Hi, I was diagnosed hypo in November last year - very high antibodies, so have Hashimoto's. I've had 1 increase in levothyroxine (now on 75mcg) and my last thyroid results are:
TSH: 2.2 (0.4 - 4)
FT4: 20 (10 - 20)
FT3: 4.9 (2.8 - 6.8)
This is a massive improvement on original results (TSH 160, FT3 <0.1) and I am definitely feeling better, although it's almost hard to determine what is normal...
However, I have been getting some tingling and numbness lately in various bits of my body. Below are my vitamin and iron results:
Serum Vitamin B12: 369 (162 - 811)
Holo TC Assay (not sure what this is?): 107 (>35) Notes from the haematologist to say no convincing B12 deficiency.
Serum Folate Assay: 49.5 (8.4 - 55)
Vitamin D3: 25 (>49)
Ferritin: 27 (20 - 290)
Doctor is obv not going to increase my levo dosage as all is within range and FT4 is at the top of the range.
I have read that having around 1 or below is better, do you think there's room to increase dosage here, or is the FT4 at the top of the range a problem? Does this mean I'm having trouble converting, or does the ratio look ok?
Vitamin D is low I know, I was told to take 1000um a day, but have been taking more like 4000, I will get it tested again in a while.
Main question is about the Vitamin B12 + ferritin. Interestingly, my initial B12 test (in November) was 242 and Holo TC was 49, so these have both gone up, not sure why. I have been taking a multivitamin every day, but nothing special, not sure that it would be enough to increase it that much.
Does anyone know if this level would be low enough to cause symptoms of deficiency? I also have occasional dizziness/lightheadedness which I notice is also a symptom.
How does one go about increasing ferritin, is there any way other than eating liver (I'm a vegetarian, lol, but obviously if it came to my health I wouldn't be stubborn about it)?
Thanks for any advice
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Dentarthurdent
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With b12 at 310 I suffered permanent loss of feeling in finger tips and toes. Below 500 can cause permanent neurological damage. I would take your ferritin and b12 results to the pernicious anaemia site on healthunlocked and ask for advise. Have you been tested for pernicious anaemia? Ferritin needs to be mid range at least 70 for thyroid hormones to work well, I increased mine with ferrous fumerate but do think you need advise from pa forum first. Has your muti vitamin got biotin in it. It can cause false blood test readings if not stopped for two days before test.
Your results have definitely improved, the tingling should improve once you get low Vit D & ferritin sorted, it is recommended that B12 should be at least 500, it's good to see you had the Holotranscobalamin 'active' test which is more accurate, however results would look higher if you were already taking supplements. If your GP has prescribed iron tablets take them with orange juice to help absorption and to avoid constipation. Don't forget to take supplements well away from your Levo (which should be taken first/last thing with a glass of water).
Here's an interesting link about iron, you don't have to eat liver!
Get GP to test for Pernicious Anaemia before perhaps starting sublingual B12 lozenges and adding a good vitamin B complex that has folate in too
Vitamin D is terrible, aim to increase to around 100nmol. Better You vitamin D mouth spray is good as avoids poor gut function
Look at adding magnesium and vitamin K2 Mk7 too
Ferritin, you either need to consider liver once a week or adding a ferrous fumerate supplement
Selenium supplements can help improve conversion
Vitamin C good, especially if taking iron supplements vitamin C recommended at same time
Getting vitamins optimal will help Thyroid work better and may then allow you to increase Levo, but at moment your results suggest you need to hold at 75mcg while everything else improves
You 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
Hashimoto's affects the gut and leads to low stomach acid and then low vitamin levels
Low vitamin levels affect Thyroid hormone working
Poor gut function can lead leaky gut (literally holes in gut wall) this can cause food intolerances. Most common by far is gluten
According to Izabella Wentz the Thyroid Pharmacist approx 5% with Hashimoto's are coeliac, but over 80% find gluten free diet helps significantly. Either due to direct gluten intolerance (no test available) or due to leaky gut and gluten causing molecular mimicry (see Amy Myers link)
But don't be surprised that GP or endo never mention gut, gluten or low vitamins. Hashimoto's gut and gluten connection is very poorly understood
Changing to a strictly gluten free diet may help reduce symptoms, help gut heal and slowly lower TPO antibodies
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(not medically qualified, just trying to help).
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