is what I've been told I have .Hi all , newbie here .I am 62 and began to suffer horrendous tiredness , falling asleep everywhere .I have sleep apnea , but though I wear a CPAP , the small red blood cells produced in the anemia above is the real problem .It was red flagged as a possible slow bleed , but after an endoscopy and colonoscopy found nothing ,I was supposed to be sent to a haemotologist .I haven't been .I have a ferritin level of 46 ,and have been put on ferrous fumarate twice a day .I don't think these will help ?
any info toshare with me or advice ? I am also hypothyroid on 100mcg Levo a day .
many thanks
y.L.
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yorkylasses
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Do you have any recent blood test results and ranges to add
For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested. Also extremely important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12
Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially if Thyroid antibodies are raised
Low ferritin is extremely common
Ask GP to test vitamin D, folate and B12 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies
All thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and fasting. Do not take Levothyroxine dose in the 24 hours prior to test, delay and take immediately after blood draw. This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, best not mentioned to GP or phlebotomist)
Is this how you do your tests?
Private tests are available. Thousands on here forced to do this as NHS often refuses to test FT3 or antibodies or vitamins
Medichecks Thyroid plus ultra vitamin or Blue Horizon Thyroid plus eleven are the most popular choice. DIY finger prick test or option to pay extra for private blood draw. Both companies often have special offers, Medichecks usually have offers on Thursdays, Blue Horizon its more random
If antibodies are high this is Hashimoto's, (also known by medics here in UK more commonly as autoimmune thyroid disease).
About 90% of all hypothyroidism in Uk is due to Hashimoto's.
Low vitamins are especially common with Hashimoto's. Food intolerances are very common too, especially gluten. So it's important to get TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested at least once .
The microcytic, hypochromic anaemia can be considered an iron deficiency anaemia as there is inadequate intake (often from food). Usually in the case of an acute blood loss in the first instance the anaemia would be normocytic (cells of a normal size) and normochromic (normal colour) but with chronic bleeds there can develop a microcytic (small celled) hypochromic (pale coloured) anaemia as more iron is leaving your system than is going into it producing a net loss.
A B12 deficiency would result in a macrocytic anaemia (large cells).
There is an interesting article in this regard at:
The 2 paragraphs on iron absorption you might find helpful which states that the liquid preparations are preferable.
I think probably the most important bit though from the article is that:
"Absorption can be improved by concurrent administration of vitamin C and ingestion on an empty stomach."
When there is hypothyroidism from what I've read there is decreased stomach acidity, that is the pH rises and as enzymatic activity is pH related the absorption can be reduced.
The articles below in this regard may be helpful with regards the hypothyroidism:
"In patients with hypothyroidism and gastrointestinal pathology, vitamin C improves the abnormalities in serum free T4, T3, and TSH concentrations. This approach is helpful in the management of these patients."
The title is "Effect of vitamin C on the absorption of levothyroxine in patients with hypothyroidism and gastritis."
The title is "Absorption of thyroid drug levothyroxine improves with vitamin C"
Sometimes it can be hard to differentiate between the symptoms deriving from low stomach acid and excess stomach acid so you could always try the bicarbonate of soda test, just as a guide as it is cheap and can be done at home.
The above is a rather long way of saying that both the anaemia and hypothyroidism seem to be helped by vitamin C as it improves absorption.
As already mentioned, important to ask for B12 to be tested.
No time to go into this further, as family coming but 40% of those with thyroid problems go on to develop PA/B12 deficiency and, being over the age of 60 makes it even more likely as B12, the largest molecule, is harder to absorb when hydrochloric acid needed to absorb this and other nutrients diminishes :
I have Hashimoto's and developed Microcytic Anaemia (more usual to be macrocytic Anaemia). I then realised the neurological symptoms of crippling fatigue, pins and needles, etc. were the result of dimished inability to absorb B12 and eventually recovered after self injecting with Hydroxocobalamin.
Sometimes you might not get the best results with tablets as it says in the GP online article so you could try something like the Floradix liquid iron and vitamin formula, which has the B2, B6 and B12 in as well. There is not the same problem with excess B vitamins as there would be with the fat soluble vitamins (just end up with more expensive urine). B6 in excess can result in tingling and pins and needles.
There is vitamin C in the preparation which as seen in the articles from my previous reply aids in the absorption of the vitamins as does the fact that it is already a liquid.
The downside is its more expensive and like any of the iron supplements can cause constipation.
Thanks so much everyone .You have given me a lot to look up and think about .I also suffer from REFLUX - the silent one -LPR .I have no idea where this comes into the mix LOL.x
Reflux is still part of the low acid problem as the inflamed stomach lining tries to produce hydrochloric acid. It's been recommended to take Betaine HCL with meals. There are also other deficiencies for the same reason, it's just that minerals are harder to break down. healthline.com/health/hypoc...
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