My first Medichecks results

[Jamesey82]

Hi everyone

I’ve just had my first private bloods back today and would like your opinions please.

My symptoms have been these for ten years or so.. extreme fatigue, sore and weak muscles, brain fog, confusion, memory loss, no sex Drive what so ever and probably more that I can’t remember.

I had a NHS test on 8th May which was taken at 10.40 am and I had fasted. The result of my TSH was 1.23 mU/l (0.350 - 4.94)

I decided to get my bloods tested via Medichecks. My test was taken at 9.30 and I had fasted.

My medichecks results are as follows

FT4 - 18.9 pmol/L (12 pmol/L - 22 pmol/L)

TSH - 2.35 MlU/L (0.27 MlU/L - 4.2 MlU/L)

FT3 - 5.22 pmol/L (3.1 pmol/L - 6.8 pmol/L)

TGAB - 10 lU/ml (0 lU/ml - 115 lU/ml)

TPOAB - 15 IU/ml ( 0 IU/ml - 34 IU/ml)

Ferritin - 120 ug/L (30 ug/L - 400 ug/L)

Vitamin D - 44.9 nmol/L (50 nmol/L - 200 nmol/L)

Vitamin B12 - 56.6 pmol/L (25.1 pmol/L - 165 pmol/L)

Folate - 5.24 ug/L (2.9 ug/L - 50 ug/L)

These are the comments left by the doctor

Here are the results of your Thyroid Check UltraVit.

We note that you are taking this test to diagnose a condition.

We are pleased to report that all your results for your thyroid profile are within the normal ranges. Your thyroid hormones are normal as are your thyroid antibodies revealing no evidence of autoimmune thyroid disease.  

You have normal vitamin B12 levels.

You have normal levels of folate.

Your vitamin D levels show that you have vitamin D insufficiency. This may progress to vitamin D deficiency if you don’t take steps to increase your vitamin D levels. We recommend supplementing with 20-50 mcg (800 -2000 iu) of vitamin D per day for twelve weeks.

Low levels of vitamin D can cause fatigue, bodily aches, poor memory and difficulties concentrating.

Outside of the winter months there is enough sun for your skin to make at least part of your daily requirement of vitamin D, so it is worth trying to get 15-20 minutes of midday sun  when the sun is out. Vitamin D can also be found in fortified foods such as breakfast cereals, tofu and some fruit juices. The only reliable natural source of vitamin D is in oily fish, although it can also be found in some mushrooms (portobello, maitake, morel, button, and shiitake are particularly good), you can improve this by leaving the mushrooms in the sun before cooking them.

It is important to test your vitamin D levels regularly - most people in the UK are insufficient or deficient in this vital vitamin. We suggest that you repeat your vitamin D test in 8-12 weeks to ensure that your levels have returned to normal. Once your levels have returned to normal then you can decrease your vitamin D supplementation to 10 mcg (400 iu) per day.

Your CRP level is normal, suggesting low levels of inflammation within the body.

Your ferritin level is normal indicating healthy iron stores.

Thanks for reading, comments will be appreciated!

[Dee8686]

Are you on thyroid medication?

[Jamesey82 in reply to Dee8686]

Oh sorry no

[sarajuarez2912 in reply to Jamesey82]

Nice reading

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

James

Your thyroid results aren't that bad, FT4 and FT3 are actually pretty good, TSH is a bit higher than I would have expected, I would have thought no higher than 2 for someone without thyroid disease. However, no-one knows their "normal" levels as we're never tested for a baseline. That may be your normal.

Antibodies nice and low so no apparent problem there. However, one negative result doesn't rule out Hashi's, you'd need a few over time for that.

Ferritin might be a bit low, I've seen it said that 150 is a good level for males. I'd eat liver once every couple of weeks to bring that up.

Vit D is too low at 44.9, the Vit D Council recommends a level of 100-150nmol so you could supplement there. 5000iu daily for a couple of months, then reduce to 5000iu alternate days, then retest 3 months after starting. The recommended dose from the Medichecks doctor isn't enough. And some people can make Vit D naturally from the sun and some can't. You will also need to take D3's important cofactors magnesium and Vit K2-mk7.

Active B12 is on the low side. Anything less than 70 it's suggested that MMA be tested for B12 deficiency. Sorry I don't have the link, my PC doesn't want to play today so I'm on my tablet and don't have that information on here. You can check for signs of B12 deficiency here b12deficiency.info/signs-an...

Folate is way too low, and Folate works alongside B12. Folate should be at least half way through it's range. Don't do anything about supplementing Folate until you have looked further into B12 deficiency/pernicious anaemia as supplementing folic acid will mask signs of B12 deficiency.

I think you should address your low nutrient levels and you may find it helps. I would certainly push for further investigation into your B12 level.

[Jamesey82 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you susie

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a bit disappointed that things were normal when it came to thyroid but hopefully sorting my vitamins could fix it.

[rosserk in reply to Jamesey82]

Hi Jamesy82, I know that feeling of getting good results and being disappointed! We desperately want the results to validate how we’re feeling and when they don’t we feel lost because we’re still chasing a reason for our symptoms.

My hubby has had a lot of the same symptoms as you and since my diagnoses I’ve persuaded him to take Vit D and B12 and he’s seen a marked improvement so hopefully you will too!

I wouldn’t rule out thyroid though just yet. I was tested 3 years ago and had a TSH of 2. When I was retested in January my TSH was 13.8. My symptoms were the same 3 years ago it’s just the results didn’t match the symptoms at that time.

Whatever happens you’ve got a plan to correct your vitamin levels, which fingers crossed will help correct some of your symptoms. Good luck! 😉

[Jamesey82 in reply to rosserk]

Thanks a lot Was your hubbys d level low? How much does he now take?

[rosserk in reply to Jamesey82]

Sorry missed this question, yes he’s been taking the following, 1 spray a day.

hollandandbarrett.com/shop/...

[MoonbeamXX1 in reply to Jamesey82]

Hello Jamesey

Have you tried taking your basal temperature upon waking (before you get out of bed)?

If interested; read up on how to take your basal temperatures for several days in a row - ideally using an old fashioned mercury thermometer (digital ones not as accurate).

In a very good (but old) book called 'The Riddle of Illness' by Dr Stephen Langer; he tells you that you can suffer from a great many of the symptoms of hypo (and be hypo) if you are just .01 degree below the normal ranges for temperature (37 degrees centigrade or 96.8 fahrenheit).

So your test results may not seem 'that bad' but this does not mean you are not suffering from hypo - my blood tests have only now shown up that my TSH is raised but all the others I have had over DECADES did not show up any problem whatsoever and I was dismissed to go away and suffer.

Don't let them do that to you....

(I highly recommend the book mentioned above to anyone who needs to know more about hypo; it is very easy to read and understand).

[Hidden]

My husband and I felt the same way for many years until we were diagnosed with vitamin deficiency not by a doctor but a vegetarian nurse practitioner she saved our lives. Doctors tell people to cut back or stop eating red meat, dairy and eggs which rich in B 12 and eat plenty of fruits a veggies and drink plenty of water which depletes your body of B 12, vegan can't live without supplements. We started taking supplements B 12, D 3 and calcium for over a year now we feel so much better, we feel like different people and now life is worth living. I'm not trying to promote any product just want to help people feel better you can look on my Facebook to see what supplements we take. Vitamin deficiency is becoming a big epidemic in the USA and mimics a lot of other different illnesses but doctors can't make any money off supplements. I've been on thyroid medication for 20 years and it never helped my symptoms, I just kept getting worse it was like my mind and body was slowly wasting away, the side effects never went away. I started taking a supplement with iodine to slowly introduce my body to iodine about 6 months ago, a week ago I stopped taking my thyroids medication and started taking a liquid organic iodine supplement with no side effects! The number one cause of hypothyroidism is iodine deficiency so why don't doctors start their patients on an iodine supplement first if it doesn't work then give them medication. In my research because I still have my thyroid gland, I find that the thyroid medication is what made my symptoms worse.

[Jamesey82 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you very much for the info

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Jamesey82]

James

90%of hypothyroidism is autoimmune - Hashi's.

Iodine is a hot potato. Please don't take Iodine unless you first test and are found to be deficient, then only take under the supervision of an experienced practioner.

You could look into Iodine rich foods, it's not that hard to get a good amount of Iodine from diet, in particular haddock and cod. The British Dietetic Association have a foodfacts sheet

bda.uk.com/foodfacts then look for iodine

[ShootingStars in reply to SeasideSusie]

Hi SeasideSusie . This cannot be emphasized enough!!!

"Iodine is a hot potato. Please don't take Iodine unless you first test and are found to be deficient, then only take under the supervision of an experienced practioner." Can you bold that in your post, so that more people will see this?

The only people who should randomly be taking iodine supplements once their thyroid has been broken by thyroid disease are people who are wanting to become MORE HYPO and are wanting to have MORE symptoms. Not really, of course, but that is what is likely to happen if taking extra iodine, and your body does not need it.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to ShootingStars]

Done SS

[ShootingStars in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thanks SS!

[Hidden in reply to SeasideSusie]

Medical malpractice is becoming the number one killer in America by experienced practitioner, how do they become experienced they practice on you. If your mother was iodine deficient when she was pregnant you can also be born iodine deficient. People who grow up in extreme poverty like I did are more likely to have all kinds of vitamin deficiencies that causes a lot of health problems. Before I take anything now I do research, why was my BP so high, sodium, when your B 12 deficient your taste buds are out of whack and a have poor appetite for healthy foods, l loved only high sodium and sweet foods. I craved and ate a lot of salty foods and ate potato chips instead of food, now I use way less sodium and my BP went down. I also was pre diabetic because I like to eat sweets instead of food now I'm normal again. I eat healthier because now I like the taste of food, never eat any kind of potato chip or chips anymore because they taste to salty now, eat something sweet now and then like dark chocolate.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Hidden]

Jmtaylor58

"Before I take anything now I do research"

Which is why you will see people on this forum state that before taking Iodine it should be tested, and only supplemented if found to be deficient, and then under the guidance of an experienced practioner.

In fact, you will see that it's always advised to test vitamin and mineral levels and dose appropriately if supplementing is found to be necessary. Nobody advises supplementing without knowing if it's needed.

[Hidden in reply to SeasideSusie]

The number one cause of hypothyroidism is iodine deficiency and yes I was diagnosed by a doctor that's why they gave me synthroid, and I was also diagnosed with B 12 and D 3 deficiency, one of the side effects of synthroid is brittle bones that's why I take plant based calcium! All you have to do is research on B 12 and D 3 if you have the symptoms your most likely to be deficient.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

All I know at age 59 I feel better than I have all my life!

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Hidden]

The number one cause of hypothyroidism is autoimmune, Hashimoto's.

[Hidden in reply to ShootingStars]

I still have my thyroid gland I wouldn't recommend people without one use iodine supplements!

[ShootingStars in reply to Hidden]

Hi Jmtaylor58. About that iodine. Lack of dietary iodine as a cause to thyroid disease is not common in our modern world, which contains iodinized salt. This is why iodinized salt was created to begin with. Please just be prepared that this may seem to be the answer for awhile, but in reality excess iodine is causing more damage. You may suddenly be thrown into hypothyroidism even worse than before. Daily intake of iodine is 150 mcg for an adult female, with the same for an adult male. This is usually reached through diet alone. If less than 50 mcg iodine is consumed daily for a long period of time, this will effect thyroid function and T4 production and could lead to a diseased thyroid.

We have seen this happen on this site before where excess iodine was consumed on a daily basis (one was for about 5 years(!) when someone was trying to self medicate their low thyroid, did not understand the thyroid and iodine relationship, and ended up with very damaged thyroids and becoming very sick and very hypo. There were others who went off of their thyroid medication, decided to take iodine instead, briefly thought they felt better, started to feel sick, and their bloods showed they were becoming very hypo.

Not that I am saying that you don't understand the iodine and thyroid relationship, I just wanted to share this information with you since the above can easily happen if thyroid levels are not continually monitored.

[Hidden in reply to ShootingStars]

If your mother was iodine deficient when she was pregnant you can also be born iodine deficient. People who grow up in extreme poverty like I did are more likely to have all kinds of vitamin deficiencies that causes a lot of health problems. Before I take anything now I do research, why was my BP so high, sodium, when your B 12 deficient your taste buds are out of whack and a have poor appetite for healthy foods, l loved only high sodium and sweet foods. I craved and ate a lot of salty foods and ate potato chips instead of food, now I use way less sodium and my BP went down. I also was pre diabetic because I like to eat sweets instead of food now I'm normal again. I eat healthier because now I like the taste of food, never eat any kind of potato chip or chips anymore because they taste to salty now, eat something sweet now and then like dark chocolate.

[ShootingStars in reply to Hidden]

RIght, but just because your mother was iodine deficient, does not mean that her child would be. Iodine deficiency due to diet is not genetic.

Yes, poverty can cause deficiencies and other health issues, but nutritional deficiencies are corrected through diet. Do you have a healthy and balanced diet now? If you do, you are probably getting plenty of iodine in your food. The only way to determine if you have iodine deficiency is to do a 24 hour urine iodine test.

[Hidden in reply to ShootingStars]

Well in my research I found yes if your mother is iodine during pregnancy so can the child, especially children in poverty deficiencies can start from birth and if it's not corrected when they're children it gets worse over time. Even though I tried to eat the best nutritional diet I could that's what kept me alive but it just wasn't enough. Once you're deficient you're deficient no food can change that. We eat a balanced and healthy biblical diet of protein, veggies, fruits, grains plus B 12, D 3, Calcium supplements I only take the iodine not my husband and we feel fantastic!

[ShootingStars in reply to Hidden]

I'm sorry, but that's not true. If deficient, food can and does change your deficiency status. If you're not eating the right foods, it won't.

So I take it you've tested all of your red blood cell levels of certain vitamins, serum levels of others, and 24 hour urine iodine and all of these show that you are deficient?

What is a "biblical diet"?

[Hidden in reply to ShootingStars]

No I'm sorry, but what your saying is not true Vegans and vegetarians have to take B 12 and other supplements to be healthy. That's how I found out I was vitamin deficient blood work. After I told a vegetarian nurse practitioner about my healthy diet of a lot of veggies and fruit and I rarely ate meat because I didn't like the way it tasted due to B 12 deficiency she had me checked for all deficiencies she saved my life. We obey Gods dietary laws!

[ShootingStars in reply to Hidden]

Hidden No, vegetarians don't have to if they are mindful and know how to eat balanced, as a vegetarian should. If they are eating enough of the right foods in the right amounts, they will get all the nutrients that they need. Eating a lot of veggies and fruit is not a balanced vegetarian diet at all. If you "rarely at meat", then you are not a vegetarian. Vegetarians never eat meat.

B12 deficiency doesn't make meat taste strange.

"God's dietary laws!". What exactly is that?

[Hidden in reply to ShootingStars]

Can you tell me which foods that are rich in iodine that you can eat to correct iodine deficiency and B 12, D 3 and calcium and how much of these foods do you have to eat to correct the deficiency?

[ShootingStars in reply to Hidden]

You're joking, right? "Can you tell me which foods that are rich in iodine that you can eat to correct iodine deficiency and B 12, D 3 and calcium and how much of these foods do you have to eat to correct the deficiency?"

[Hidden in reply to ShootingStars]

Bye!

[ShootingStars in reply to Hidden]

Oh sorry, I thought you were joking. Sorry! It's a legitimate question. I have no idea what your nutrient levels are, what your diet consists of, or what amounts you eat, Hidden . If you have nutrient deficiencies and are a vegetarian, wouldn't you know what foods to eat to correct each deficiency?

[Hidden in reply to ShootingStars]

We don't need medication, how medications are you on!

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I know all the vitamin rich foods are you a doctors? Doctor OZ been telling people about vitamin deficiency, I didn't believe him but now I do I'm stronger faster and healthier, I'm 59 and I do 90% of the work and repairs on our home a year and a half ago it took a lot of time to do it and took days to recover. Now I have no problems and enjoy mowing the lawn, using a 40lb weed whacker, planting flowers, shoveling snow, cook, clean, home repairs with no recovery time, my joints are stronger, my muscle are larger and I bet I eat a better diet then you! I'm done talking to you, you believe what you want, I got proof me and my husband and I've helped others!!

[Hidden in reply to ShootingStars]

Did you ever research the ingredients in synthroid it's all synthetic and a synthetic iodine, to much synthroid can also make you ill. I went 5 years without getting my levels checked and my levels didn't change. The doctors office I went too had a pharmacy they let me refill without seeing the doctors. I never take an excessive amount of anything, I take it as directed on the bottle.

[helvella in reply to Hidden]

Could you please explain what you mean by "synthetic iodine"?

Too much of anything can make you ill. That is pretty much the definition of "too much" - an amount that has deleterious effects the consequences of which will impact on health.

[Hidden in reply to helvella]

Man made not from nature!

[helvella in reply to Hidden]

Iodine is an element. How can we make it?

With some generally irrelevant exceptions, we cannot make the atoms of an element.

[Hidden in reply to helvella]

Research the ingredients in synthroid see what it says. How do they get it in salt?

[helvella in reply to Hidden]

The iodine atoms are not synthetic!

The levothyroxine sodium is synthesised.

I am very well aware of the ingredients of AbbVie Synthroid:

SYNTHROID (levothyroxine sodium tablets, USP) contain synthetic crystalline L-3,3',5,5'-tetraiodothyronine sodium salt [levothyroxine (T4) sodium].

Each SYNTHROID tablet contains the inactive ingredients acacia, confectioner's sugar (contains corn starch), lactose monohydrate, magnesium stearate, povidone, and talc.

Only one ingredient would be expected to contain any iodine atoms - levothyroxine sodium.

[helvella in reply to helvella]

How do they get it in salt?

Well, they extract iodine (in whatever form it exists) from brine (or caliche) and react it appropriately to produce the potassium iodate, potassium iodide, sodium iodate, or sodium iodide that has been chosen. Finally, they use various techniques to mix those substances with salt.

[Hidden in reply to helvella]

Iodine is a mineral found in some foods. The body needs iodine to make thyroid hormones. These hormones control the body's metabolism and many other important functions. The body also needs thyroid hormones for proper bone and brain development during pregnancy and infancy.

[Hidden in reply to helvella]

Sea vegetables, The ocean hosts the largest storehouse of iodine foods, including Kelp, Arame, Hiziki, Kombu, and Wakame.

[ShootingStars in reply to Hidden]

Adding iodine to salt does not mean that iodine is synthetic.

[Hidden in reply to ShootingStars]

I know that but I don't know how they make synthetic iodine wish I did!

[ShootingStars in reply to Hidden]

Hi jmtaylor58. Can you also please explain why too much Synthroid can make you ill? Do you mean if someone is only taking Synthyroid/T4, when they really actually need some T3, their FT4 level gets too high while their FT3 level remains too low, and then they are sick? Or do you mean a different kind of ill?

5 years?? That's too bad about that doctors office refilling your meds without ever checking your levels. There is information available about thyroid disease and routine testing. Weren't you ever curious about your levels or why you had symptoms?

How do you know you're not getting excess? Have you done a 24 urine collection to check your iodine levels? Taking what is directed on the bottle has nothing to do with getting excess or not getting enough. A bottle doesn't dictate your consumption. It's how much you are obtaining through your diet and also these pills that matters, and what the results of your 24 hour urine iodine test.

[Hidden in reply to ShootingStars]

I guess you haven't researched the side effects of synthroid, I had all the side effects from the medication and was miserable, I'm not telling anyone what do with their bodies I just want people to know how much better I'm feeling maybe they'll feel the same way! What's good for me may not be good for you. I don't know how good your nutrition is either, people make them selves sick with the foods they eat!

[ShootingStars in reply to Hidden]

I don't need to. I'm already familiar with Synthroid (not for myself) and am familiar with adequate thyroid treatment and optimal FT3 and FT4 levels.

It sounds more like your thyroid levels were not optimalized by the medication you were on. Possibly the wrong dosage, and possibly you needed T3, too. You already stated that you didn't bother to test your levels for 5 years so it would be of no surprise that your levels were not optimal during that time.

Like I said, the only way to know if your iodine level is safe is to do a 24 hour urine iodine test. Otherwise, you are just guessing. Same for your thyroid levels. You're off medication now and feel ok. This can quickly change. Hopefully you'll continue to test your thyroid on a regular basis, just to make sure your levels are good. Otherwise, by the time you start having symptoms again, it's a little late.

[thyroidorwhat]

Your Vitamin D and folate both need supplementing, and your B12 could use further improvement too...

TSH may also be suboptimal.

[Hidden]

Remember you must take your vitamins with food!

[Hidden]

Remember you must take your vitamins with food!

[ShootingStars]

Hi Jamesey82. Are these your first thyroid tests or do you have previous ones? If you have others, can you please post them including the dates and ranges?

You are very, very deficient in Vitamin D! Like, really bad. They should be up near 200 and you're almost 5 points below bottom range, 44.9. It's not wonder you feel very bad! This will make you feel very ill and could be the cause of many of your symptoms. Your doctor's comments about Vitamin D are entertaining! Even at the maximum Vitamin D dose they are recommending (2000 iu), you will never get your levels up where they should be! If you took only 2000 iu and retested in the 8-12 weeks, your Vitamin D will probably not even be at 100. There are much higher loading doses of D that would be more helpful in quickly raising your levels, which will quickly make you feel better.

Your symptoms could be from thyroid disease. These current tests do not exactly show thyroid disease, but there are a few things to watch and consider. If would very helpful if you have other test results to compare to these because levels can fluctuate a lot as the thyroid is struggling to work properly.

Your thyroid levels are interesting. TSH is technically not high, but it's right at that edge where if it got much higher it could mean your thyroid is slowing down. What is a little surprising is that your FT3 and FT4 thyroid hormone levels are where they are, but your TSH is just teetering on a little slow. Your FT4 is 18.9, which could be a little high for you. 18.9 is over 50% (17), and is getting to be close to 75% of range (19.5), Some people find they have the least symptoms with FT4 between 50% (which is 17) but not as high as 75%, which can have more symptoms. Your FT3 is 5.22, which could be a little low for you. It's over 50% (4.95) but not as high as 75% (5.875). Some people feel best when their FT3 is closer to 75%.

[Jamesey82 in reply to ShootingStars]

Thank you for the reply

I have no other thorough tests so I have nothing to compare it too

I’ve bought some 4000 iu and b12 of 1000ug so hopefully that helps

[Hidden]

All I know is how my body feels, before and when we bought our house it took me a long time to recover form any type of work. We bought a hud house a year and a half ago that needed a lot of work with a large yard .7acre. My husband works and I'm a housewife, I do 90% of the work and repairs around the house and the yard it took me days to recover from the work until I started taking my supplements. This year at 59 it feels like I turned back time my I'm happy not depressed or have anxiety, my mind is clear, I sleep so much better, my joints feel better and muscle are bigger and stronger and I love life! I shovel snow, mow the lawn, edge with 40lb weed whacker, I cook, clean, do repairs around the house, people don't know my age because of all the work I can do. If your diagnosed with a deficiency you're already not getting from your food, you don't have to be to careful about taking B 12 it's hard to take to much but D 3 you got to be careful only take what's recommended, you can't absorb the calcium without the D 3 and I'm not suggesting you take iodine my husband doesn't take men and women are different.