Teen sons blood test results thyroid / iron /b12

[dizzy1979]

my teen son is not very well, he has been super tired, pale, lethargic, dizzy, faint for a little while, so took him for bloods and of course they are telling us all is normal except ferritin and he needs to take iron tablets. I have Hashimotos and hypothyroid and am worried that he may be borderline? Could anyone advise on what to give him, I am not keen on iron tablets and he is not very good at taking tablets in general.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

dizzy1979

He really does need those iron tablets and to aid absorption take 1000mg Vit C with each tablet. With a bottom of range ferritin I would hope he has had full blood count and iron panel done to see if he actually has iron deficiency anaemia. I would have said try for an iron infusion to get his ferritin up within 24-48 hours whereas iron tablets can take many months. And of course, once it's at a decent level it will need maintaining.

There's always iron rich foods - liver, liver pate, black pudding are the most iron rich, then there's others listed here

apjcn.nhri.org.tw/server/in...

His B12 is also very low. Check for signs of B12 deficiency here

b12deficiency.info/signs-an...

Many people with a serum B12 level in the 300s have needed B12 injections.

When testing B12, folate should also be tested as they work together.

Even the comment that comes with his B12 result says "Interpret with full blood count and clinical picture" which your GP should have taken note of.

His TSH may be a little high for a normal healthy person - one might expect this to be no higher than 2-ish with FT4 possibly around mid-range. Worth keeping an eye on, especially as you have Hashi's. He could do a full thyroid panel to include antibodies with Blue Horizon (or Medichecks if he is old enough) and if he did the thyroid/vitamin panel it would include Vit D and folate (Thyroid Check PLUS ELEVEN with Blue Horizon).

[SlowDragon Administrator]

He definitely needs vitamin D, folate and thyroid antibodies tested

[dizzy1979 in reply to SlowDragon]

He has had full bloods and folate tested I don’t have those results but apparently also normal

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to dizzy1979]

With such a low B12, I'm not sure folate would be normal as in "optimal" but normal as "in range" which could be equally as low as his "normal" B12 is. Ask for a print out of those other results and post them on the forum.

[dizzy1979 in reply to SeasideSusie]

I’m just on route to collect the results will post in a mo

[dizzy1979 in reply to dizzy1979]

Have started a new post because I couldn’t upload another picture I’d really appreciate your input x

[dizzy1979 in reply to SlowDragon]

I couldn’t see how to upload another photo so I have started a new post. I’d really appreciate your input x