Vitamin and mineral results

[Nattee]

Ferritin 7 (15 - 150)

Folate 2.0 (2.5 - 19.5)

Vitamin B12 196 (190 - 900)

Vitamin D total 44.1

Anything on here need sorting? Thanks

[ColinK]

Nattee, everything, how do you feel?

[Nattee in reply to ColinK]

Thanks for reply I have these symptoms - constipation, dry eyes, dry skin, feeling cold, heavy periods, longer periods, loss of appetite, goitre, tinnitus, pins and needles, muscle cramps, muscle stiffness, depression, tiredness, feeling of spinning

[ColinK in reply to Nattee]

I'm not sure of the optimum Ferritin for women, but I guess you should aim to get it to at least 100 in that range. I take Solgar Gentle Iron 25mg with Solgar Vit C 1000mg. There are others you could take and I'm sure others will comment. It will take a long time to boost this into the right area.

Also Your B12 is on the floor. I take Vitamin B12 sublingual amethylcobalamin. This should raise reasonably quickly and is Ok to go to the top of range or just over.

Your Vit D probably would also be better off around about 100 or better, a 5000iu would be good, but be careful not to go over range.

[ColinK in reply to ColinK]

Iron and Vit C should be taken 4 hrs away from your thyroid medication.

[Nattee in reply to ColinK]

Thanks

[ColinK]

Also are you taking Levo and do you know your ranges for TSH, Free T4 and Free T3?

[Nattee in reply to ColinK]

Oct-2017 (100mcg levo)

TSH 5.8 (0.2 - 4.2)

Free T4 13.6 (12 - 22)

Free T3 4.0 (3.1 - 6.8)

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Your GP is completely out of their depth. Your other posts talks about always changing dose

Email [e-mail] for list of recommended endos

Your thyroid hormones can not possibly work with vitamin levels this low

What supplements has GP given you?

See SeasideSusie replies to similar

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

You need to see different GP within the practice ASAP, is that possible?

Take these results along and ask for proper vitamin support and full testing for coeliac

You have Hashimoto's (high antibodies) also called auto immune thyroid, this upsets gut function, causing low stomach acid, poor vitamin levels, leaky gut and then food intolerances

The most common by far is gluten intolerance

About 5% with Hashimoto's are coeliac, about 80% find gluten free diet noticeable improvement

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

amymyersmd.com/2017/02/3-im...

chriskresser.com/the-gluten...

drknews.com/autoimmune-gut-...

[Nattee in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks for reply nothing given for vitamins and minerals and I can see a different GP tomorrow

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Nattee

Ferritin 7 (15 - 150)

Folate 2.0 (2.5 - 19.5)

Vitamin B12 196 (190 - 900)

Vitamin D total 44.1

Anything on here need sorting?

Yes, everything needs sorting and you need to discuss everything with your GP, not self supplement except for Vit D.

Ferritin needs to be at least 70, preferably half way through range for thyroid hormone to work (that's our own as well as replacement hormone). As your level is so far below range you need an iron infusion so ask for one. Also ask for an iron panel and full blood count to see if you have iron deficiency anaemia, a ferritin level that low can suggest this.

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 are Folate deficient with very low B12 so you need to check here for signs of B12 deficiency b12deficiency.info/signs-an... then go and post on the Pernicious Anaemia Society forum for further advice healthunlocked.com/pasoc quoting your folate, B12 and ferritin results, any iron/full blood count results you may already have and any signs of B12 deficiency you may be experiencing. You may need testing for Pernicious Anaemia and you will need folic acid prescribing for your folate deficiency. Don't start the folic acid until any other investigations have been carried out and B12 should be started before folic acid. Your B12 is too low to suggest self supplementing.

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."

**

Vit D at 44.1 is only going to get you a prescription of 800iu D3 if you are very lucky. That wont be enough to raise your level so you'd be better off buying your own. As you have Hashi's then the best form of supplement is an oral spray which will be better absorbed than softgels or capsules. BetterYou do a D3 spray in 3000iu and my suggestion is to take 6000iu daily for 3 months then retest. When you reach the level recommended by the Vit D Council - which is 100150nmol/L - 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 helps D3 to work and 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.

BetterYou do a D3/K2 combined spray which would save you getting a separate K2 supplement if you wish.

[silverfox7]

Yet another doctor who hasn't a clue! I know the NHS is struggling financially but what is the point of getting things tested and then not acting on results that are clearly low!!!! The evil streak in me would want to ask him what is he going to do about it! The plus point is that he had had the tests done so at least you can address the problems. When supplementing I would leave a couple of weeks between adding in another. That way if one doesn't agree with you then you know which it it. It also spaces the cost a little as well.