I have been back to drs for results : Hi Been... - Thyroid UK

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I have been back to drs for results

Norrahsjake profile image
14 Replies

Hi

Been back to drs today and he says everything ok, blood tests was ok,

vitamin d , manageable level

Serum folate level (42u5). 4.0ng ml(3.1-20.5)range

B12 ok

Symptoms

Tired all the time

Weight gain

Fissured and white tongue for months .

Feeling cold all the time

Forgetting things

Tingling in arms and hands

Tingling in feet

Cold spots on back

Thyroid results was ok

Anyone any ideas why I feel so terrible, I honestly thought it was my down to my thyroid . He took a swab of my tongue again ( this is the third time ) it always comes back ok .

Thank you

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SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering

Norrahsjake

Been back to drs today and he says everything ok, blood tests was ok,

There really isn't anything OK about your results.

Your TSH is over range again but unfortunately your GP's hands are tied because the guidelines say TSH must reach 10 for diagnosis of primary hypothyroidism if FT4 is within range.

With a TSH of 5.56 you would be diagnosed hypothyroid is some other countries where the upper limit of the range is set at 3.

I would take the advice given in reply to your previous thread

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

and consider doing a private test which includes TSH, FT4, FT3 and thyroid antibodies. Both Medichecks and Blue Horizon offer this test, with the addition of vitamins if required.

**

Your Vit D level is below 50 and your result clearly states "below low ???" but it doesn't look as though your GP is going to do anything about this. It's often better to treat this yourself anyway so I'd just go ahead and supplement.

The Vit D Council recommends a level of 125nmol/L and the Vit D Society recommends a level of 100-150nmol/L and to reach this level from your current level it's suggested to supplement with 5,000iu D3 then retest in 3 months.

A good D3 supplement is an oil based softgel, eg Doctor's Best, which has only 2 ingredients - D3 and extra virgin olive oil, it's a nice small softgel which is easily swallowed. Some people like a D3 oral spray, e.g. BetterYou, but these tend to have lots of excipients although are well absorbed through the mucous membranes in the oral cavity and bypass the stomach.

When you've reached the recommended level 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:

vitamindtest.org.uk/

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

vitamindcouncil.org/about-v...

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.

naturalnews.com/046401_magn...

drjockers.com/best-magnesiu...

afibbers.org/magnesium.html

**

Serum folate level (42u5). 4.0ng ml(3.1-20.5)range

That is very low and barely scraped into range. Folate should be at least half way through range.

B12 ok

vitamin B12 level (XE2pf) 218 ng/L [187 - 883] (taken from previous thread)

This is not OK, it's very low in range and many people with a result in the 300s have been found to need B12 injections.

Check for signs of B12 deficiency here, some of the symptoms you mention above are listed:

b12deficiency.info/signs-an...

If you have any then you should ask your GP to do further testing for B12 deficiency and pernicious anaemia. You may need injections.

Please come back and tell us what your GP is going to do about this.

Once further testing has been carried out and B12 injections or supplementation started then you will be able to start a B Complex to help your folate level. Do not start a B Complex before further testing as this will mask signs of B12 deficiency and skew results.

**

ferritin level (XE24r) 74 ng/ml [10 - 204] (taken from previous thread)

This isn't bad but ferritin is recommended to be half way through range so it would help to eat liver every couple of weeks, or liver pate, black pudding, and include iron rich foods in your diet

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

**

Your low Vit D, folate and B12 could possibly be due to autoimmune thyroid disease which does tend to cause low nutrient levels and deficiencies, so I would say it's important to do the private test to include antibodies.

**

Why is he taking swabs of your tongue?

Norrahsjake profile image
Norrahsjake in reply to SeasideSusie

Hi,

Thank you so much for your information and help, I will research it all and try and take on board your advice, my dr said everything was ok , with the blood test and couldn’t really answer me when I asked why my tongue had fissures on it and felt thick and like it has a burning sensation. That’s why he took another swab , even though I have had 2 in the last 6 months and they came back normal.

I have had oral thrush a couple of times in the past year , due to stress from a operation on my liver to remove a large simple cyst in February.

I intend to start taking the vitamin d , but as for going back to the drs , he eventually said to go back in February for another repeat blood test after I kept saying I didn’t feel well.

Thank you and I will keep you informed of any development.

Sharron

X

SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering in reply to Norrahsjake

Did you check the signs and symptoms of B12 deficiency? That really is a dreadful result and along with some of your symptoms suggests possible B12 deficiency or pernicious anaemia. You shouldn't ignore that and this film will show why.

healthunlocked.com/api/redi...

Lora7again profile image
Lora7again

Your Thyroid result is not ok ... a normal healthy TSH would be around 1 mine is 0.70 and I am slightly hyper but feel great. Your Vitamin D should be higher so I would start using a vitamin D spray once a day. Doctors have no idea about Thyroid Disease I was fobbed off for 2 years when my TSH was 0.002 and I was losing hair and my nails were falling off. You have an under active thyroid and your thyroid is struggling but it could take years before it actually gives up the ghost. Here in the Uk Doctors like our TSH to be 10 before they treat us I honestly think they like to see us suffer. When my TSH was 9 I was bedridden and could not drive because I had blurred vision, I lost my taste and smell and was overweight and balding because some Consultant Endocrinologist overdosed me on PTU he even offered me counselling and antidepressants for my Graves' Disease .... I walked out of his clinic never to return. I would go back and tell them people on this site who are also thyroid disease suffers think you need Levothyroxine. You should start on 50mcg and then have a blood test after 6 weeks and further increases until your TSH goes down and your T4 and T3 goes into the upper third of the range or until you feel well. If your Doctor refuses to give you this I would self medicate like I have had to do and other members on this site. Don't let yourself become even more ill than you already are because your Doctor has no idea about Thyroid disease.

Norrahsjake profile image
Norrahsjake in reply to Lora7again

Hi,

thank you so much for your advice, you sound like you have gone through a lot , it’s so frustrating and I like you feel fobbed off too with my dr.

Why is it that our levels for TSH have to be so high in the uk before they treat you and yet lower in other countries, doesn’t make sense.

I have been thinking for a while that I have a under active thyroid as I have a lot of the symptoms.

I will wait until after Christmas and go back for another blood test and see what the results are and then I will keep going back until he takes it more seriously about the diagnosis.

Thank you so much for your advice

Sharron

X

Lora7again profile image
Lora7again in reply to Norrahsjake

I kept going back for 2 years ... they won't treat you because of NHS guidelines you might have to take your own health into your own hands and self treat. It might sound scary but you probably know more about thyroid disease than he does. I actually had to point out to my GP that my thyroid antibodies were 4000 because he had no idea what they meant. It is up to you but if you do decide to get your own blood tests and get some Levothyroxine or NDT from abroad we will be here to help you.

Take care

Lora

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

Low B12 linked to cracked tongue. Clearly your B12 levels are too low

You need full testing for Pernicious Anaemia BEFORE starting on any B vitamins

pernicious-anaemia-society....

Low B12 symptoms

b12deficiency.info/signs-an...

Low vitamin D and low B vitamins may be linked as explained here

drgominak.com/sleep/vitamin...

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Testing B12, MMA and homocysteine can reveal low B12

nutris.viapath.co.uk/pages/...

Loading doses of B12

healthunlocked.com/pasoc/po...

Guidelines on low B12 and folate

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi...

Official Guidelines on B12 and folate

hey.nhs.uk/wp/wp-content/up...

White tongue is common with oral thrush. Thrush is much more common when hypothyroid.....as your results clearly show you are..

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

verywellhealth.com/candidia...

Starting on vitamin D supplements is first step.

You can also start Selenium supplements (look for yeast free with vitamin E)

next step perhaps after Christmas is to get FULL Thyroid testing including BOTH TPO and TG thyroid antibodies. Make sure to get all thyroid blood tests done as early as possible in morning and before eating or drinking anything other than water

Come back with new post once you get results of further B12 testing and thyroid results

Norrahsjake profile image
Norrahsjake in reply to SlowDragon

Hi,

Thank you for your reply, I must admit I feel fobbed off by my dr, can’t understand why in the uk the TSH levels and others, are so different to other countries, a few years ago my b12 was really low and they put it down to something else .

I am going back after Christmas and will try and talk to him again about my blood tests and I will be more prepared.

Thank you

Sharron

Xx

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply to Norrahsjake

See a different GP and insist on full testing for Pernicious Anaemia

Liver disease can affect Thyroid function

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/754...

Hypothyroidism can affect liver

academic.oup.com/qjmed/arti...

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply to Norrahsjake

Low B12 and folate can be linked to fatty liver disease

nutraingredients.com/Articl...

Hypothyroidism can be cause of fatty liver disease

endocrineweb.com/profession...

Norrahsjake profile image
Norrahsjake in reply to SlowDragon

Thanks,

my liver is ok, I have multiple simple liver cysts that are asymptomatic, and had a cyst fenestraion operation to remove the largest, no liver disease or fatty liver .

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply to Norrahsjake

Ok ..so it's the hypothyroidism causing issues

Norrahsjake profile image
Norrahsjake in reply to SlowDragon

Yes, liver came back normal readings on blood test x really appreciate your feedback x

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

Pins and needles in hands and feet is frequently low B12.

Interesting post earlier today re Candida and low stomach acid

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

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