Vitamins and minerals

[Zoeyv]

Hi my GP has sent me away today saying my symptoms are not thyroid and have no physical cause. Constipation, puffy eyes, tiredness, sweating, feeling cold, weight gain?

Ferritin 23 (30 - 400)

B12 196 (180 - 900)

Folate 2.1 (2.5 - 19.5)

Vitamin D 25.8 (25 - 50 deficient)

Thanks in advance

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Zoey - we know from your other thread that your GP is a donkey and doesn't know how to treat hypothyroidism. Has he seen these results? Are you supplementing with anything?

[Jose651 in reply to SeasideSusie]

An Ass. SeasideSusie. 😂

[Zoeyv in reply to SeasideSusie]

No just vitamin D3 800iu

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Zoeyv]

Zoey - If your GP has done nothing about these he has been extremely negligent.

Ferritin 23 (30 - 400)

Below range ferritin so you should have full blood count and iron panel done to see if there is any iron deficiency anaemia.

For thyroid hormone to work (that's our own as well as replacement hormone) ferritin needs to be at least 70, preferably half way through range. You need an iron supplement but as your ferritin is below range it really should be an iron infusion so ask for one and that will raise your level within 24-48 hours whereas iron tablets will take months. You can also 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...

If you already have a diagnosis of iron deficiency anaemia then the treatment for that is ferrous fumarate 2 or 3 times daily and 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 need to ask your GP why he has ignored your below range ferritin.*

**

B12 196 (180 - 900) Folate 2.1 (2.5 - 19.5)

You are folate deficient with very low B12. Do you have any signs of B12 deficiency b12deficiency.info/signs-an... You really need to post on the Pernicious Anaemia Society forum for further advice healthunlocked.com/pasoc Quote your B12, folate and ferritin results, iron deficiency information if you have any, and any signs of B12 deficiency. You may need testing for Pernicious Anaemia, you may need B12 injections. You will probably be prescribed folic acid but don't start taking it until other investigations have been done.

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."

*You need to ask your GP why he has ignored your below range folate.*

**

Vitamin D 25.8 (25 - 50 deficient) - vitamin D3 800iu

You are just 0.8 away from severe Vit D deficiency. Ask your GP for loading doses because 800iu will never, ever raise your level. See NICE treatment summary for Vit D deficiency:

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 maintenace treatment of about 800 IU a day. Higher doses of up to 2000IU 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 regims 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. Go and see your GP and ask that he treats you according to the guidelines and prescribes the loading doses. Once these have been completed you will need a reduced amount (not a paltry 800iu)to bring your level up to what's recommended by the Vit D Council - which is 100-150nmol/L - and then you'll need a maintenance dose 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

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, 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

naturalnews.com/046401_magn...

Check out the other cofactors too.