2nd blood test results

[Thyroidprobs]

Just had my 2nd gp appt after my new bloods last week.

I've been on 50mcg Levothyroxine now for 3mths, and 600mcg Ferritin a day.

My results are

TSH - 2.79 (0.35-5.5)

Free T4 - 11.8 (10.0-19.8)

B12 448 (211-911)

Folate - 9.83 (>5.38)

Ferritin - 13.2 (10.0-291.0)

Gp said my results are all normal and no further treatment necessary.

I stuck to my guns and said but I still feel crap and no better than I did. She said she guessed maybe the TSH could be suppressed further to raise my free T4 so has agreed to put me on 75mcg Levothyroxine a day.

What do you think??

Thanks for reading

Angie

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Well done on correctly insisting on increase in dose.

What about low ferritin. You were going to get iron infusion. Did that not happen? Ferritin is still much too low

Do you like liver? Eating once a week (pate perhaps) would help, but really need to improve

SeasideSusie has excellent ferritin advice

B12 and folate are not brilliant, so keep an eye on them

No vitamin D test results?

Has GP done? If not request that it is

Failing that get via vitamindtest.org.uk £28 postal kit

Do you have Hashimoto's. High antibodies. Have these been tested?

[Thyroidprobs in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks for your reply,

I asked for antibody tests and vitamin d test but these were both refused.

She said just keep taking 600mcg a day of ferrous sulphate to get ferritin up.

She said test again in 3mths, I'll chase an iron infusion at that point if it's still low. She did agree it should ideally be around 150.

I do eat liver once a week already so I'll keep up with that.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Thyroidprobs]

Ferritin is now lower than 3 months ago

Insist on testing plus you must have vitamin D tested too

[greygoose]

Suppressed further? Your TSH isn't in the least bit suppressed. It's too high for someone on thyroid hormone replacement - it isn't even under-range. Be careful of this doctor, she has no idea what she's doing.

[Thyroidprobs in reply to greygoose]

I think she means because it's now more suppressed than it was cos I started with it around 6.0.

I'm just glad I pushed because initially she said everything's fine but I said no it's not.

[greygoose in reply to Thyroidprobs]

Suppression doesn't come into it. Suppressed is 0.1, Not nearly 3. It's lower, but you really cannot use the word 'suppressed' in the same sentence as your TSH.

[Thyroidprobs in reply to greygoose]

Ah ok, I didn't know that, I just thought suppressed was it being lower than it was initially. Thanks for the advice.

[greygoose in reply to Thyroidprobs]

No, not at all.

[startagaingirl]

Are you taking 1000 vit c with each iron tablet? It is needed for absorption and to head off gastro issues. Also iron needs to be taken at least 4 hrs away from levo.

[Thyroidprobs in reply to startagaingirl]

Ooh no, no ones mentioned that before. Thanks, I'll get some tomorrow.

I do take my ferrous sulphate 4 hrs after Levo (which I found out from here as gp never mentioned that!!)

[Thyroidprobs in reply to startagaingirl]

Hi, I got some vitamin c today, it says 1000mg a day and each tablet is 1000mg.

I'm taking doses of ferrous sulphate twice a day so am I ok to take 2000mg a day??

Thanks

[startagaingirl in reply to Thyroidprobs]

You really need to take a minimum of 1000 with each iron tablet, you may even need to take more if it causes you gastro problems. But 2000 per day is definitely fine.

[Thyroidprobs in reply to startagaingirl]

Great thank you for the advice. I take 2 ferrous sulphate tabs before lunch and 1 before tea, hopefully taking 2000 of vit c will help.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Thyroidprobs]

Three months on and your level is not improving

At minimum dose of ferrous fumerate supplements need increasing to 3 x a day

Ask for referral to haematology for further investigation. Plus with ongoing low iron, vitamin B12 and folate should be retested

Persistent low vitamins with supplements suggests coeliac disease or gluten intolerance

gluten.org/resources/health...

Do you have Hashimoto's? Diagnosed by high thyroid antibodies?

If so gluten intolerance is very common

As is very low vitamin D

Linking in SeasideSusie and humanbean for comments

Your ferritin was below range on diagnosis, full iron panel showed low results too

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Almost 6 months on you are no better - GP should be investigating

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to SlowDragon]

Thyroidprobs

You should have had an iron infusion months ago when your ferritin was below range at 8.8

Point out to your GP that despite months of supplementing 3 X Ferrous Fumarate daily, and regularly eating liver, that your ferritin is now only XX and she has already said it should be 150. I would insist on the iron infusion and maybe a referral to a haematologist. Maybe investigations for absorption issues should be considered.