Do I have an under active thyroid?

[SarahThorpe]

I have been seeing a nutrionist to help me with hormonal imbalance (post menopausal) and IBS symptoms.

Six months ago, on her advice, I changed my diet to cut out tea, coffee, wheat, sugar and dairy. I am still feeling very tired. Other symptoms include thinning hair, dry eyes, dry cuticles. I also read on FB that if you have feint or no half moons in your nails that is a sign of underachieve thyroid. I have very feint or nonexistent half moons. I recently had a blood test for thyroid function and the results were:

Ferritin level: 47 ug/L[11.0-336.0]

TSH level: 1.44 mlU/L [0.34 0 5.6]

Free T4 level: 11.50 pmol/L [7.5 -21.1]

My GP said all my results were normal but my nutritionist wants to see where I am on the scale. Do the above results mean I am bordering on hypothyroidism or completely normal?

If they are normal, what is the explanation for my extreme tiredness and the other symptoms above?

Thanks for any advice!

[Angel_of_the_North]

Your ferritin is poor - need to aim for 70 at least. I'd also get b12 and folate and D3 tested as these need to be optimal for your thyroid to work correctly.

[bluebug]

Your ferritin level is too low it should be half way in the range.

Have you had your vitamin D level, vitamin B12 and folate checked? These can give you bad symptoms like you described if sub-optimal.

You aren't hypothyroid you are euthyroid e.g. normal thyroid function according to your test result ranges.

[Saggyuk]

Are you still having IBS symptoms. My problem alongside many here is gluten and not just wheat - barley effects me just as much if not more so might be worth gluten free rather than just wheat free and see if makes a difference. Ensure no cross contamination issues also which you can read up on coeliac uk website. Do you definitely have issues with dairy, you could maybe try adding it back in to see if problems return?

Ferritin is def on the low side so might be worth checking blood count for any other indications of aneamia. Definitely get your VIT D FOlate and B12 checked also.

Are you eating a healthy balanced diet and drinking enough water etc?

[SarahThorpe in reply to Saggyuk]

Thanks v much for your helpful reply. I think it is only wheat that causes me digestive problems. I don't have the same problems with e.g. Spelt or sourdough bread.

I am following healthy diet though could probably drink more water.

Interesting point about cross contamination with dairy. Will reintroduce after consulting with nutritionist.

[Saggyuk in reply to SarahThorpe]

I would definitely give full gluten a try as this causes me to have the tiredness and other issues and not necessarily digestive. Drop it for a couple of months and see if makes a difference? Mr brain fog cleared up quite quickly. With food, the easiest thing is to simply remove and see and then add back in if no difference to your symptoms but doing it one at a time so you know which is doing what.

Def get a good look at vit d b12 and folate results as GPs are a bit naff with this and what they say is normal is often not