Help with test results please: I started 50mcg... - Thyroid UK

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Help with test results please

AnneEvo profile image
10 Replies

I started 50mcg levo 4 weeks ago. (I had taken 25mcg last year for a short while, the doctor didn't ask me to come back anytime for blood tests and as I've never felt ill with hypo it was hard to convince myself I needed medication). Had symptoms for 40 years but not diagnosed - I do feel the cold and am more tired now than I've ever been, never wake up feeling refreshed and a bit of brain fog, nowhere near as bad as others have it. Told nurse practitioner I was feeling tired so she ordered a whole raft of blood tests.

From what I've learned on here I think my ferritin is low. How can I raise it? I'm vegetarian.

I'm concerned about serum creatinine as it's slightly above range - under AKI it says 'Consider early repeat' however at top of results it says 'No further action.' Apparantly a study showed a significant increase in creatinine in patients with hypo.

Do I need to worry about high level of B12 - I take methyl B complex.

Blood tests with Medichecks in October last year: TSH was 11.3 (0.27-4.2); Free thyroxine 12.700 (12.00-22.00); Free T3 4.68 (3.10-6.80)

I'm not expecting to get an increase in levo as 3.54 is within 'their' range. So long as I can reduce tiredness and feel more awake in the morning I think that will be ok for me considering lack of other symptoms.

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AnneEvo profile image
AnneEvo
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10 Replies
Caroline888 profile image
Caroline888

Hi AnneEvo,

I too am a vegetarian and need to work at keeping my ferritin at a reasonable level. I regularly drink nettle tea and prune juice, eat dried apricots, a little dark chocolate, black-strap molasses, eggs and beans. Lentils are also a very good source of iron.

I am glad that, although you feel the cold and are often tired, you are not too badly affected by your underactive thyroid. I am the same. I think we are two of the lucky ones!

Hope you manage to improve your energy levels soon.

Best wishes

Caroline

AnneEvo profile image
AnneEvo in reply to Caroline888

Thanks for that Caroline - we are definitely lucky.

I'm ok with all those things you mentioned (apart from eggs) - I usually have a bit of treacle (blackstrap molasses) most days either with my porridge or if I have a smoothy. I did start getting dark chocolate recently for copper. I need to get some regularly! I also started eating raisins for iron. Is it as simple as eating foods containing iron?

Caroline888 profile image
Caroline888 in reply to AnneEvo

I don’t know the answer to your question as my ferritin level was really low, though just in range. I have been a vegetarian for nearly 50 years and never had a problem with iron until diagnosed with hypothyroidism. Certainly non-haem iron is not so bioavailable as haem iron. I was advised by my GP that I could take ferrous fumarate 210 mg once a day. I did this for a month but then stopped as I was wary of overdosing. I did a Medichecks blood test three months later and my level had gone up from 33 to 83 which was fine but it may well have dropped by now. I will be doing another blood test soon to check it. Like you, I really don’t like eggs but manage to eat a couple a week. Not great I know. I eat lots of nuts and seeds which also have iron in them. Raisins are good as you say. All dried fruit is good, in fact, as I understand it is dried on iron trays.

If you decide you need to take an iron supplement, it is important to monitor your level as too high a dose is harmful. That is why I will be doing another blood test soon to check it as we need a good level of ferritin in order to properly utilise levothyroxine.

Medichecks do an iron deficiency check which is the one I use.

Hope you stay well.

Best wishes

Caroline

AnneEvo profile image
AnneEvo in reply to Caroline888

At 92 ug/L (12.0-233.0) it doesn't seem too low to me but if I'm remembering correctly I think on here people usually say it needs to be near the top of the range. I was taking an iron supplement daily as well as vitamin D and selenium. But as I didn't know what my levels were and worrying about overdosing on iron I started taking it and vitamin D a couple of times a week, then stopped altogether. I have started taking them both on alternate days now - I do take selenium daily.

I've got a test kit from Medichecks which I decided to hold onto until I'd got the test results from doctor's surgery. I'll use it in another couple of weeks when I will have been on levo 6 weeks.

Take care.

Caroline888 profile image
Caroline888 in reply to AnneEvo

My level was 83.8 ug/L (range 13 to 150) when last tested and I was advised by SeasideSusie that a level of at least 70 ug/L (i.e. about half way through range) was optimal for levo to work properly. I do take one of my ferrous fumarate tablets each week because I have them left over and don’t feel one a week can do any harm. That’s why I’m waiting before taking another blood test. I want to see what my current diet plus one tablet achieves - might need to take two tablets a week!😊

I take vitamin C with my one iron tablet and also with iron- rich foods as this is supposed to help with absorption - again SeasideSusie’s advice! Like you, I also have my next Medichecks kit ready to go.😊 I always buy them when they’re on special offer and keep until the time is right to do another check. Thrifty aren’t we!

Take care

Caroline

AnneEvo profile image
AnneEvo in reply to Caroline888

So my ferritin level isn't too bad.

Caroline888 profile image
Caroline888 in reply to AnneEvo

Not half way through the range yet, but certainly not bad.

lucylocks profile image
lucylocks

Hi

You say you have not felt ill with hypo. but then say you have had symptoms for 40 years, so I am a little confused.

All your symptoms do shout Hypo.

You need to have your bloods rechecked when you have been on the 50mcg. for 8 weeks.

Once on thyroid meds. it is advisable to get your TSH under one and your T4 in the top quarter of the range.

AnneEvo profile image
AnneEvo in reply to lucylocks

I meant the symptoms I have - feeling cold, tired, not refreshed after sleep, I've had for 40 years. But I don't feel ill.

Eemmpq profile image
Eemmpq

I would ask to speak to your GP about the EGFR and the creatinine.

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