Iron and Thyroid results

[mistygrey]

Hi

I wrote a few weeks ago regarding upping my T3 and reducing my T4. I just got more up to date blood results taken on 1st June as follows:

T4 14pmol/l range 9-21 pmol/L

total T3 1.3nmol/l range unsure

TSH 0.98mU/l range 0.2-4.5 mU/L

Folate 12.6 range unsure but doctor wrote normal

B12 501 ranges 180-2000ng/l

Ferritin 47 ranges 15-200 ug/l

Iron 7 ranges 10-28umol

My iron on 22 March was 14.6 ranges 10-28umol/L

I am still to lower my T4 and up my T3 however I am concerned my iron has dropped almost half since the last blood test to now 7 despite me being on high strength iron ferrous fumarate supplements x2 daily.

Should I ask the doctor what is going on with my iron? 7 seems very low indeed and I am feeling exhausted, it shouldn't be going lower what does this mean? Especially since I am on high strength iron tablets since March.

Any advice appreciated

[Nanaedake]

If it were me, I would be concerned about my iron too with these low results. I would be wondering if I had absorption issues and wanting to rule out ceoliac disease. Also, B12 levels look good but I understand they are not conclusive of B12 deficiency so you might need further tests to rule it out. Best to consult the HealthUnlocked Pernicious Anaemia forum for detailed advice on B deficiency. You might need to rule out intrinsic factor antibodies and so on. You don't list a vitamin D level?

[mistygrey in reply to Nanaedake]

Hi

My vitamin D levels are good they are 90 at the moment however I use a spray in my mouth so it won't have to be absorbed like a pill does which makes me worry there's an issue with absorption in my stomach.

I had the Intrinsic factor blood test in February before going on iron and B12 supplements and it apparently came back negative.

I don't eat gluten so not sure why coeliac would be causing an issue if this was the case now and why would it cause me absorption issues? The only way to test for that is an endoscopy which I've had two of before for acid reflux and I wouldn't fancy getting one of them again they are horrendous. The coeliac blood test isn't reliable and always comes back negative when I've had it 🤔

I will ring my Gp today to ask what she thinks as it has gone quite low and this was even a week before my period so I can imagine even now it's possibly much lower maybe 😐

[Nanaedake in reply to mistygrey]

Did you have an iron infusion before? You could ask if you need one. If you're gluten free it's unlikely to be causing problems.

[mistygrey in reply to Nanaedake]

I just spoke to the Gp on the phone and quizzed her about the iron. She said I'm not aneamic even though my iron count is low - as my full blood count and ferritin are both normal and not low.... so to just keep taking the ferrous fumarate supplements 🤔 now I am unsure what to think!

[Nanaedake in reply to mistygrey]

Did she give you any explanation as to why your iron levels are dropping so low and why you're seemingly not utilising stored iron which is ferritin? It seems strange doesn't it?

[mistygrey in reply to Nanaedake]

Yes it does seem strange, I did ask her she said she didn’t know and that my FBC was normal so I wasn’t aneamic and that’s it was fine so now I don’t know what to do!

[Nanaedake in reply to mistygrey]

If it were me, I think I would book a telephone apt with a different GP in the practice and ask them to explain a bit more because you're worried about it.

[mistygrey in reply to Nanaedake]

Thank you I think I will do that or book a face to face to see what they say and just say it isnt normal for it to keep going low

[Nanaedake in reply to mistygrey]

I think that's a good idea, especially as you feel unwell. Sometimes you need to be persistent or you just get brushed aside.

[mistygrey in reply to Nanaedake]

Thank you, I know it’s such a struggle isn’t it when you don’t feel up to it ☹️

[Valeruss2715]

The most informative site for understanding iron levels is therootcauseprotocol.com. It'll shed light as to why you're having so much fatigue.

[mistygrey in reply to Valeruss2715]

Thanks, however not sure stopping my iron supplements would be the wisest idea since my levels can be very low, this protocol says to stop any iron supplements, surely this will make me worse?

[Valeruss2715 in reply to mistygrey]

If you dig deeper it describes how we’re measuring just the stored iron. It’s a bit of time to see how iron measurements are pretty misleading, however it’s really worth investigating further, you’ll be so relieved. Once you see this it clears so many other health problems up as well. It’s looking at oxidative stress way upstream.