GP says I have stress and has signed me off with this but I disagree with this diagnosis. Any feedback regarding results would be appreciated thankyou
Ferritin 7 (15 - 150)
Folate 3.2 (4.6 - 18.7)
Vitamin D total 35.5
(<25 severe
25 - 50 deficient
50 - 75 suboptimal
>75 adequate)
Vitamin B12 245 (190 - 900)
Anya, you've had good advice on your other thread about managing your thyroid hormone including reducing or increasing by only 25mcg at a time. Making huge dose increases and decreases is bound to make you feel unwell.
Stress is a reason for time out of work and doctors rarely recognise hormonal dysfuntion and imbalance as a reason to take time out of work. You don't have to accept your doctors opinion but what do you want to achieve? Do you need time out of work as you may have to accept your doctors opinion in order to achieve that.
Are you already getting vitamins supplements? Your ferritin at 17 is too low, it needs to be 70 for thyroid hormone to function well. If not already recieving supplements, your doctor is unlikely to offer them on the basis of these results as you are not severely deficient or below range. You can discuss it with your GP and if not offered supplements then you can raise your own iron levels through diet or supplements.
YOu may be offered 800iu vitamin D which may not be enough and you'll have to add your own supplements. but do ask your doctor to retest vitamin D in March/April next year if you supplement. If he will not do the blood test then you need to source your own. City Assays do a good fingerprick test for about £28. You can find information on Thyroid UK website.
You may be offered folic acid supplements but you might be better to take a good B complex that includes B12 and folate in methylated forms along with the other B's.
Anna, as you've now changed your results above from 17 to 7 for your ferritin result, it means that your ferritin is under range and you need to speak to your GP to get supplements and a full iron panel. Do not delay.
Really? No mention of the obvious vitamin D and folate deficiency ?
No correlation between depression/mood changes and fatigue/stress caused by these deficiencies ??
No plan to treat you for these deficiencies ??
Please tell me he didn’t suggest anti depressants !
It's cheaper and easier for a GP to tell patient to go away then to tell them they have nutrient deficiencies and that the NHS in their area won't pay for supplements so they should buy them themselves. All the people I know who were told to buy their own supplements were told by nurses/nurse practitioners.
She sent me away with fluoxetine
Please do not take it. You have nutrient deficiencies causing your issues. I can't believe your doctor cannot see iron deficiency when the results are staring her in the face.
Omg! I am so shocked at this forum and the horrendous experience of many.
I have always had to suggest to Gp to check my vitamin D levels and things whereby they may not think of that as first cause but I would never expect my Gp to see such deficiencies and then not be able to correlate a link and treat it??
Have they not heard of seasonal affective disorder? Do they not know vit D is a hormone not a vitamin.
Low iron brain fog? Fatigue? Anxiety?
I agree with blue bug. Do not take the fluoxetine! Unless u have severe other symptoms u haven’t mentioned to us- but even so- treat the deficiencies first! If the Gp doesn’t u can do it yourself (vit D and iron) and get retested.
This makes me so angry 😡
You should be tested by the GP to rule out iron deficiency anaemia.
Go back and politely ask for a full blood count and iron panel explaining that you got this advice from thyroid UK a charity recommended by NHS Choices for those with thyroid disorders. The reason you need these tests is because your ferritin level, which are your bodies iron stores, are low. Low ferritin levels are often followed in a few months by iron deficiency anaemia, though you could already have the problem. You can have indications of iron deficiency anaemia e.g. red cell changes long before your ferritin level goes below the bottom of the range especially if you still have periods.
The GP can refuse to do the tests arguing that you are still in range as many GPs don't understand about ferritin levels. If s/he does and you feel breathless, you faint or black out then get someone to take you to A&E immediately. Explain you think you may have iron deficiency but your GP refused to test for it. Your GP will be less inclined to do something costly to them again.
Sorry ferritin is 7 and MCV 80.2 (83 - 98) MCHC 377 (310 - 350) Haemoglobin estimation 110 (115 - 150) and periods are heavy and clotty
Iron 5.4 (6 - 26) Transferrin saturation 13 (12 - 45)
You have iron deficiency anaemia.
Please see another GP at the practice and inform them you have had these tests which are out of range, you contacted thyroid UK and it was pointed out to you that you have iron deficiency anaemia so need treatment. Phone up for an appointment today as it is urgent.
I forgot to add all your nutrient deficiencies will be causing your signs and symptoms so if the GP says you don't look like you have iron deficiency they are talking rubbish. I have a family member who has collapsed over iron deficiency more than once simply because she never "looks" anaemic.
Vitamin/mineral levels
Vitamin and mineral levels
Vitamin and mineral levels 
