Vitamin/mineral results: Hi I feel no better on... - Thyroid UK

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Vitamin/mineral results

claudie2 profile image
7 Replies

Hi I feel no better on what I take for supplements and I don't know why? I have symptoms of depression, anxiety, cramps, twitches in muscles, breathlessness, hard stool, tremor, weakness in arms and legs, loss of appetite, goitre, periods becoming longer and going between heavy and scanty.

Ferritin 15 (15 - 150) taking 1 iron tablet per day

Iron 6.7 (6 - 26)

Transferrin saturation 12 (10 - 30)

Folate 2.1 (2.5 - 19.5) taking 1 folic acid tablet per week

Vitamin B12 133 (180 - 900) given B12 injections one every 3 months

Vitamin D total 30.5 (25 - 50 vitamin D deficiency. Supplementation is indicated) taking 800iu vitamin D one per day

Thanks

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SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering

claudie2 Are those results from before you started supplementing?

Ferritin of 15 really needs an iron panel, full blood count and haemoglobin test to see if there is any anaemia. One ferrous fumerate daily isn't really enough, you really ought to be on two or three. Also, start eating liver regularly, maximum 200g per week, and include lots of iron rich foods in your diet apjcn.nhri.org.tw/server/in...

**

Folic acid is usually given 5mg daily not once a week.

Were B12 injections given 6 over 2 weeks to start with and now every three months?

The Pernicious Anaemia Society forum here on Health Unlocked is the best place to ask for advice about this healthunlocked.com/pasoc

**

You need far more Vit D, you are just 0.5 away from Deficiency which should be treated with loading doses of D3 according to the NICE Clinical Knowledge Summary

cks.nice.org.uk/vitamin-d-d...

"Treat for vitamin D deficiency if serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) levels are less than 30 nmol/L.

For the treatment of vitamin D deficiency, the recommended treatment is based on fixed loading doses of vitamin D (up to a total of about 300,000 international units [IU]) given either as weekly or daily split doses, followed by lifelong maintenance treatment of about 800 IU a day. Higher doses of up to 2000 IU a day, occasionally up to 4000 IU a day, may be used for certain groups of people, for example those with malabsorption disorders.

Several treatment regimens are available, including 50,000 IU once a week for 6 weeks (300,000 IU in total), 20,000 IU twice a week for 7 weeks (280,000 IU in total), or 4000 IU daily for 10 weeks (280,000 IU in total)."

Ask your GP for these loading doses and let us know what he says. If he continues to prescribe 800iu daily then come back and we can tell you what to buy. These must be followed by a maintenance dose for life which will be higher than 800iu, you'll more than likely need around 2000iu daily.

When taking D3 there are important cofactors needed vitamindcouncil.org/about-v... D3 aids absorption of calcium from food and K2-MK7 directs the calcium to bones and teeth where it is needed and away from arteries and soft tissues where it can be deposited and cause problems.

D3 and K2 are fat soluble so should be taken with the fattiest meal of the day, four hours away from thyroid meds.

Magnesium comes in different forms, check to see which would suit you best and as it's calming it's best taken in the evening, four hours away from thyroid meds vitamindcouncil.org/about-v...

Check out the other cofactors too.

All vitamins and minerals need to be at optimal levels for thyroid hormone to work, these are

Vit D - 100-150nmol/L according to the Vit D Council

B12 - very top of range for us Hypos

Folate - at least half way through it's range

Ferritin - half way through it's range with an absolute minimum of 70 for thyroid hormone to work.

claudie2 profile image
claudie2 in reply toSeasideSusie

Thanks for reply results are after supplementing and B12 injection was meant as just for a trial to see if it would help with symptoms so I am only given 1 every 3 months and that was how they were started off. I am going back to see what he says.

SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering in reply toclaudie2

Claudie - I would take your B12/folate/ferritin/iron information over to the PA forum, include any signs of B12 deficiency listed here b12deficiency.info/signs-an...

I think you should have been tested for Pernicious Anaemia with your B12 that low, but I'm not an expert, they are over on the PA forum so see what they say healthunlocked.com/pasoc

claudie2 profile image
claudie2

Other results

Red blood count 4.51 (3.8 - 5.8)

White blood count 6.14 (4.0 - 11.0)

MCV 76.5 (80 - 98)

MCHC 398 (310 - 350)

MCH 28.2 (28 - 32)

Haemoglobin estimation 116 (115 - 150)

Haematocrit 0.040 (0.370 - 0.470)

Platelets 244 (140 - 400)

SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering in reply toclaudie2

That seems to indicate iron deficiency anaemia so you should be on the maximum amount of ferrous fumarate - one tablet three times a day.

I think you should go back to your GP and ask what the heck he thinks he's playing at, you are not being treated appropriately for any of your deficiencies.

Your local area guidelines for treating iron deficiency anaemia will be very similar to the NICE Clinical Knowledge Summary cks.nice.org.uk/anaemia-iro...

How should I treat iron deficiency anaemia?

•Address underlying causes as necessary (for example treat menorrhagia or stop nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, if possible).

•Treat with oral ferrous sulphate 200 mg tablets two or three times a day.

◦If ferrous sulphate is not tolerated, consider oral ferrous fumarate tablets or ferrous gluconate tablets.

◦Do not wait for investigations to be carried out before prescribing iron supplements.

•If dietary deficiency of iron is thought to be a contributory cause of iron deficiency anaemia, advise the person to maintain an adequate balanced intake of iron-rich foods (for example dark green vegetables, iron-fortified bread, meat, apricots, prunes, and raisins) and consider referral to a dietitian.

• Monitor the person to ensure that there is an adequate response to iron treatment.

claudie2 profile image
claudie2 in reply toSeasideSusie

Ok thanks have posted on PA forum and I hope someone will get back to me before the appointment

Marz profile image
Marz in reply toclaudie2

They have !

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