dr put me on a loading dose for 7 weeks,B12 was 426.7(180-900),Ferritin 45.38(15-150) and Folate 1.62(2.50-19.50).He said not to be overly worried about the folate being low.
Your GP should be concerned about deficient folate. B12 and folate are synergistic and one won't work without the other. My GP prescribed 5mg folic acid for a couple of months when my folate was deficient. You can buy400mcg and 800mcg folic acid without prescription and take several tablets if you don't want to go back to your GP.
I think B12 426.7 is fine but you will probably be advised to supplement methylcobalamin to get it top of range. You should correct your folate deficiency before supplementing B12.
Ferritin is optimal halfway through range. I would supplement iron and take each tablet with 1,000mcg vitamin C which aids absorption and minimises constipation.
20,000 mcg vit D twice a week for 7 weeks,he said if I was worried about the folate just to take an over the counter supplement,and didnt mention the b12 even though I asked him about both because the results printout said to make an appointment to discuss all three things.
I'm not sure 40,000iu vitD will do much to raise your vitD deficiency. I was prescribed 40,000iu daily x 14 days followed by 2,000iu daily x 8 weeks to raise vitD from <10 to 107.
You can buy up to 800mcg folic acid over the counter so I'd do that and take 6 tablets daily for a couple of months.
Like Clutter said 40,000IU will do nothing to raise your levels especially if you have no idea why you were severely deficient in the first place.
I was put on 60,000IU per week for 12 weeks when told to take 2,000IU per day for the rest of my life. However when I retested myself after 4 months I was nowhere near my areas adequate level of 75nmol/L. A bit of research after talking to someone with MS - people with MS tend to be engaged with medical research - I discovered I should take more if I ever wanted to get to that level let alone 100nmol/L. When I saw the GP and said I was taking much more vitamin D3 she had no issues with it. However some doctors do as they have read the case studies where one or two people have taken over 10,000IU per day for months and have been ill as a consequence.
Anyway you can take a maximum of 10,000IU of vitamin D3 daily if you have no other health complaints.
Websites like the vitamin D council and grassrootshealth have information on what issues cause problems with vitamin D3 supplementations plus charts where you can work out what dose you should take to reach an adequate level and then to maintain it.
To reduce the risk of any side effects take magnesium - you want a bioavailable form so you want something like citrate rather than oxide - and vitamin K2-MK7 with it. You are likely to have to get all your supplements via Amazon as most pharmacies and health food shops don't sell them or sell them with calcium. You DO NOT and MUST NOT take a calcium supplement with it as you aren't calcium deficient. Just eat a healthy diet.
Also if your local NHS area is anything like mine they will only retest you after 6 months due to being an adult then you should see where you are at 3 months by testing with CityAssays, a Birmingham NHS hospital, for around £30. Then adjust your dose accordingly. Ideally until you reach adequacy level you should have a test every 3 months but the NHS doesn't do this for adults due to cost so you will need to test yourself in between. Once your dose is sorted out and you have worked out what maintenance dose you need to take for life to maintain your level then you will need a test every year. Again you are likely to have to sort this out yourself. Link to City Assays - vitamindtest.org.uk/index.html
Oh and on here we recommend a higher level than what GPs say you should meet due to people having thyroid issues. In some areas 50nmol/L is considered adequate and in others 75nmol/L. Personally knowing other people with levels in the high 40nmol/L who show signs and symptoms of vitamin D deficiency you want to be over 75nmol/L but under 150nmol/L to avoid toxicity.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.