Thyroid and Vitamins

[Harlech]

Hi. I have accidentally lost 2 posts.

I tried thrioyd meds but unfortunately after 2.5.months, my muscles felt taut /tight in my back & my legs walking was getting quite painful, so stopped meds.

Having not been to Dr's since feb 2017,

March this year I phoned the dr's & requested having some blood tests done.

March 2018.

Tsh 3.9. (0.10. 5.00)

Ferritin 84. (10.00 .300.00)

B12. 914. (200.00. .900.00)

Folate 4. 7 (3.00. 12.00)

Vit d. 75. 2. No range

I phoned the dr's again in June of this year, due to very severe leg cramps. ( both legs at same time) plus severe nightmares, I had been having for fews months, this was now happening most evening.

June blood tests.

Tsh 3.6. (0.10.5.00)

Ft4. 15. (8.00. 19.00)

Ferritin 67. (10.00.300.00)

B12. 835. (200.00. 900.00)

Folate. 5.6. (3. 00. 12.00)

Vit D. 65.8. (50.00. 150.00)

What I don't understand I have vit d on prescription for the past 5yrs of colecalciferol iu 800 taken daily, but my levels are going down. (in June. 2016. vit d was 92.7.)

Also why is the tsh going lower when taking no medication.

Supplements I take k2 mk7, super b complex, magnesium, vit c, & zinc ( trying tonic water for leg cramps)

Any advice much appreciated

[shaws]

Are any of your posts on this link:-

healthunlocked.com/user/har...

[Harlech in reply to shaws]

Hi. I have my recieved my results from Blue horizon. (test was 11)

Tsh 4.67. (0.27 - 4. 20)

.T4. 91.7. (66. - 181)

FT4 13. 60. (12.-22.00)

FT3 4.28. (3.1 - 6.8)

Folate 8.38 (8.83 - 60. 8)

Antibodies OK.

There are comments from there Dr. ref to tsh vit b12 & folate.

Folate to low

B12 to high. & could cause eye issues , so l am now wondering, if this is cause of keratitis inflammation, ? that lead me to the eye hospital 1 month ago. Should I stop the vit b complex & purchase folate only.

Advice appreciated. Many thanks.

[shaws in reply to Harlech]

What to do is copy and past the above onto a new post. This one is now 7 days old and you wll get more comments/advice with a new post.

[cherryripe21]

Hi Harlech This is happening to me but caused by a benzodiazepine. My vit d is only 58 and should be 100. he dose of cholecalciferol u are taking appears very low. I am prescribed 20,000 iu of cholecalciferol a week.g

[Harlech in reply to cherryripe21]

Hi. Sorry for late reply. In 2011 I saw a private endro, in hope of getting my health issues sorted, due to my age, symptoms which strongly related to hypo, & being female. All blood tests came back in normal range, the vit d only 17. 2013 I changed Dr's due to still having the same symptoms, new Dr did a referral to NHS endro again blood tests in range, then i recieved a letter from endro stating vit d low ( no level/ count given), I had to go hospital pharmacy & get 6 capsules of 50.000.

Blood tests vit d which I myself requested, dr's don't bother about monitoring.

22/8/2014. 107,9 No range given.

19/10/2015. 34, 1 : : :

Started taking 800iu daily

6/6/2016. 92.2. No. range.

6/3/2018. 75.2. : :

26/6/ 2018. 65,8. (50.00 - 150.00nmol/l)

I don't understand what is going on with my blood tests, ref vit d. thyriod & Iron. ( up. & then down.)

Thank you for reading & replying.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

You need to have full Thyroid testing

Did you organise private testing mentioned in previous posts? You need FT3 tested and both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies. You possibly have Hashimoto's also called autoimmune thyroid disease, diagnosed by high thyroid antibodies. Levels go up and down with Hashimoto's

Do you supplement vitamin B12 or any B vitamins in a multivitamin for example?

Your vitamin D dose is too small. When hypothyroid we often need higher dose

Aiming to improve to around 100nmol. Vitamin D mouth spray by Better You is good as avoids poor gut function. Suggest you try 3000iu for 2-3 months and retest. It's trial and error what dose each person needs.

Once you Improve level, very likely you will need on going maintenance dose to keep it there. Retesting twice yearly via vitamindtest.org.uk

Your folate is very low.

[Harlech in reply to SlowDragon]

Firstly thank you for your reply. The last fews days haven't been that good for myself. Ref. B12 I was taking solgar 5000mcg, blood test in (Feb. 2017) level had gone to 2000pg/ml. (200.00 - 900.00) so I stopped taking it for a while, switched to super b complex that contained folate, due to folate level 4.3. (3.00- 12.00ng/ml). Ref. To other vit's I mentioned them in my last post.

Would I be better to carry on taking the b complex & also purchase folate to take with it. I will purchase the vit d spray as recommended.

Ref. Ferritin that has gone down in 3 months.

March 83. (10.00 - 300.00ng/ml).

June. 67. ( same range. ).

Would supplementing with ferrous fumarate help.?.

1 more thing to add to the rest of my symptoms, due to eye issue, ended up at hospital, were cornea consultant diagnosed keratitis inflammation, so meds. for life. (Funny thing about it, she asked if I was suffering any muscle & joint pain.)

Blue horizon blood test 16th July 9-30. Home Visit.

Many thanks for advice given

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Harlech]

If you are taking a vitamin B complex with folate in that should be enough to improve both B12 and folate

If you are taking vitamin B complex, or any supplements containing biotin, remember to stop these 3-5 days before any blood tests, as biotin can falsely affect test results

endo.confex.com/endo/2016en...

endocrinenews.endocrine.org...

You shouldn't supplement any iron based solely on ferritin testing. Would need full iron panel done. You can have low ferritin and high iron.

Eating liver or liver pate once a week (or other iron rich food) should help

[Harlech in reply to SlowDragon]

Hi. I haven't taken any vit's for a week.

June 2018. Ref. iron blood tests.

Serum transferrin. 2.64. (1.68-3.36g/l)

Serum iron. 18. (10.-00-25.00umol/l)

Transferrin saturation 26. 2.%

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Harlech]

I am not good on reading iron results

They look pretty good to me

SeasideSusie may comment

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Harlech]

Harlech

Serum iron is recommended to be 55%-70% through range (men at the higher end) and yours is 53% so yours is just about OK.

With Transferrin - low in range indicates lack of capacity for additional iron and high in range indicates need for supplemental iron. Yours is 57% through range so neither low nor high.

Saturation is recommended to be 35%-45% (higher end for men), yours is slightly low there at 26.2%.

So all in all those results aren't too bad at all.

Ferritin is recommended to be half way through range.

I wouldn't supplement with iron tablets, but that is not medical advice, that is just my own opinion. As SlowDragon has said, eating liver once a week will raise ypur ferritin, to maintain it maybe once every couple of weeks. Other iron rich foods here apjcn.nhri.org.tw/server/in...

[Harlech in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you for your reply. When I mentioned about supplementing with iron, I only intended to take 1 tab per week for poss. about 4 / 6weeks just as a boost I am aware taking extra iron can cause problems (In the last 3mths 2 iron levels have gone down.)

I have read from the forums on this site & before Sheila tpauk became poorly I spoke to her on the phone on few occasions. If levels of iron vit's etc are low thyriod meds won't work.

(Liver until recently loved it with onions, now can't eat it)

Thank you ref. Link Food list

[Harlech in reply to SlowDragon]

Hi. I have my recieved my results from Blue horizon. (test was 11)

Tsh 4.67. (0.27 - 4. 20)

.T4. 91.7. (66. - 181)

FT4 13. 60. (12.-22.00)

FT3 4.28. (3.1 - 6.8)

Folate 8.38 (8.83 - 60. 8)

Antibodies OK.

There are comments from there Dr. ref to tsh vit b12 & folate.

Folate to low

B12 to high. & could cause eye issues , so l am now wondering, if this is cause of keratitis inflammation, ? that lead me to the eye hospital 1 month ago. Should I stop the vit b complex & purchase folate only.

Advice appreciated. Many thanks.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Harlech]

Suggest you take these results to GP and start back on Levothyroxine

Obviously TSH is too high and FT4 is very low. FT3 only mid range

What was vitamin D result?

Folate is likely too low because your thyroid is under performing

Perhaps look at supplementing just folate for few months

What was ferritin level?

Do you have any gut symptoms, low stomach acid is common hypothyroid problem and leads to low vitamins

[Harlech in reply to SlowDragon]

Hi. Thank you again.

Vit d 58

I am going to purchase better you vit d spray folate & stop vit b complex. Unsure if dr's will help this is now 3rd time I have been diagnosed, I have struggled since 2011, I have so many symptoms.

These are nhs tests for ferritin. 2018

March. 84. (10. 00. 300.00)

June 67. ( same range )

I have had higher tsh 5.3 dr's wouldn't treat me.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Harlech]

I guess because you have no antibodies they won't treat until TSH is over 10

Perhaps put a post up asking about where to get non prescription Levothyroxine

[Lispuhiza]

Maybe you don't have antibodies they won't treat you hmmm....my anti tpo at was 7.2

Anti tg at <1.0

T.sh 4.13, free t4 14.9 i have taken levo 25 mg for 8 weeks,maybe it's side effect of levo but i have had and still have hair fall itchy scalp,heavy menstruation even though now I'm taking 50 mg since two weeks still losing to much hair..any .advice appreciate..