Vitamin D total 33.8 (25 - 50 deficiency. Supplementation is indicated)
Taking 800iu D3 on prescription since 2013, 2x 210mg ferrous fumarate since 2013. Above results taken 2 months ago.
Symptoms - burning and redness in fingers, dry skin, tiredness, memory loss, weight gain, pins and needles, cracked skin on feet and around mouth, heavy periods, hair loss, depression.
Thanks in advance for feedback.
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Kira779
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Your high antibodies mean that you are positive for autoimmune thyroid disease aka Hashimoto's which is where antibodies attack the thyroid and gradually destroy it. The antibody attacks cause fluctuations in symptoms and test results.
Unfortunately, many doctors attach little or no importance to antibodies so you need to learn as much about Hashi's as possible to help yourself.
You can help reduce the antibodies by adopting a strict gluten free diet which has helped many members here. Gluten contains gliadin (a protein) which is thought to trigger autoimmune attacks so eliminating gluten can help reduce these attacks. You don't need to be gluten sensitive or have Coeliac disease for a gluten free diet to help.
Supplementing with selenium l-selenomethionine 200mcg daily can also help reduce the antibodies, as can keeping TSH suppressed.
Many Hashi's patients also have gut/absorption problems. This could be causing your poor vitamin and mineral results. SlowDragon has information about this and links to help, hopefully she will be along soon.
Ask your GP why, after 4 years of supplementing, is your ferritin level still at the bottom of the range. Suggest that you might have an absorption problem and you would like investigations.
You should take each iron tablet with 1000mg Vitamin C to aid absorption and help prevent constipaton. Always take iron 4 hours away from thyroid meds and two hours away from other medication and supplements as it will affect absorption.
You can help raise your level by eating liver regularly, maximum 200g per week due to it's high Vit A content, and including lots of iron rich foods in your diet apjcn.nhri.org.tw/server/in...
You should post on the Pernicious Anaemia Society forum for further advice. Post these two results, your ferritin result and mention if you have been diagnosed with iron deficiency anaemia healthunlocked.com/pasoc/posts
I have read (but not researched so don't have links) that BCSH, UKNEQAS and NICE guidelines recommend:
"In the presence of discordance between test results and strong clinical features of deficiency, treatment should not be delayed to avoid neurological impairment."
And an extract from the book, "Could it be B12?" by Sally M. Pacholok:
"We believe that the 'normal' serum B12 threshold needs to be raised from 200 pg/ml to at least 450 pg/ml because deficiencies begin to appear in the cerebrospinal fluid below 550".
"For brain and nervous system health and prevention of disease in older adults, serum B12 levels should be maintained near or above 1000 pg/ml."
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Vitamin D total 33.8 (25 - 50 deficiency. Supplementation is indicated) Taking 800iu D3 on prescription since 2013
Another question for your GP - "Why, after 4 years of supplementing, is my Vit D level at the lower end of the deficiency category".
The simple answer to that is 800iu D3 isn't going to ever raise your level. It is hardly a maintenance dose for someone with a reasonable level.
The recommended level, according to the Vit D Council, is 100-150nmol/L.
As you are just 3.8 away from the level where you should be receiving loading doses, ask your GP if you can have them, using this information and mentioning that 4 years of supplementing at 800iu daily hasn't exactly helped:
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)."
Each Health Authority has their own guidelines but they will be very similar. Ask your GP for the loading doses. Once these have been completed you will need a reduced amount (not 800iu) to bring your level up to what's recommended by the Vit D Council and then you'll need a maintenance dose (not 800iu) which may be 2000iu daily, it's trial and error so it's recommended to retest once or twice a year to keep within the recommended range. You can do this with a private fingerprick blood spot test with City Assays vitamindtest.org.uk/
There are important cofactors needed when taking D3
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, D3 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
Thanks for reply, I have below range MCV 78.1 (80 - 98) and MCHC above range 385 (310 - 350) so I am guessing iron anaemia. Iron was low 9.0 (6.0 - 26.0) and transferrin saturation 13 (10 - 30). I asked GP about below folate and she said it was only just below range, no action needed so I will go back tomorrow and ask again what she plans to do about this. I have symptoms of B12 deficiency as well so will go to the pernicious anaemia forum.
•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.
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I asked GP about below folate and she said it was only just below range, no action needed
That really pee's me off. Ask why they have reference ranges if they're going to be ignored.
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Looking for some advice on blood results which don’t correlate with symptoms please? 
Advice on results please
Results Advice Please
Ferritin/Iron Advice & Other Results
Advice please on results
