Advice needed please. I know that iron etc are important to thyroid health. Please could you give some advice.

[jan61]

I've been T3 mono for more than 7 years but now on private prescription as NHS took my T3 away. I'm in need of advice about supplements as I need to try and get myself sorted alot more myself as NHS have been on the whole pretty useless. I've got selenium now and a good multivit and mineral complex. I've had results back for iron etc. Do I need to supplement these in any way based on these results and if so what's good. Are there other supplements that I could add that might help? I'm trying to raise my T3 levels after trying to survive on 45 mg a day compared to the 60mg a day I was on originally. I'm struggling as been so undermedicated for months trying to eek out the T3 until I could see someone privately. So need to give my body a helping hand.

Serum folate 3.3 (3.7-18.7)

Serum vit B12 486 (191-663)

Serum ferritin 47 (13-150)

According to gp these are normal but he is giving me some folic to take now, although I can track an increasing drop in all these back through my records.

Any advice gratefully received.

[Lalatoot]

I would avoid any multivitamin as you do not know exactly what you are taking and in what quantity. All of the vitamin levels need to be well into the top third of the range . What about vitamin D?

[jan61 in reply to Lalatoot]

Vit d 3 was fine at 75 lalatoot

[greygoose]

I doubt there's any such thing as a good multi-vit, for several reasons:

* If your multi contains iron, it will block the absorption of all the vitamins - you won't absorb a single one! Iron should be taken at least two hours away from any other supplement except vit C, which is necessary to aid absorption of iron, and protect the stomach.

* If your multi also contains calcium, the iron and calcium will bind together and you won't be able to absorb either of them.

* Multi's often contain things you shouldn't take or don't need : calcium, iodine, copper. These things should be tested before supplementing.

* Multi's often contain the cheapest, least absorbable form of the supplement : magnesium oxide, instead of magnesium citrate or one of the other good forms; cyanocobalamin instead of methylcobalamin; folic acid instead of methylfolate; etc. etc. etc.

* Multi's do not contain enough of anything to help a true deficiency, even if you could absorb them.

* When taking several supplements, you should start them individually at two weekly intervals, not all at once as you would with a multi. Because, if you start them all at once, and something doesn't agree with you, you won't know which one it is and you'll be back to square one.

With a multivitamin, you are just throwing your money down the drain, at best, and doing actual harm at worst. Far better to get tested for vit D, vit B12, folate and ferritin, and build up your supplementation program based on the results.

[Lora7again]

You need to get your ferritin levels up ... try eating liver or pate a couple of times a week. I personally hate liver so I have tried black pudding and pate. At the moment my ferritin is 300 and too high because of inflammation in my body because of Graves' and a multinodular goitre.

[endomad]

You need to contact your local CCG and get individual funding for your T3. They are not allowed to just stop T3 because of cost. You obviously have clinical need for T3 and having been on it for 7 years you have a strong case. My T3 was stopped due to cost and I got it reinstated by ccg with individual funding. Don't accept this fight it. My ccg said 9 out of 10 people won't bother to fight it and saved thousands I fought it and won.

Who stopped your T3? Gp or endo? Ask for it in writing why, mine were daft and said cost which of course they can't say so mine was reinstated asap. I will direct mssg you a source for t3 to tide you over. You need to start getting pushy. Vitamins unless you have deficiency are pointless and multi vits are a waste of money. X