I'm new here and have just had results from Thriva.

[ReallyFedUpNow]

Hi, I have been feeling tired for as long as I can remember with quite a few thyroid symptoms. My blood test always come back normal. I was diagnosed with depression 25 years ago and medicated accordingly. I have been taking antidepressants on and off since then. I decided to stop the tablets about 6 weeks ago (also stopped multivitamins and Menopace - I am 60 and post menopausal although still experiencing problems with my internal thermometer - as I suspected all I gained was expensive wee!! - and have had blood tests done via Thriva. I would appreciate it if you could look through my results and offer advice.

TSH 2.9 (0.27 - 4.3)

T4 87.3 (66.0 - 181.0)

FT4 14.9 (12.0 - 23.0)

FT3 4.89 (3.1 - 6.8)

Anti-Thyroidperoxidase antibodies 9.0 (0.0 - 34.0)

Anti-Thyroglobulin antibodies(TGAB) 10.0 (0.0 - 115.0)

Active B12 77.9 (25.1 - 165.0)

Total B12 216.0 (250.0 - 569.0)

25-hydroxy Vitamin D 89.4 (50.0 - 200.0)

Ferritin 50.2 (13.0 - 150.0)

Folate 13.6 (8.83 - 60.8)

HbA1c 38.46 (0.0 - 42.0)

Bilirubin 5.6 (0.0 - 24.0)

Alkaline Phosphatase 87.0 (0.0 - 104.0)

Gamma GT 20.0 (6.0 - 42.0)

Total Protein 69.7 (63.0 - 83.0)

Albumin 38.7 (34.0 - 50.0)

Globulin 31.0 (19.0 - 35.0)

Alanine Transferase 24.2 (0.0 - 35.0)

I also had Lipid Profile done which showed Cholesterol Range 4.27 (0.0 - 4.0) which they highlighted.

They also highlighted B12 as a borderline result. Having looked online could that be the cause for the constant tiredness?

I would appreciate any advice you could give me. Quite honestly this is my last ditch attempt to work out why I feel so bad. Since stopping the antidepressants this time it feels as though my body has just crashed. I don't want to go back on them as I am pretty sure I am not depressed - sad and miserable maybe but not all the time!!

Thank you for your patience :o)

[Foxtrot89]

I’m no expert on all of those bloods but I know for sure that your B12 needs to be higher than that. Yes it can definitely cause fatigue to be less than optimal B12! Total B12 needs to be absolutely top of range, and even beyond. Mine is 1350 and I still need to keep supplementing otherwise I feel tired when I stop.

As an aside - the cause for B12 build up while still feeling low B12 can be a gene mutation which causes problems processing certain B vitamins - called MTHFR - which a lot of people have (myself included). Technically I should be able to find out how to free up that B12 for my body to use but until then I will continue supplementing since B12 is proven to be harmless (as long as you’re balancing the other B vitamins and not making deficiencies).

You would do well to start a sublingual B12. I recommend BetterYou spray.

You need to make sure that you take adequate folate with it (I think your reading could be higher on this too. I felt better when I raised mine, which now hovers between 30-40).

A vitamin B complex would be wise too to ensure that you don’t create imbalances in the B vitamins.

Provided your digestion is ok you could try Igennus Super B complex as it has high B12 and a balanced amount of all the other B vits.

I hope that you feel better soon! It’s rough feeling bad so much of the time. I was offered anti depressants and refused them as I knew, for me, that it was just a symptom of something else.

[greygoose]

Your TSH says your thyroid is struggling to make enough hormone, but your FT4/3 says that - so far - it is managing to do so. Your antibodies do not indicate Hashi's, but one negative test result cannot rule it out. In fact, some people never develop high antibodies, but have Hashi's anyway.

Your ever-so-slightly high cholesterol would also point to hypothyroidism, as would your low nutrients. Ignore the cholesterol but you do need to raise the B12, folate and ferritin. I would suggest 1000 mcg nuggets of methylcobalamin daily, with - as Foxtrot89 suggests - a B complex. Ingennus is a good one because it has 400 mcg methylfolate, which will raise your folate nicely. I would suggest you see your doctor about the ferritin and get a complete iron profile done, but he probably wouldn't take it seriously.

But, above all, don't give up on your thyroid. Keep testing at regular intervals. See how things pan out. You should also get your vit D tested. That could be low, too.

[ReallyFedUpNow in reply to greygoose]

Hi, thank you for your reply. I posted late and missed off the Vitamin D I think - 95.2 (50.0 - 200.0). Also had liver function done but missed that off too!!

Bilirubin 5.6 (0.0 - 24.0)

Alkaline Phosphates 87.0 (0.0 - 104.0)

Gamma GT 20.0 (6.0 - 42.0)

Total Protein 69.7 (63.0 - 83.0)

Albumin 38.7 (34.0 - 50.0)

Globulin 31.0 (19.0 - 35.0)

Alanine Transferase 24.2 (0.0 - 35.0)

All within normal ranges. I know I should be happy with all this but am so tired of running on empty!!

Did have bloods done by GP on 4th November 2016 (managed to get a copy of results although receptionist was not happy - all the results are normal!!).

Serum TSH 2.3 (0.27 - 4.5)

Total 25-hydroxy vitamin D level 95 (Vitamin D is seasonal but levels should be more than 75 nmol/L at all times)

Bilirubin 5 (under 21.0)

Alkaline Phosphatase 68 (30.0 - 130.0)

Total Protein 67 (60.0 - 80.0)

Albumin 37 (35.0 - 50.0

Globulin 30 (20.0 - 34.0)

Alanine Aminotransferase 18 (under 33.0)

Both Mum and sister are on Thyroxine so have always felt that may be an issue.

Once again, thank you for your help :o)

[greygoose in reply to ReallyFedUpNow]

That TSH may be in-range, but that doesn't make it normal. The TSH of a person who has no thyroid problems would be about 1. You are hypo at 3. But the NHS likes it to get to 10 before they deign to diagnose!