My first ever Medichecks results are here. Am I... - Thyroid UK

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My first ever Medichecks results are here. Am I back to the beginning, its not Thyroid issues?

GoingthruTreacle profile image

Thanks all who commented this week on my first post. I now have my Medichecks result.

Im a bit flat- I was expecting something a bit more dramatic according to my poor quality of life right now.

I also read advice & got as many print outs of tests from my surgery that they would let me have so ive included them in pic for reference.

I got a comment from the medichecks doctor looking at test which i will copy here in a moment.

He is suggesting i probably take Iron supplements due to my ferritin - i dont take this. I had a multi vitamin that i was taking but not since a couple of weeks ago. I dont take anything supplementary at mo.

He is suggesting a female hormone check but i dont think thats possible due to the reasons i wrote on my other post.

Hopefully you kind people can help me decide where to go from here.

Thanks so much.

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GoingthruTreacle

Medichecks Test & doctor comment.

18 Sept 2018 10:00

TSH 2.72 (0.27 - 4.20)

FREE THYROXINE 16.5 (12 - 22)

FREE T3 5.25 (3.10 - 6.80)

THYROGLOBULIN ANTIBODY <10 (0 - 115)

THYROID PEROXIDASE ANTIBODIES 12 (0 - 34)

ACTIVE B12 59.2 (25.10 - 165)

FOLATE SERUM 17.6 (2.91 - 50)

20OH VIT D 73.7 (50 - 200)

CRP 3.01 (0 - 5)

FERRITIN 199 (13 - 150)

"We note that you are taking this test to diagnose a condition. I'm sorry to hear about your fatigue and cognitive symptoms. This is actually a good test today.

I am 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.

Your levels of vitamin B12, folate and vitamin D are normal.

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

Your iron stores are slightly high. This is likely to be due to a high dietary intake of iron, or taking iron supplements. If you are taking supplements I recommend decreasing your intake.

There are a range of other problems that can mimic a thyroid problem. An Essential Blood Ultravit test covers the majority of these. If there is any menstrual upset then a Well Woman Ultravit would be more appropriate"

SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering in reply to GoingthruTreacle

GoingthruTreacle

ACTIVE B12 59.2 (25.10 - 165)

Jan 2015 - Serum B12: 190 (145-914)

Mar 2018 - Serum B12: 269 (145-914)

Do you have any signs of B12 deficiency - check here b12deficiency.info/signs-an...

Your Serum B12 in March this year was quite low in range, in January 2015 a lot lower in range, and your Active B12 is below 70 which is where it's recommended to check for B12 deficiency here viapath.co.uk/our-tests/act...

I can see the result of your Intrinsic Factor test in March, but false results have been know. Doctors should go by symptoms.

If you Google "high folate level", which yours was in March as it was over range, a link to GP Notebook

gpnotebook.co.uk/simplepage...

shows as one cause

Raised serum folic acid level may occur in:

•pernicious anaemia (or may be normal)

and this site

livestrong.com/article/2847...

says the same

Pernicious anemia may cause high serum folate levels, due to impaired utilization of folate.

Your folate level isn't a problem now, but that might be something worth mentioning to push your GP to do further testing for B12 deficiency/PA.

25 OH VIT D 73.7 (50 - 200)

This is on the low side.

The Vit D Council, the Vit D Society and Grassroots Health all recommend a level of 100-150nmol/L

. It would be worth supplementing to bring your level up, particularly as we now can't make Vit D naturally from the sun during the winter months and so draw on our stored Vit D. If you decide to supplement with D3, you should also take it's important cofactors lmagnesium and Vit K2-MK7

vitamindcouncil.org/about-v...

Your TSH does show that your thyroid is struggling, but unfortunately your FT4 and FT3 are both normal so diagnosing hypothyroidism isn't possible.

I know your thyroid antibodies have come back negative, this doesn't rule out autoimmune thyroid disease, aka Hashimoto's, you'd need a few negatives over a period of time for that, but apparently you can have Hashi's without antibodies. It might be worth trying a gluten free diet for a few months to see if that helps.

GoingthruTreacle profile image
GoingthruTreacle in reply to SeasideSusie

Thank you so much for your time. I must admit im havinga very bad brain and extreme tiredness day so im gonna need to read everything again at a better time to understand more.

Whatever is my problem is something thats been there forever, not emerging. Maybe Its changing recently to affect my cognition more but i feel it must be the same thing but manifesting in different ways over my 39 years of life.

Ive looked at B12 symptoms. I have less than 15% of those so i dont think thats a lot . Most of those i have are neurological, i know i have other, different symptoms i guess i need to try to make my own list?

Have no gastrointestinal issues apart from Constipation (which is life-long normal for me).

I need to read through again all that people have said and any further comments that may come along as at the moment im unclear what exactly i should do next. x

GoingthruTreacle profile image
GoingthruTreacle

Thank you so much for your time. I must admit im havinga very bad brain and extreme tiredness day so im gonna need to read everything again at a better time to understand more.

Whatever is my problem is something thats been there forever, not emerging. Maybe Its changing recently to affect my cognition more but i feel it must be the same thing but manifesting in different ways over my 39 years of life.

Ive looked at B12 symptoms. I have less than 15% of those so i dont think thats a lot . Most of those i have are neurological, i know i have other, different symptoms i guess i need to try to make my own list?

Have no gastrointestinal issues apart from Constipation (which is life-long normal for me).

I need to read through again all that people have said and any further comments that may come along as at the moment im unclear what exactly i should do next. x

GoingthruTreacle profile image
GoingthruTreacle

Ok. So if i just separate my thoughts and deal with B12 and VitD right now..

As mentioned i dont have many signs on the B12 deficiency list. But if i still should look at this further, i read on the St Thomas Hospital link that the next test they do is MMA - is that blood or urine?

I dont think i can ask GP for any tests until i have more hard substantial reason to request.

So Id be looking at private tests - not sure if this is a waste of money without those symptoms and what would happen if an MMA was unusual? Would that lead to a prescription?

How is best products to increase B12 ourselves ?

For VitD this seems a bit simpler and Im sure this i can sort out but please can anyone share the best products and amounts etc to purchase?

At the moment im not sure what to discuss with G.P. i feel i need to wait for my correct moment to be pushy.

Thanks again. Look forward to hearing back about B12, VitD and any further comments gratefully appreciated.

SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering in reply to GoingthruTreacle

GoingthruTreacle

How is best products to increase B12 ourselves ?

Personally, I wouldn't do anything myself at this stage.

This result

Jan 2015 - Serum B12: 190 (145-914)

should have warranted further investigation back then.

And as the link I gave says Active B12 below 70 should be investigated for B12 deficiency, then I'd be pushing for my GP to look into this.

I don't know if MMA done through GP is urine or blood, Medichecks do both. But Homocysteine should be tested too.

It's possible you may need B12 injections. You could have Pernicious Anaemia.

For VitD this seems a bit simpler and Im sure this i can sort out but please can anyone share the best products and amounts etc to purchase?

You'll have to self supplement for this as you'd need a much lower level than yours for GP to prescribe.

With your level of 73.7nmol/L, the Vit D Council suggests to reach their recommended level

To achieve 100nmol/L take 2000 IU D3 daily

To achieve 125nmol/L take 3700 IU

To achieve 150nmol/L take 5800 IU

As it's winter and we can't make Vit D naturally from the sun, so we draw on our store made during the summer months, if this was me I'd be aiming for the higher end of the recommended range and I'd supplement with 5000iu daily for 3 months, then reduce to 5000iu alternate days and retest in March.

As you don't have Hashi's (no raised antibodies) you should be fine with a good quality D3 softgel. My favourite is Doctor's Best which has only 2 ingredients - D3 and extra virgin olive oil to aid absorption.

healthmonthly.co.uk/doctors...

there are important cofactors needed when taking D3 as recommended by the Vit D Council -

vitamindcouncil.org/about-v...

D3 aids absorption of calcium from food and K2-MK7 directs the calcium to bones and teeth where it is needed and away from arteries and soft tissues where it can be deposited and cause problems such as hardening of the arteries, kidney stones, etc.

D3 and K2 are fat soluble so should be taken with the fattiest meal of the day, D3 four hours away from thyroid meds.

Magnesium helps D3 to work. We need Magnesium so that the body utilises D3, it's required to convert Vit D into it's active form. So it's important we ensure we take magnesium when supplementing with D3.

Magnesium comes in different forms, check to see which would suit you best and as it's calming it's best taken in the evening, four hours away from thyroid meds

naturalnews.com/046401_magn...

Check out the other cofactors too.

A good K2-MK7 (again only 2 ingredients) is

bigvits.co.uk/product/vitam...

GoingthruTreacle profile image
GoingthruTreacle

Thankyou so much. Ive been meaning to come and update but ive been drifting a lot and focussing on a battle with neurology to see me again. and not had the energy to action self-help but ive not ignored any information provided. I know there are many of you out there buy I feel so alone and tired of dealing with my own struggle for help. I have no life.

I didnt tell my G.P. about Medichecks results but did ask for more NHS tests. She decided to do B12, D, Calcium. I phoned for results -was told normal. Thanks to this group, I now ask for the printout. Calcium was NOT normal - slightly low out of range - surely this gives GP an open door to look in a new direction?

I will post my newest results in below...

( B12 and D no surprise as in line with my recent Medichecks.)

GoingthruTreacle profile image
GoingthruTreacle

NHS 27 Sept 2018 09:45

B12: 175 (145 - 914)

Folate: 15.56 (3 - 20)

Vit D: 62 (>50 Sufficiency)

Albumin: 44 (35 - 50)

Calcium: 2.27

Corrected calcium level: 2.19 (2.20 - 2.60) "Low"

SmallBlueThing profile image
SmallBlueThing in reply to GoingthruTreacle

Look out for prickling sensations around the mouth and fingers and spasms with low calcium. A few years ago mine continued to decline despite making sure of sun exposure and supplementing D3. It got to the point where a parathyroid hormone test would've been the next step, but coincided with endos meeting to decide how to reduce the number of NHS PTH tests. My GP left her office (getting advice?) before seeing me and then gave me a rather harsh talking-to, saying it was natural for me to have low calcium, and doubled the time to my next thyroid test! I don't consider myself short of sources of dietary calcium and the symptoms have since disappeared, so I assume my level is now OK. My phosphate level was low but in range, and both levels may have been affected by my hypothyroidism increasing at the time, with TSH rising despite dose increases. A private PTH test needs to be done early, usually with the blood draw at a private hospital.

Kefir is said to be a good source of B12, but some reported levels are extremely high, which can only be a result of the fermentation. Otherwise, if the B12 is only on par with the milk used, then kefir would still be of benefit for its probiotics, and if you are lactose intolerant. Kefir is easy to make at home, and better. Liver is also a good source of B12, and vitamin A, too. If you don't like the flavour, chopping it fairly small and adding to masses of cooked onion with a splosh of booze helps a lot, and it's a fairly unwanted byproduct of the meat industry which may help you to stomach it if you're (demi)-veggie.

GoingthruTreacle profile image
GoingthruTreacle in reply to SmallBlueThing

Hmm well I dont have tingly mouth/fingers. But my brain can feel 'buzzing',( like electric ) and recently ive noticed this extending into my chest and arms which feels weird & horrid. In fact im back at GP today so am going to mention that -as it is new this weekend.

When i read lists of symptoms of conditions on these forums Im still not certain i fit with them exactly. the b12 symptoms not quite jumping out at me either, so id really dont feel confident pushing GP for any tests f i dont have an inner conviction of it myself.

I feel i need to pinpoint a condition more specifically that i really fits before i start self improvement, otherwise im worried i will interfere with potential tests that i may need in coming months and may miss the real cause.

Im looking at medichecks again, trying to decide which tests to choose if i need to pay again. Ideally; Parathyroid, Phosphate + Methylmalonic Acid, Homocysteine. Though the last 2 are expensive, so in fairness to NHS I can understand why GPs are not able to order them.

Im ever so grateful for your time replyimg and am glad i can keep coming back to review the advice on here.

SmallBlueThing profile image
SmallBlueThing in reply to GoingthruTreacle

Internal vibrations/tremors may be due to the adrenal glands increasing their output to compensate for low thyroid hormones. In my case, I think my TSH was between 5.5 and 14.5, before treatment had started. I've read of them described as making one's body like a tuning fork, and I felt them in my thighs and lower abdomen. They would occur at around midnight, which is when I expect my temperature to be highest.

GoingthruTreacle profile image
GoingthruTreacle

I know i need to get my Vit D up. I havent bought any yet. Im just a mess trying to get through days.

But if you had a slightly low Calcium - whuch blood tests woukd you expect to look at next please?

Thanks so much, really appreciated any replies x

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