Need Help understanding the newest lab work, please!

[JIssenmann]

I finally saw an endocrinologist yesterday since I got diagnosed with hypothyroidism in mid-Dec. 2017. Based on the lab work dated Jan 27, 2018, as below:

T3 2.41 pg/mL (2.5 - 4.4)

FT4 1.33 ng/dL (0.93 -1.70)

TSH 3rd Generation 1.81 mUI/mL (0.27 - 4.2)

AB (Anti-thyroglobulin) 10UI (< 115 IU/mL)

TPO 13UI/mL (< 34 IU/mL)

Reverse T3 (standing up) 0,45 ng/ml (0.09 - 0.35)

0.69 nmol/l (0.14 - 0.54)

Ferritin 1.3 mcg/L (30.00 - 400.00)

Folates 19.4 nmol/L (8.83 - 60.8 nmol/L

Vit B12 389 (145 - 569)

Vit D Total (D2 + D3) 31.7 ng/ml (30 - 60 ng/ml

Hemoglobin 12.7 g/dL (11.7 - 16)

CRP <1 mg/l (< 5.0)

Iron 21.1 mcmol/L (6.6 - 26)

Seeing this, she advised me to continue on taking L-Thyroxin Henning 125 and refused in giving me Cynomel or any other Liothyronine meds. Her reason, "I only check on the TSH level and that's all I care and your TSH level is "good" when I pointed out about how low my FT3 then as well as my Vit.D.

I received a new lab work today which was ordered by the endocrinologist as below:

Sodium .......................... 142 mmol/L (136 à 145 )

Potassium ....................................... 4,7 mmol/l (3,5 à 5,1)

Chlore ............................................ 105 mmol/l (98 à 107

Thyroid:

3 TL 3.55 pg/mL (2.5-4.4)

4 L 2.65 ng/dL (0.93 - 1.70)

TSH < 0.014 µUI/mL (0.27 à 4.2 1,81)

The above tests are the only things the endocrinologist willing to test. As she stated again, that she only cares about the TSH. Thus, That's all I get tested this time. She promised to give me "Euthyral" It's a med that has liothyronine and levothyroxine in one. Does anybody have any experience with this med?

When I brought up the importance of Folate, b12, Vit D3, K2 she just brushed me off thus refusing on prescribing the new test with those elements. With the new lab result, do you think this "Euthyral" (T3 20µg, T4 100µg) med will help me feel like a human again?

Any help and advice are very appreciated! TIA!

Jacqueline

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Essential to get vitamins optimal FIRST

Your vitamin D is far too low. Your GP should prescribe

Ferritin appears to be extremely low, can you double check that result.

[JaninaWalker in reply to SlowDragon]

Agreed she is very low on those two and it is far better to get a high quality supplement rather than asking for a prescription for Vitamin D as the drug companies make D2 which is synthetic and is absorbed about at a rate of half that of D3 which is the natural form. Plus Vitamin D needs K2 in order to be absorbed. See the videos on this by a researcher on Dr Mercola's web site.

To JIssenmann....are you avoiding eating red meat for some reason as that would give you enough iron. Eating lean ground beef is not the terrible thing so many people claim it is. To be too low on protein causes serious problems.

[JIssenmann in reply to JaninaWalker]

Hi JaninaWalker, I've been on a ketogenic diet since Jan. 26, 2017. If you're not familiar with this kind of diet, in short, I DO eat red meat (organic) and I choose the fattiest part.

[JaninaWalker in reply to JIssenmann]

That's very good. I've been on that diet for about 2 decades. it has been very helpful. But then why would you be low on iron? I can sympathize that trying to figure out these things can be disconcerting.

I have had low red blood cells with strong iron levels for 15 years, but then when tested by a hematologist and the blood was measured about 1.5 hours before seeing the doctor, she said my results were fine. So that made me think all the other tests which are done about a day or more after the blood draw might cause the results to be lower the farther the testing is done from the blood sample draw. So I sure know all this can be hard to figure out. But don't give up, as I also say that to myself.

[JIssenmann in reply to JaninaWalker]

Wow...2 decades on keto! Bravo! I haven't reached a stable ketosis. Always in and out despite staying the course so it's very frustrating. I only had a euphoric moment during the first 3 months into it then the depression got me out of it and since then I haven't been able to keep it stable despite getting rid of Prozac and Xanax! I started Euthyral 3 days ago and on the first day my BG was 89 mg/dL, BK 0.1 mmol/L, on the second day my BG was 68 mg/dL, BK 3.2 mmol/L and today BG was 73 mg/dL and BK 3.0 mmol/L. Looking at the readings on my BG and BK I am very excited and HOPEFUL that Euthyrol will stabilize everything and makes me feel human again! Last night, I fell asleep around 11 PM without taking a sleeping pill and I woke up at 10 AM and had various dreams which are a very good sign! Plus, I lost 2 lbs....yeahhhhh!

BTW, my iron and hemoglobin are of max range! It's my ferritin that is SUPER LOW and my Folate is functionally low, too!

[JaninaWalker in reply to JIssenmann]

You might benefit from looking up Dr Ben Lynch and what he ways about the right type of folate versus folic acid which is synthetic. A fair number in the world cannot turn folic acid into the right form of folate. I have paid attention to his web site for about three years I can't afford the genetic testing but as he says just making sure your get the right folate is important.

[JIssenmann in reply to JaninaWalker]

Thank you, JaninaWalker. I bookmarked him and will check him out when my head is together. Have a great week!

[JIssenmann in reply to SlowDragon]

Hi SLowDragon, thank you for the input!

My GP told me to talk about the ferritin with the endo but as I said above, the endo didn't care. All she cared was the value of TSH and according to her it was "good" In France, they only prescribe vit D1 which is for nourishing mothers and when I read about it, it sounded that it was not what I needed so I bought myself Vit D3 and K2 and I've been taking vit. D3 10 000IU and K2 200 mcg daily since January 2017.

[eeng]

It sounds as though Thyrel is a good idea for you if it contains T3. I would go for it. You can get a private blood test done to find out your Vitamin D and B12 levels from Blue Horizon or medichecks - it's a fingerprick test you can do at home. It makes a huge differentce to your general well-being, as well as the way your body uses thyroxine, if these nutrients are at a healthy level (not just anywhere within the 'normal' range).

[JIssenmann]

Hi Eeng, in France, Vit D and B12 are free of charge and I did get them tested through my GP. The Endocrinologist who didn't care to prescribe me these tests as she didn't see the value of them.