Private Blood results

[Brownie49]

I have been on 75mcg of Levothyroxine now for 4 weeks, but still have a majority of the symptoms so I decided to do a private test through medichecks as my doctors will not test for Ft4 or 3. My lasts results I posted was TSH 1.55 on 50mcg. The private results have come back as:

TSH 0.431 (0.27 - 4.20)

FT4 19.5 ( 12-22)

FT3 6.43 (3.20 - 6.80)

I also take ferrous sulphate 200mg, Vit c 1000mg and 3000iu Vit d+k2 spray daily and B12 jabs every 12 weeks.

Am I just being to impatient to expect results so early? I'm still totally exhausted, cannot get out of bed in the morning even after 8 hours of sleep, puffy face, dry eyes, dry skin and more weight gain even though I have been off food since increasing my dose of Levo. I gather from reading other posts on here my levels are where they should be.

[Clutter]

Brownie49,

TSH is low-normal, FT4 high in range and FT3 close to top of range so you appear to be optimally dosed on 75mcg and T4 to T3 conversion is very good. It can take up to six weeks to feel the full impact of a dose and it's not unusual for symptoms to lag behind good biochemistry by several months.

Ask your pharmacist for preservative-free eye drops to moisten your eyes.

If you post your ferritin/iron, vitD and folate results and ranges I can advise whether you are supplementing sufficient doses.

[Brownie49 in reply to Clutter]

Thank you Clutter, I think I posted Ferratin was 19 and Vit d was 42 before but I think I got them the wrong way around. I know the doctor said I was at the lower end of the range on both of them and was not a concern but after everyone's recommendations on here I started the range of vits and iron to help absorb the Levo. As my recent results are were they should be, this should be mean that I stay at this dosage.

[Clutter in reply to Brownie49]

Brownie49,

If your recent results are fine then no problem.

[Brownie49]

If my Ferratin is low, but heamoglobin is ok, do I take ferrous sulphate or do I take folic acid? I am currently taking 200mg ferrous sulphate?

[humanbean in reply to Brownie49]

People take folic acid when their folate is low, not their iron. (Or they can take methylfolate instead of folic acid.)

For low iron people can take iron supplements. There are lots of different kinds available. Just a sample of what is available :

Ferrous sulphate (or sulfate)

Ferrous fumarate

Ferrous gluconate

Ferrous bisglycinate (or Iron bisglycinate - same stuff, just a slightly different name)

Floradix of various kinds (I've never bought this and know nothing about it.)

For any supplement the most important thing is the pure iron content.

So, for example, when I treat my own low iron I use ferrous fumarate 210mg, which I buy in boxes of 84 from Lloyds or Tesco Pharmacy. Some people don't tolerate iron supplements very well and have to use trial and error to find something that works for them.

The iron pills I take - each tablet contains 69mg of pure iron, and at times I have taken one tablet, three times a day.

Supermarket brands tend to have about 14mg pure iron per tablet and are only intended to maintain an already healthy level.

Please be aware that deciding to supplement iron just on the basis of a ferritin level is not a terribly good idea. You really need more info than that. Please read my replies to this post where iron got discussed at some length :

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[Brownie49 in reply to humanbean]

Thanks humanbean, I am only medicating because my level is at the low end of the range the same as my Vit d and doctor told me too as she would not prescribe. From reading on here vits and iron has to be mid range to absorb Levothyroxine. I'm off to read your post.