Please help me understand these results.

[Bijourain]

I can see I'm deficient in vitamin d. I'm currently on Levo 100/125 alternate days. I take b12, zinc, magesium, d3, foli acid, selenium and a probiotic day. How do i improve my vit d? Do you think I'd benefit from adding some t3? Do the rest of the results look ok? Thank-you 😊

[bluebug]

You improve vitamin D by taking vitamin D3 supplements. In your case take 5,000IU daily - which you can get off Amazon - for 3 months then retest to see where you are. Also go out in the sun between 11 and 3 without getting burned or tanned. You want a level over 75nmol/L and preferably 100nmol/L.

Your ferritin level is too low it should be half way in range. So you need to supplement iron as well.

[bluebug]

Forgot to add as you have hashimotos you should go gluten free making food yourself from basic ingredients to help heal your gut. Without doing this you may find raising your iron level is difficult.

[Bijourain in reply to bluebug]

I've been gluten free for 6 weeks now🖒. I'm taking vit d3, 25ug every day, i take it I need a higher dose.

[Stourie in reply to Bijourain]

When on vitd you need vit K2 to send the calcium that is made to your teeth and bones so it doesn't float around the blood and cause problems.

Jo xx

[Bijourain in reply to Stourie]

Thanks, I've ordered some 😊

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Make sure you take your Levo on empty stomach and then nothing apart from water for at least an hour. Some take on waking, others find taking at bedtime more convenient and possibly more effective

Some meds like iron, magnesium & vitamin D need to be taken well away from Levo.

[Bijourain in reply to SlowDragon]

SlowDragon, thank you. I do take it the morning with water or decaffinated coffee and then nothing for an hour. I take my other vits at night. I'm still experiencing symptoms which is why I had the test. I was wondering if i wasn't converting t4 to t3, but I don't know how to interrupt these results , apart from I'm low on vit d, which i also take, 25up of.

[Sophit in reply to Bijourain]

Hi. If you are on levo then it should be taken just with water as any calcuim from milk etc will inhibit absorption. Some people take at night 3 half hours after last meal on an empty stomach just so they can wake up to a morning cuppa which is completely understandable I also believe that the tannins in tea inhibit absorption too..Maybe coffee has something similar. Either way you should wait 4 hours after levo before taking any in any iron or calcuim and multivitamin that contain these. X

[dang]

The most important thing is how do you feel? If you still have symptoms you could try raising levo. Your FT4:FT3 ratio isn't great, so you could try T3. But it would probably be smart to optimize your ferritin, folate, d, and b12 first to see if it improves your conversion.

Iron, folate, and b12 work together, there is room for improvement in all 3. Ferritin and folate should be around half range, your b12 is ok, but could be improved to 800+

Once you optimize those along with vit D see how you feel, if you still have symptoms and thyroid results / conversion haven't improved then it could be wise to try adding some T3.

[Bijourain in reply to dang]

I'm currently taking 25up of but d3, so i don't understand why it's low. I've got lots of symptoms that I've put down to Hashimoto's, that's why I've paid for these blood test to be done. I was wondering if I'm not converting t4 to t3. But I don't know what these results are telling me apart from I need to up my vit d3 levels, hiw woukd i do that? Should i take a double dose? 2 x 25up?

[dang in reply to Bijourain]

25ug is equivalent to 1000IU which isn't that big of a dose. Is your vit D in tablet form? Or in oil capsule form? Tablets don't absorb well and it's important to take vit D with food to help absorption, also take it 4 hours away from your levo minimum.

I would say it would be best to take 5000IU vit D (oil capsule) for a couple months then re-test.

Well your thyroid levels are still a bit low, some people would feel fine with those levels but most would feel better if their FT3 and FT4 was in the top quarter of the range. Your are still slightly under medicated in my opinion (I'm not a doctor). But some of your symptoms are likely due to your vitamin levels.

[Bijourain in reply to dang]

My vit d3 is tablet form from Holland & Barrett. Thank-you so much for your help. I know you're not a Dr but you seem more clued up than me 😊

[dang in reply to Bijourain]

You're very welcome! I speak from experience because I've been in your shoes. I took a vit D tablet around that dose for a year and when I was tested before winter time my result was severely deficient, a better doctor switched me to a higher dose of the oil type and it worked. I also have to take iron, b12 and folic acid.

[Bijourain in reply to dang]

Can i ask do you take t3 too?

[dang in reply to Bijourain]

Yes I do I take 10mcg T3 and 100mcg Levo

[Bijourain in reply to dang]

Cheers. I'm going to try to get my levels up and then if i still don't feel great, I'm going to try adding t3.

[dang in reply to Bijourain]

Ok good luck with it!

[Bijourain]

Thank you to everyone who responded 😊

[elwins]

I have been told I have a low vitamin D 17 nmol/L had a phone conversation with the doctor after having a full blood test. Been put on a high level of vitamin D 50,000 ampoules once a week for six weeks then retest. It looks as if you need a much higher dose. Did your doctor arrange for blood test or did you have it done privately. Hope this helps all the best

[Bijourain in reply to elwins]

I had it done privately. As my last gp tests came back and said my ranges were normal and yet I feel terrible so I'm doing some digging of my own, to see what's going on and how I can help myself. But to be honest these results don't mean alot to me, which is why I asked for help.

[elwins]

I think you need a higher dose of vitamin D, I take it in liquid form rather than a tablet, go and have a word with the pharmacist I am sure they can give you some advice as to what you can take. It is certainly making a difference to me. Hope this helps.

[levelslass]

You should go back to your doctor and ask for an explanation

[Bijourain in reply to levelslass]

I will. I got these done privately, and would like to understand them a bit better before I sit in front of my gp, so she can't tie me in knots, and then dismiss me without further investigation and suggestion of what I do to get rid of my symptoms. I would like to see if adding t3 would help me.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Reading your most recent post today re Timorel, I then looked at these test results. We need all four - vitamin D, folate, B12 & ferritin at top or near top of ranges

Have you improved your ferritin by supplementing since this test? That level of 27 is far too low. Usually recommended to get it to at least 70. See many of SeasideSusie's replies on how to improve

Same applies for vitamin D. Have you significantly increased vitamin D dose & retested. This needs to be at or near 100nmol/L

B12 & folate are only middle range. Have you tried vitamin B complex/B12 sublinguals

Assume you are still strictly gluten free as well.

[Bijourain in reply to SlowDragon]

Hi SlowDragon, yes I have been supplementing since my recent private blood tests. I'm not sure how my levels are at the moment, I'm going to pay for more tests next month. I figured I need time with supplementing before I get an idea if the supplements are actually working. I've decided after my awful night to only take the 6.25 mcg of Tiromel on the days I take 100 of Levo and the days I take 125 Levo, I'll not take Tiromel.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Bijourain]

I would ask Clutter about that.

Chopping & changing T3 is probably not a good idea

You might be better off on 6.25mcg Timorel every day & reducing the days of 125mcg T4 to 100mcg

I am about to start T3. Waiting to see my endo who has agreed & for advice on this. I currently take 125mcg T4 only. I think the advice will be to cut my T4 to 100mcg & add 6.5mcg T3

[Bijourain]

Yes maybe I should do that. Today was a 125 Levo day so I haven't taken my Tiromel. Do you think I'll be ok to start tomorrow, doing 100 Levo and 6.25 Tiromel?

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Bijourain]

We all have to experiment, to find our way. But it seems not recommended to alter T3 dose up & down.

If I learn more from my endo I'll update you.

I shall be taking the T3 plunge very soon