Whats wrong with me? Low vitD, but other symptoms / low results too...
Got my vitD results back, Serum total 25-OH vit D level 23.000 nmol/L- nmol/L so clearly deficient.
Whole host of symptoms, main ones - tiredness, monthly migraines, freezing cold all the time, very irregular periods, hot sweats at night, emotions all over the place and anxiety through the roof, weight gain.
Originally GP suspected early menopause, ruled that out from hormone testing, then thought a thyroid issue but my levels seem low but ok (apart from thyroid peroxidase antibodies are high, which could point to issues in the future, or could be nothing apparently) so I asked for my vitamin D and B12 to be tested - she reluctantly agreed and said I would have severe body aches if I had low D, which I don't - but there it is very low vitamin D levels.
Currently waiting on b12 results. See photos for my blood test results.
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Your raised antibodies suggest autommune thyroid disease aka Hashimoto's which is where the immune system attacks and gradually destroys the thyroid. At the moment your thyroid results don't show a problem, but keep an eye on it because if TSH goes over range, coupled with raised antibodies, then an enlightened doctor should prescribe Levo.
Antibodies fluctuate and can cause fluctuations in symptoms and test results.
Some people with Hashi's find that a strict gluten free diet can help, as can supplementing with selenium l-selenomethionine 200mcg daily, so that's worth trying.
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Urea level is below range, has your GP mentioned this? Do you have a low protein diet or drink excessive amounts of liquid? If not then there could be some other reason.
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Vit D: 23nmol/L (= 9.2ng/ml)
I had severe Vit D deficiency with a level of 15nmol/L and I didn't have severe body aches, just stiff ankles.
What is your GP doing about this, it's Vit D deficiency? You should be given loading doses according to NICE treatment summary for Vit D deficiency: cks.nice.org.uk/vitamin-d-d...
(click on Management > Scenario:Management)
"Treat for vitamin D deficiency if serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) levels are less than 25 nmol/L.
For the treatment of vitamin D deficiency, the recommended treatment is based on fixed loading doses of vitamin D (up to a total of about 300,000 international units [IU]) given either as weekly or daily split doses, followed by lifelong maintenance treatment of about 800 IU a day. Higher doses of up to 2000 IU a day, occasionally up to 4000 IU a day, may be used for certain groups of people, for example those with malabsorption disorders.
* Several treatment regimens are available, including 50,000 IU once a week for 6 weeks (300,000 IU in total), 20,000 IU twice a week for 7 weeks (280,000 IU in total), or 4000 IU daily for 10 weeks (280,000 IU in total)."
Each Health Authority has their own guidelines but they will be very similar. If your GP hasn't prescribed loading doses ask that she treats you according to the local guidelines or this summary and prescribes them. Once these have been completed you will need a reduced amount so you should make sure that you are tested after you have finished the loading doses so that you know how much you should then take going forward. Most doctors, if they continue prescribing, only give 800iu daily which isn't enough. If GP wont retest then do this privately (link below) and post your new result at the time for members to suggest a new dose to bring your level up to what's recommended by the Vit D Council/the Vit D Society - which is 100-150nmol/L - and then you'll need a maintenance dose to keep it there, which may be 2000iu daily, maybe more or less, maybe less in summer than winter, it's trial and error so it's recommended to retest once or twice a year to keep within the recommended range. You can do this with a private fingerprick blood spot test with an NHS lab which offers this test to the general public:
Doctors don't know, because they're not taught much about nutrients, but there are important cofactors needed when taking D3 as recommended by the Vit D Council
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 if taking tablets/capsules/softgels, no necessity if using an oral spray.
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 if taking tablets/capsules, no necessity if using topical forms of magnesium.
Check out the other cofactors too (some of which can be obtained from food).
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I can't comment on those you've typed out, I think you've done a copy and paste job and lost the formatting, it's all squashed up and too difficult for my eyes to sort out I'm afraid.
Your info about the antibodies is pretty much what I expressed concern of to my GP - she was dismissive and said it could just 'be that way' but I intend to keep an eye on it.
The low urea level puzzles me, I eat a lot of protein and probably don't drink enough so not sure why that would be low? GP did not mention it.
Vitamin D should be retested at end of the course too
GP will only prescribe to bring vitamin D up to 50nmol. Aiming to improve vitamin D by self supplementing to at least 80nmol and around 100nmol may be better .
Vitamin D deficiency is frequent in Hashimoto's thyroiditis and treatment of patients with this condition with Vitamin D may slow down the course of development of hypothyroidism and also decrease cardiovascular risks in these patients. Vitamin D measurement and replacement may be critical in these patients.
Evidence of a link between increased level of antithyroid antibodies in hypothyroid patients with HT and 25OHD3 deficiency may suggest that this group is particularly prone to the vitamin D deficiency and can benefit from its alignment.
Once you Improve level, likely you will need on going maintenance dose to keep it there.
Hashimoto's frequently affects the gut and leads to low stomach acid and then low vitamin levels
GP likely completely unaware of gut and vitamin connections
Poor gut function can lead leaky gut (literally holes in gut wall) this can cause food intolerances. Most common by far is gluten. Dairy is second most common.
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
While still eating high gluten diet ask GP for coeliac blood test first or buy test online for under £20, just to rule it out first
Assuming test is negative you can immediately go on strictly gluten free diet
(If test is positive you will need to remain on high gluten diet until endoscopy, maximum 6 weeks wait officially)
Trying gluten free diet for 3-6 months. If no noticeable improvement then reintroduce gluten and see if symptoms get worse
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
Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and before eating or drinking anything other than water .
This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, best not mentioned to GP or phlebotomist)
GP not starting me on anything. She said levels are all within range at the moment.
Ask your GP how your Vit D can be "in range" when it clearly comes in the the Deficiency category according to NICE Clinical Knowledge Summary (which I linked to above).
"Treat for vitamin D deficiency if serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) levels are less than 25 nmol/L.
Maybe it's time to find a new GP, preferably one that can read guidelines.
Sorry I meant she hasn't prescribed anything other than D3. She's prescribed 5300iu liquitabs for that to be taken 3x a week, however after some research I can see that isn't enough so I have been taking them daily instead and today added K2 also.
i took d3 w kw in it 5000mg a day for two month and restest and it rose to 50-60 and then i had to cut back to m-f so it wouldnt go too high...., your antibodies on one is high but your other thyroid labs are great. I will tell you when i had low d3, i felt so tired and fatigued and exhausted and had body aches all over.....d3 is actually a hormone and not a vitamin...getting some sunshine would help also.......i dont see b12 which will make you tired if your lower than 700, your potassium is really good, so if you are really tired i would take a b complex with the meth form of b12 in it bec it absorbs better and your d3 5000 w k2 in it....and a food grade multi .....and when you restest...test b12.....bec everything else seems ok .....but low d3 will make you feel terrible......as far as fatigue and if left untreated will end up effected your muscles and joints....healthyway.com/content/symp... SWEATY HEAD IS ALSO A SYMPTOM OF LOW D3
When I had a level of 25.3, a nutritionist recommended 9000IU a day, which barely just got my levels into a good range after a month. I'd be tempted to go as far as taking 2 of your prescribed tablets per day for a month, reducing until you run out of the prescribed tablets, then buying a BetterYou mouth spray (1,000IU/day) to tide you over until you would have finished the prescription course.
The downside is that if your doctor retests, they'll think their recommendation of 2000IU per day is more than enough for someone in your shoes.
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Sorry I meant she hasn't prescribed anything other than D3. She's prescribed 5300iu liquitabs for that to be taken 3x a week, however after some research I can see that isn't enough so I have been taking them daily instead and today added K2 also.
That is just 15,900iu D3 a week. I would have been inclined to go back with a copy of the NICE Clinical Knowledge Summary and asking for the proper loading doses as outlined above. I expect that you will run out of D3 before reaching the total loading dose of 300,000iu.
Don't forget the magnesium, it's needed for the body to be able to use D3. Also, don't forget to retest, either with your GP or privately, when loading doses have finished. Post new result at that time for and we can work out what your new dose should be.
Just posting back here to say I got my b12 results through - also low at 168.
Is that below range? And what is the unit of measurement - pmol/L or ng/L or pg/ml (the latter two are the same.
That is a very low result. Check to see if you have any signs of B12 deficiency here:
If you have then list them to discuss with your GP and ask for further testing for B12 deficiency and pernicious anaemia. Many people with a result in the 300s have been found to need B12 injections. I'd be very surprised if you don't need them with your low level. Come back and let us know.
What about folate, was that tested? B12 and folate work together so it should have been tested.
OH MY THAT IS LOW...my dr wants mine at 700.....you can get the 1000-2500 b12 that dissolves under the tongue online amazon...and i would take a b complex like one from pure encapsulations with it bec b vitamins work best together.....mine came up quickly taking 5000mg a day for several weeks , then i cut after retesting.....ALSO MAKE SURE YOU DONT TAKE BIOTIN WHEN testing for thyroid a week before test bec it can alter the thyroid test falsely since biotin is actually in the testing which throws off the tsh....
I don't understand this result is this stating it is 11 ?Because if it is 11 that is high mine is 9 and I have inflammation in my body mine has been rising for the last 5 years it started off at 4. If it is 11 ask your Doctor what he thinks? I also have high ferritin it is 400 where as yours could be a bit higher imho My inflammation is caused by my inflamed thyroid ( I have a goitre) because I have Graves' disease. Your antibodies are high but that just means your thyroid is under attack and the antibodies are the result mine are 4000 and have been high for many years. As for your TSH that is slightly high most normal people have a TSH of 1 for example my son-in-law who is fit and health has a TSH of 1.02 lucky him.
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