“Interesting” blood test results

[Danielj1]

Crikey, this journey does sometimes feel like 2 steps forward and one back based on some recent blood test results.

If anyone has read my recent posts I have majored on getting supplements right and happily have the important ones now in sensible ranges: ferritin, D, iron, magnesium.

Except zinc is seen as much too high.

I have been told by GP as a result of the above to stop supplements immediately and recheck zinc again as a follow up.

I have only taken RDA levels of zinc - so this has come as a big surprise.

I have been told to :

-increase levo back from 50 to 75 and I have done so for past 3 days (not fun)

-eliminate all caffeine (shame)

-reduce salt to a minimum (shame)

When i look back on last 6 months - I assumed with all the diet/supplements etc

TSH would keep tumbling down - but I never took a test that showed it got below 4.6.

So now I will test and retest until I get a confirmed result in the right range. Then I will

Consider any other changes.

What have I learnt from past 6 months.

-Do not miss a single day of taking levo

-Build up exercise slowly and only when not putting TSH at risk

-Gluten I still think is a risk factor -‘even if blood test shows zero gilladin issues

-Be very cautious about vitamin supplements and regularly check levels with blood tests

I would love to be able to report back that I have pressed all the magic buttons - but getting this sorted is harder than I imagined!

[Jazzw]

I don’t know if I’d read too much into a one off test. This might be helpful: healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[blogsy2]

If a subsequent zinc test is also high, maybe you should check your copper level. High zinc leads to low copper. Do you have any industrial exposure to zinc?

[greygoose]

Why reduce salt to a minimum? That doesn't sound like very good advice. What's that got to do with zinc?

Have you been supplementing zinc at all?

[Danielj1 in reply to greygoose]

Grey goose

A full blood panel was done covering just about everything.

Zinc was specifically picked out as it was raised and the risk to copper levels when raised - although copper test came in line. I have been taking 15mg zinc daily within a multivit.

Salt was raised for the more general issue of the link to raising blood pressure.

[greygoose in reply to Danielj1]

High blood pressure is very, very rarely caused by salt. That is a myth. Your body needs salt - especially your adrenals. And, you need to take care of your adrenals because you are hypo. If you have high blood pressure, it is more than likely due to low T3, it is a hypo symptom.

Well, funny thing that, about the zinc! That is one of the few things you will absorb from a multi-vit. lol And, seems like you didn't need it! You see the dangers of taking bunches of things altogether in one pill without checking that you need them? All you need to do is stop the wretched multi-vit.

Was the copper also tested? Seems odd to test one without the other. Do you have the actual zinc result, with the range?

[Danielj1 in reply to greygoose]

Copper was tested and was fine.

I have always taken your view over salt - I am not wedded to my view over this.

Multivits - I don’t have an issue with them. But will only take magnesium in near term.

[greygoose in reply to Danielj1]

Well, multi-vits aren't a good idea for many reasons. Without knowing which one you take, I can't explain very well. But, this is a good example of part of the problem - taking things you don't need.

What do you mean by 'near term'?

[Danielj1 in reply to greygoose]

I have taken multi vits for decades on and off and have always very much seen them as helpful.

What I have never done until now is look at the blood testing in all this detail and in the main I see that supplements have broadly kept nutrients to a minimum level.

What this has made me aware of is to monitor the outcomes regularly.

Will I ever take a multivit supplement again - I think your strongly held view is a permanent no, I will stop them for a few months and see if my diet can provide 100% of what is required. If that is the case then great. If not, I will have to mull over further.

I am not averse to reconsidering and i appreciate your comments - you clearly feel very strongly about them.

[greygoose in reply to Danielj1]

I always feel strongly about people being conned out of their money.

But, whether or not your diet can provide all your nutritional needs depends more on your ability to digest and absorb, rather than the diet itself. I think the first thing you should do is take a look at your stomach acid.

scdlifestyle.com/2012/03/3-...

[Danielj1 in reply to Danielj1]

mojogirlfriends.com/hidden-...

There are many articles out there to support the positive benefits for salt, I found this one to support cutting back.

I have no issues sticking with a lower salt approach and see what happens for a month or so.

A recent book just released that I have read on hashimoto

Triggers also supports a lower salt approach.