Ferritin is too low, you almost certainly need full iron panel test
Gambit62 may be along to comment on B12
SeasideSusie may add about low ferritin
When is vitamin D getting tested?
Your Thyroid results show you are extremely under medicated
TSH should be around one and FT4 towards top of range
Insist on 25mcg dose increase in Levothyroxine asap
Bloods will need retesting 6-8 weeks later
Always take Levo on empty stomach and then nothing apart from water for at least an hour after. Many take early morning, on waking, but it may be more convenient and possibly more effective taken at bedtime.
Other medication at least 2 hours away, some like HRT, iron, calcium, vitamin D or magnesium at least four hours away from Levothyroxine
Many people find Levothyroxine brands are not interchangeable.
Once you find a brand that suits you, best to make sure to only get that one at each prescription. Watch out for brand change when dose is increased or at repeat prescription.
Many patients do NOT get on well with Teva brand of Levothyroxine. Though it is the only one for lactose intolerant patients
All thyroid tests should be done as early as possible in morning and fasting and don't take Levo in the 24 hours prior to test, delay and take straight after. This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, GP will be unaware)
Have you ever had TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested? If not they need testing. You low vitamin levels suggest likely to have Hashimoto's, also called autoimmune thyroid disease diagnosed by high thyroid antibodies
Hi slowdragon thank you for looking at my results I was unsure if I had given correct info but you've been able to understand 😊
I have an intrinsic blood test booked for the 19th Oct I'm concerned about this as symptoms are everything I have although they can also mimic ms.
I have been given tablets for my vit d two tablets for 7 weeks then I have to go and buy my own. My doctor has not said anything about retesting this she told me to stand outside in the sun for 30 minutes daily 😐 and didn't seem to concerned tbh.
My thyroid results are totally acceptable to the doctor who advised they are fine 😐 although I don't feel fine .
I do normally take levothyroxine as you mentioned above and I followed advice from here re blood test .
What is tpo and tg thyroid antibodies ?
I only got a phone consultation to explain these results but I can make an appt to discuss further I'm finding this very frustrating as I have been telling the doctor for what seems like a lifetime now that I don't feel well and that I feel worse now than I did before radio active iodine treatment they just blame everything on my thyroid but won't increase my dose as they tell me it's not safe may cause a heart attack.
I'm soo appreciative of this site and with the help of people who have been in the same situation I have a wee bit knowledge to ask the doctors more questions and can perhaps see light at the end of the tunnel 😊....
When was vitamin D tested, and what was the actual result.
It must have been low for GP to prescribe, ring receptionist and find out exactly how low vitamin D was. You are legally entitled to printed copies of all your blood test results
Low vitamin D is directly linked to being hypothyroid
If TPO or TG thyroid antibodies are high this is Hashimoto's, (also known by medics here in UK more commonly as autoimmune thyroid disease).
About 90% of all primary hypothyroidism in Uk is due to Hashimoto's so it's important to test
Hashimoto's very often affects the gut and leads to low stomach acid and then low vitamin levels. Low vitamin levels affect Thyroid hormone working
Poor gut function can lead leaky gut (literally holes in gut wall) this can cause food intolerances. Most common by far is gluten.
According to Izabella Wentz the Thyroid Pharmacist approx 5% with Hashimoto's are coeliac, but over 80% find gluten free diet helps, sometimes significantly. Either due to direct gluten intolerance (no test available) or due to leaky gut and gluten causing molecular mimicry (see Amy Myers link)
Changing to a strictly gluten free diet may help reduce symptoms, help gut heal and slowly lower TPO antibodies
Been prescribed 15 fultium d3 20.000unit capsules 2capsulesnweekly for seven weeks .
I knew that low vit b12 can cause lots of ireversable conditions but that's all the appointments they have they don't actually seem to be too concerned about things really I will contact my doctor to see if there are any earlier appts but I've been told there are none.
Thank you for the links I will start working my way through them 😊
Yes it was once I've finished the 7week course I will do the test myself in the meantime I just need to wait for intrinsic blood test I've contacted doctors no appts until two weeks after mine on the 19th not ideal and very concerning considering I've been telling them something wasn't right for ages . Is my tsh high then or low I'm still trying to understand all the figures and why are they telling me these are normal readings ?
FT4 should be near top of range. Your FT4 is near bottom of range
Your GP (like many) doesn't understand that when on Levothyroxine we need dose high enough to bring TSH down, under 2
But many need it much lower than that. Especially if you have autoimmune thyroid disease (diagnosed by high thyroid antibodies)
There are over 87,000 members here. You are sadly not alone
But you can make full recovery with correct treatment
Many of us forced to get private testing to work out what's going on
Ask GP to test your thyroid antibodies at next appointment and for coeliac blood test
Ask for coeliac blood test, in part to rule it out, but also to concentrate GP's mind on your very low vitamin levels
Most hypothyroid patients need at least 100mcg Levothyroxine. Many need higher dose.
Levothyroxine is increased in 25mcg steps, retesting 6-8 weeks later each time
Getting vitamins optimal is essential too
Dr Toft, past president of the British Thyroid Association and leading endocrinologist, states in Pulse Magazine,
"The appropriate dose of levothyroxine is that which restores euthyroidism and serum TSH to the lower part of the reference range - 0.2-0.5mU/l.
In this case, free thyroxine is likely to be in the upper part of its reference range or even slightly elevated – 18-22pmol/l.
Most patients will feel well in that circumstance. But some need a higher dose of levothyroxine to suppress serum TSH and then the serum-free T4 concentration will be elevated at around 24-28pmol/l.
This 'exogenous subclinical hyperthyroidism' is not dangerous as long as serum T3 is unequivocally normal – that is, serum total around T3 1.7nmol/l (reference range 1.0-2.2nmol/l)."
You can obtain a copy of the articles from Thyroid UK email print it and highlight question 6 to show your doctor please email Dionne on Monday at
tukadmin@thyroiduk.org
Also ask Dionne for list of recommended thyroid specialists.
If your GP remains unhelpful you may need to insist on referral to NHS endocrinologist
I was discharged from endocrinologist as they had treated my graves with radioactive iodine treatment and their final words were you now have a treated underactive thyroid which we will control with medication . I will email Dionne for a copy of the article . Hopefully I will have a better idea when I have the next blood test . I'm I Falkirk Scotland ...
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