Lab result out. Need help :( : Since im doing it... - Thyroid UK

Thyroid UK

141,244 members166,489 posts

Lab result out. Need help :(

mhrmzi profile image
19 Replies

Since im doing it with private lab, and they only email me the result, i only happen to understand that im low in vit D. Could that be causing my mild hypothyroid symptoms? My tsh went down a bit here (last week was 2.93)

I also have low blood count low iron (is it a same thing?) does vit D and iron deficiency related?

I have no idea whether or not i have hashimoto. Can someone help me? :( thanks in advance

Written by
mhrmzi profile image
mhrmzi
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Read more about...
19 Replies
waveylines profile image
waveylines

Yes most certainly. Low vitamin D does cause symptoms simular to under active thyroid. Notably unrelenting fatigue, sleep that is non restorative, aches and pains, lethargy. The good news is it can be easily resolved with vitamim D3 supplements. Have a look at The Vitamin D Council and Grassroots websites they have excellant advice on what and how much.

Having said that I dont think you are being optimally treated for your under active thyroid too. Your TSH is too high and should be under one. And your thyroid hormones do have room to be higher in range. What are you taking and how much?

Your antibody tests were negative. This suggests you dont have an autoimmune thyroid condition .

mhrmzi profile image
mhrmzi in reply towaveylines

Thank you SO so much. Currently im not medicated as doctor said im ‘normal’ at 2.93 i only supplement myself with multivitamin and omega 3 and going gluten free (just in case i have hashi before lab result came out) maybe that brought the number down a bit to 2.7

Do i need to push the doctor for proper thyroid med? She seems to just brush me off and i even have a solid 0.3 thyroid nodule that needs regular check up :(

waveylines profile image
waveylines in reply tomhrmzi

Ahhh am afraid no GP will medicate you with thyroid hormones on that result. In other countries it would be regarded as suspicious. However your GP should repeat test in three/six months.

I would go for the vitamin D3 supplements. see what that does. I felt dreadful when mine was low. Could barely function. Buy the vitamin D3 in oil as it needs fat for best uptake. Also buy K2 as that helps to make sure the increase calcium uptake goes to your bones not organs. Once you've raised your level over 80 or 100 you cam reduce to a maintenance dose. Do another blood test in 6months to check your level. Vitamin D is stored in the body and cannot be excreted so it needs to be monitored when supplementing.

You could take your results to your GP. They may want to do another blood test but they can put you on a course of vitamin D followed by a miantenance dose. Its just that this may delay the start of taking vitamin D as we all know how hard it is to get appointments!

mhrmzi profile image
mhrmzi in reply towaveylines

Thanks! I really truly appreciate your quick assistance on this.

Im suspecting my low iron has to do with the deficiency :( im currently trying to get more iron by liquid iron and avoiding all food that may hinder absorption. And i think i may have avoided calcium this past 1 week by accident (no dairy gluten free and all)

I will find liquid vit d with k2 asap. I would be beating around the bush had you not mention this so thank you so much again. Have a great week :)

shaws profile image
shawsAdministrator in reply tomhrmzi

This is a list of clinical symptoms:

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

This is an interpretation of blood test results.

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

When you give results you also have to put the ranges. Ranges enable members to respond.

The aim is a TSH of 1, not somewhere in the range as doctors seem to have been trained.

Blood tests have to be the very earliest, fasting (you can drink water) and allow a gap of 24 hours between your last dose of levo and the test and take afterwards. This helps keep the TSH at its highest and may prevent an unnecessary adjustment down.

mhrmzi profile image
mhrmzi in reply toshaws

Thank you :) both test were done while fasting and at 930am.

The range was at the right side of the result (in blue) guess it differs to lab bcse this is a private lab not directly under any hospital. Sorry if you overlooked.

humanbean profile image
humanbean

Going gluten-free is worth the effort for anyone with thyroid problems, or the threat of thyroid problems in the future.

If you stick to it for three months, then you can always go back to normal eating if it doesn't make you feel better. It doesn't have to be a life sentence if it doesn't help.

You don't have autoimmune thyroid disease or Hashimoto's Disease based on the results you've given, but antibodies fluctuate so it might show up in future.

I've never had a positive antibodies result in over 20 years of thyroid problems. And yet going gluten-free made me feel a lot better. One thing it improved was my absorption of nutrients. So although I still lose nutrients too quickly, I do hang onto them better than I did. Another thing going gluten-free did was to reduce my depression and my bad temper!

You have little or no chance of being treated for hypothyroidism by doctors with your current thyroid function test results. But if you do everything you can to optimise your various nutrients, and also do some research on improving your gut health, then it should make life more bearable if your thyroid deteriorates further.

mhrmzi profile image
mhrmzi in reply tohumanbean

Thanks to this forum and also you i learn quick on how to manage my subclinical hypo and other health issues.

should have i waited any longer it will be detrimental to my health altogether im so thankful to have ‘finally’ listen to what my body is trying to tell me and finding this forum.

I feel week these past few days but maybe its because gluten withdrawal so i just have to be patient. I was bloated for 2-3 days have headache and lethargy. And its a struggle trying to cross check gluten free safe food with iron supp absorption issue and also hypo symptoms but i think im getting the hang of it now.

Thanks again humanbean uve been a great help comforting my worries. Not even my doctors have helped so much.

have a great week :)

humanbean profile image
humanbean in reply tomhrmzi

Gluten withdrawal can be very unpleasant. I felt like I was suffering from flu. But the problem went away within a week. I noticed my first benefits of going gluten-free five days after I stopped eating it. :)

If you have recently started supplementing iron for the first time, you really need to know how quickly you absorb it. If you absorb iron quickly then you will have to test once a month to check you aren't overdoing it. If you are a slow absorber you can do testing less often. But first - you need to know which you are - a slow or fast absorber!

The tests you need are described here :

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

And, occasionally, you could do this test as well :

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

Taking iron will affect levels of haemoglobin, red blood cell count, MCH, MCHC so it is good to keep an eye on those. But the most important set of tests for iron is given in the first link.

Good luck. :)

mhrmzi profile image
mhrmzi in reply tohumanbean

Yes! Flu like is the right word. Pardon my foggy brain 😅 im still waiting for it to ease out or maybe there’s tons of gluten in my body and my gut is not that strong to begin with. Ive started on 75bil cfu pre+probiotic strains and will see in a month.

Iron wise.... i think, not so much because i have black stool since day 1 and black stool means its unabsorbed iron isnt it? But i keep on taking it (liquid form 20ml day 20ml night as suggested on the box) taking care not to eat anything that hinders it and taking it down with lemon juice... i will do blood test in a month. Hoping for the best.

Thanks for the link and thanks again for being such great help! I really do appreciate.

Have a great week 😊

humanbean profile image
humanbean in reply tomhrmzi

When I take iron supplements my stool is always black. I don't know any way of avoiding it, sorry.

mhrmzi profile image
mhrmzi in reply tohumanbean

Guess its normal and we’re just slow iron absorber then... maybe.. i hope.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

Generally best to avoid multivitamins.

Just vitamin D, K2 Mk7 and magnesium supplements for low vitamin D. Aim to increase to around 100nmol

Better You vitamin D mouth spray is good as avoids poor gut function

Retest after 2-3 month

You say you have low iron or ferritin. Can you add results and say what's prescribed

Recommend full Thyroid evaluation TSH, FT4, TT4, FT3 plus TPO and TG thyroid antibodies. Plus vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12.

Private tests are available. NHS often won't test FT3 or antibodies if TSH in range

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 ideally be done as early as possible in morning and fasting. This gives highest TSH and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, GP will be unaware)

Your antibodies appear to be low. But they can fluctuate

If antibodies are high this is Hashimoto's, (also known by medics here in UK more commonly as autoimmune thyroid disease).

About 90% of all hypothyroidism in Uk is due to Hashimoto's

mhrmzi profile image
mhrmzi in reply toSlowDragon

Hi again slowDragon

Ive been having this idea that if i eat multivitamin daily ill be just fine.. turns out not the case - maybe for me so thank you for much, i think i need to stop and focus only those you’ve suggested.

I cant find mouth spray in my country and to import meds from amazon/any online store i would need a license (ive received a warning letter last year)

I found magnesium (alone) vit D and K2 (combined- need to order local online not in store) But not Mk7.

i bought vit D 1000mg just now bcse thats the ‘best i can find here’ in a desperate attempt to quickly supply myself with vit D while waiting for another one with k2 to arrive) Its too much isnt it...

The latest thyroid test was as above complete with vit D & B12. Im not sure about folate... ferritin i did last week. Will try to edit and attach it in a minute.

I fasted during both test and both also were done at 9-930ish in the morning.

Im glad i didnt have hashi but like u said it fluctuate and with my hormone now haywiring + gut problem i better do something quick now.

Hope my liver wont suffer so much from all the pills. Seems like i have to swallow so many and frequently for a month. Thanks again for your help i truly appreciate

mhrmzi profile image
mhrmzi in reply toSlowDragon

Oops i dont know how to ‘add attachment’ in same thread/topic *cry* i just click on edit and it went to new post.. ill just type each out later then

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply tomhrmzi

It's not possible to add a photo within a thread

mhrmzi profile image
mhrmzi in reply toSlowDragon

Well that explains it.. hmm.. and i edit in here it also went to new post..twice 😅 pardon my newbie mistakes..

here’s my blood test result from 7 feb 2018 (in bracket is reference range)

Hemoglobin 11.6 (12-16)

Red blood cell 4.29 (3.9-5.6)

RDW 13 (12.4-15.1)

PCV 38 (35-47)

MCV 88 (76-96)

MCH 27 (28-34)

MCHC (30-36)

platelet 312 (150-400)

Iron 13.9 (9-30.4)

Ferritin 30.7 (10.9-291)

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply tomhrmzi

Going to add humanbean and SeasideSusie

They are good at reading iron and ferritin results

Your ferritin is too low. Eating liver once a week should help improve. (Hide in casserole or similar if you don't like it)

mhrmzi profile image
mhrmzi in reply toSlowDragon

Thank you so so much slowdragon..

But, there is one thing i dont understand (even with google - foggy brain perhaps) is why my iron level seems ok but my hemoglobin and ferritin is low.. im never good in biology in class anyway sorry for the silly question.. i thought iron = hemoglobin = red blood cell

I eat liver 4-5x this week alone + that 40ml liquid iron... clearly its so obvious that im desperate ‘to save my body’ in a month.. i need to calm down 😅

Not what you're looking for?

You may also like...

Hypothyroidism & Test Result help Plz

I’ve been having various problems over the years since 2019 ! I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism...
Toto88 profile image

Need Help understanding the newest lab work, please!

I finally saw an endocrinologist yesterday since I got diagnosed with hypothyroidism in mid-Dec....
JIssenmann profile image

New here, need help with Lab results

Hello, i am new to all this, i have been on T3 since Aug 1, 2018. Previously to that i had been on...
GentleSoul profile image

Have RT3 and FT3 result. Need help!

Possibly one for the admins here. I've reposted as I got confused over my readings and then have...
BexyLS profile image

Thyroid, Vit D and Folate result help please....

Hi, Ive been diagnosed since autumn 2017 with UAT and Hashi, and have had a very rocking road...
jamiebgp profile image

Moderation team

See all
Jaydee1507 profile image
Jaydee1507Administrator
PurpleNails profile image
PurpleNailsAdministrator
SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.

Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.