On the way to hypothyroid ?

[Sassie65]

Hello to everyone.

I've come over from the PA site hoping for a bit of advice if you don't mind.

I'll give you a quick background story first though.

Last year I started to feel very unwell with all the typical symptoms of B12 deficiency which also I believe, are similar to thyroid problems.

My gp referred me to a not very pleasant neurologist who told me there was nothing to worry about and go home and exercise! He did however, order blood tests.

B12 179ng/L (120-625)

Vit D 15 nmol/l

HB 116 g/l. (120-160)

MCHC 316 g/l. (320-360)

MCH 26.4 pg (27.0-32.0)

MCV 83.5 fl (82.0-104.0)

Only TSH was tested which came back

3.07 mu/l (0.34-5.6)

Serum folate 6.0 ug/L

I was given high dose Vit D and iron tablets and have been taking Vit B complex, K2 and folic acid.

I was also referred to a haematologist (who refused to see me) and gastroenterologist who I will see 14th March.

I asked the gp for B12 injections which she has given me : loading doses over two weeks then every eight weeks. This didn't seem to be helping so I have now been self injecting for a while, once a week. I just don't seem to be improving at all though and I keep getting awful periods of depression, just wanting to stay in bed for days and having terrible thoughts.

I had another batch of blood test a couple of weeks ago which showed that my iron is now fine but I still feel dreadful. These tests were done at a different lab....

TSH 2.04 mu/l (0.2-4.5)

Serum free T4 11.7 (9.0-24.0)

Do you think it is possible to have horrible symptoms with these results (as they are within range ) or am I barking up the wrong tree again?

Your imput would be much appreciated as my husband is getting very worried about me and is going to speak to the gp this evening.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Good to hear your husband is going with you tonight. They take more notice if we have a supportive family member and also as a witness

For full evaluation you ideally need TSH, FT4, FT3, TT4, TPO and TG antibodies, plus vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 tested

So have you ever had thyroid antibodies tested? If not insist they are tested.

How long ago was vitamin D diagnosed. Are you still on high dose? ask for vitamin D to be retested

See if you can get full thyroid testing from GP. Unlikely to get FT3

Private tests are available

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

Medichecks Thyroid plus ultra vitamin or Blue Horizon Thyroid plus eleven are the most popular choice. DIY finger prick test or option to pay extra for private blood draw. Both companies often have money off offers.

All thyroid tests should be done as early as possible in morning and fasting, this gives highest TSH and most consistent results

Not very good on iron results, SeasideSusie or humanbean can give expert advice on your iron panel results

[Sassie65 in reply to SlowDragon]

Hi SlowDragon, thanks for your reply.

I told my gp not to bother with B12 as I'm self injecting and the values would be high. Vit D was tested recently and is now fine at 112 nmol/L. I have finished the high dose from gp so now take my own.

I assume folate would be ok as I've been taking 400 ug folic acid daily. I don't have recent folate and ferritin has never been done.

When I had my last thyroid tests, I did ask for antibodies and gp said she would request them. Unfortunately, they haven't been done.

I am considering having private tests done if gp won't do the full tests.

Thank you

[humanbean]

HB 116 g/l. (120-160)

MCHC 316 g/l. (320-360)

MCH 26.4 pg (27.0-32.0)

MCV 83.5 fl (82.0-104.0)

Under the range Haemoglobin (HB), MCHC, MCH, and low in range MCV are all indicators suggesting you are (or were) suffering from iron deficiency or iron deficiency anaemia.

All the above numbers will most likely have been taken from a Full Blood Count.

I had another batch of blood test a couple of weeks ago which showed that my iron is now fine but I still feel dreadful.

Do you have the results that show your iron is fine? If you do, could you post them please. Was it another Full Blood Count that was tested, or something else?

What type of iron were you supplementing with, what size of dose and number of doses per day, and for how long?

[Sassie65 in reply to humanbean]

Hi humanbean.

It was a full blood count...

HB 147g/l (120.0-160.0)

White count 8.1 (4.5-11.0)

Haematocrit 0.455 (0.36-0.46)

RBC 4.79 (3.8-5.8)

MCV 94.9 (80.0-100.0)

Platelet count 234 (150.0-450.0)

Neutrophil 5.4 (1.8-7.7)

Lymphocyte 1.6 (1.0-4.8)

Monocyte 0.6 (0.2-0.8)

Eosinophil 0.4 (<0.6)

Also, liver function. ..

Serum total protein 65 g/l (63.0-80.0)

Serum albumin 42 g/l (35.0-52.0)

Serum bilirubin 11 umol/ L (5.0-19.0)

Serum alkaline phosphatase 63 iu/L (30.0-130.0)

Plasma alanine aminotransferase 13iu/L (<42.0)

I'm taking ferrous sulfate 200mg. Was taking one twice daily but had to cut down to once daily due to worsening of stomach issues. I started taking these end of October last year. Also started vitamin D at same time.

Thank you

[humanbean in reply to Sassie65]

Wow! I'm actually very impressed. Your numbers have improved immensely, in a very short time. In fact they have improved so much I'm almost suspicious that either the first set of results or the second set were from someone else i.e. the lab made a mistake.

On the basis of those results you don't need any more iron supplements for the moment, and could stop taking them, which would help your stomach and gut to recover from the iron pills.

If you need iron supplements in future, one you could try is ferrous fumarate 210mg (FF210), which comes in boxes of 84. The maximum dose is one tablet, three times a day - you could obviously take fewer than three though, and many people who don't tolerate iron very well will take two or one per day.

FF210 is available from pharmacies (you have to ask the pharmacist) without a prescription at the pharmacist's discretion. If you can't get it from one pharmacy try a different one. I've usually bought from Lloyds and Tesco.

If you want to keep tabs on your own iron levels, then the best finger-prick test available privately is this one :

medichecks.com/tests/iron-s...

You could also get a Full Blood Count if you wanted one :

medichecks.com/tests/fbc-fu...

But generally speaking the first test I linked is probably the best one.

My iron drops a lot when I stop supplementing, but I've found I manage to maintain my levels reasonably well (having got them as close to optimal as I can) by taking one FF210, just twice a week. Everyone who struggles to hold on to iron has to find the dose and form of supplement that works for them.

You could check your levels with the iron status check I linked above in, say, 3 months time if you can afford it, and then post the results in a new post.

[Sassie65 in reply to humanbean]

Hi, I'm quite happy with my iron now and to be honest, I started to have more energy within a couple of weeks of taking the tablets. So I don't think iron is an issue for me anymore.

Thanks

[humanbean in reply to Sassie65]

That's good news. But having been low in iron before, there is a possibility it may happen again, so don't lose the details I've given above. You never know, you might need them in the future.

Good luck.

[Sassie65 in reply to humanbean]

Yes, I'm grateful for the info. I never thought about vitamins before I had a problem but now I certainly will pay more attention in the future. When I found out my iron was low, I asked to look at my past blood results. Turns out there's been a downward trend for the past few years but not one gp thought to mention it. I do have very heavy periods this could be the cause.

[Sassie65 in reply to Sassie65]

Hi again, hope you don't mind me asking the same question again. It's just that my foremost worry has not been addressed .

As my iron, vit D and b12 is now not an issue and hopefully under control, I am still perplexed as to why I still feel so bad.

I have ordered a home test for thyroid including antibodies so will post results when I get these back.

My gp only did these two three weeks ago. ...

T4 11.7 (9.0-24.0)

TSH 2.04 (0.2-4.5)

Do you think with these figures, even though they are within range, I could still have symptoms?

I'm just desperate to get some treatment as I have had too much time off work and I don't want to lose my job. The gp keeps offering antidepressants ( which I keep refusing ) but now I'm starting to wonder if I should take them.

I would be so grateful for any input.