Feeling somewhat pants!

[Saggyuk]

Hey guys

I just did some tests as I feel terrible and so so tired and it's been getting worse over the past year. I was expecting them to come back awful to be honest as I've had far worse and felt better so was a little surprised that they were far from the worst I've had:

Red Blood Cells

Haemoglobin 133 g/L (Range: 120 - 160)

Haematocrit 0.373 L/L (Range: 0.35 - 0.47)

Red Cell Count 4.24 x10^12/L (Range: 3.8 - 5.8)

MCV 88 fl (Range: 81 - 98)

MCH 31.4 pg (Range: 27 - 33)

MCHC X 357 g/L (Range: 300 - 350)

RDW 12.1 % (Range: 11.5 - 14.4)

White Blood Cells

White Cell Count 7.33 x10^9/L (Range: 3 - 10)

Neutrophils 3.4 x10^9/L (Range: 2 - 7.5)

Lymphocytes 2.85 x10^9/L (Range: 1.2 - 3.65)

Monocytes 0.54 x10^9/L (Range: 0.2 - 1)

Eosinophils X 0.41 x10^9/L (Range: 0 - 0.4)

Basophils 0.08 x10^9/L (Range: 0 - 0.1)

Clotting Status

Platelet Count 245 x10^9/L (Range: 150 - 400)

MPV 10.2 fl (Range: 7 - 13)

Kidney Health

Urea 3.2 mmol/L (Range: 2.5 - 7.8)

Creatinine 61 umol/L (Range: 45 - 84)

eGFR 94.72 ml/min/1.73m2 (Range: ? 60)

Liver Health

Bilirubin 2.7 umol/L (Range: < 21)

ALP 58 IU/L (Range: < 130)

ALT 13.1 IU/L (Range: < 35)

GGT 17 IU/L (Range: 6 - 42)

Proteins

Total Protein 66 g/L (Range: 60 - 80)

Albumin 38.9 g/L (Range: 35 - 50)

Globulin 27.1 g/L (Range: 19 - 35)

Diabetes

HbA1c 32.67 mmol/mol (Range: 20 - 42)

Inflammation

CRP HS 0.29 mg/L (Range: < 5)

Gout Risk

Uric Acid 181 umol/L (Range: 140 - 360)

Muscle Health

Creatine Kinase 68 IU/L (Range: 26 - 192)

Iron Status

Iron 8.24 umol/L (Range: 5.8 - 34.5)

TIBC 53.94 umol/L (Range: 45 - 72)

UIBC 45.7 umol/L (Range: 24.2 - 70.1)

Transferrin Saturation X 15.28 % (Range: 20 - 50)

Ferritin 27.5 ug/L (Range: 13 - 150)

Minerals

Magnesium - Serum 0.84 mmol/L (Range: 0.7 - 1)

Vitamins

Folate - Serum 7.44 ug/L (Range: > 3.89)

Vitamin B12 - Active 68.200 pmol/L (Range: > 37.5)

Vitamin D 51.9 nmol/L

Deficient <30 Insufficient 30 - 50Consider reducing dose >175

(Range: 50 - 175)

Thyroid Hormones

TSH 1.08 mIU/L (Range: 0.27 - 4.2)

Free T3 5.86 pmol/L (Range: 3.1 - 6.8)

Free Thyroxine 12.600 pmol/L (Range: 12 - 22)

MCHC is over range, Transferrin saturation is under range. Eosinophils and basinophils were high on my last test in the summer, this one only eosinophils were still high.

I haven't been taking any vits during this time either as lifelong anaemia had been stable for a good few years since going gluten free etc. I can see they're not optimal now so I will sort but like I mentioned, I've been far lower. Some of the out of range tests are also not normally what happen when I'm low either so thought I'd come here for ideas.

Cholesterol was a little off too but will sort that - not my normal results so assuming Christmas had an impact

On 75mcg T4 and 20mcg of T3 and have been for some time. Took the test just after a dose of T3 was due which I didn't take.

One particular problem I'm having is with my legs, they hurt really bad including my heels and very very stiff and I'm hobbling around. I always loved walking but I've had to stop for the most part. Just can't work out what's going on or where to look next- any ideas?

Many thanks in advance

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Low Vit D may be causing your leg problem. The Vit D Council recommends a level of 125nmol and the Vit D Society recommends 100-150nmol.

Folate might be better in double figures.

Active B12 below 70 suggests testing for B12 deficiency, I like mine over 100.

Magnesium is an unreliable test anyway, many of us are low.

Iron panel isn't good, with serum iron very low in range, optimal level is 55-70% (higher end for males), Saturation is optimal at 35-45% (higher end for males), and Ferritin is low, recommended is half way through range.

[Saggyuk in reply to SeasideSusie]

Hi Thanks - yes I will sort them out but I'm not having the usual symptoms I get when I'm low in vit d and iron like breathlessness, cold, bones hurting to touch etc. I don't think it has much to do with my legs though as this started about a year ago before my levels dropped. My results in July were good however. Initially, I thought some shoes had damaged my feet as realised my soles had worn but it's just not going away and it's so bad now. It's got to be something else but I'm at a loss.

I'm not concerned about magnesium - historically my result has always been on the top end or just over so tend to run high (my mum is the same) and generally feel very sick if I take magnesium.

Haven't been around for a while - what further testing do you mean for B12? I would normally just supplement

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Saggyuk]

Haven't been around for a while - what further testing do you mean for B12? I would normally just supplement

Active B12 below 70 suggests testing for B12 deficiency according to Viapath at St Thomas' Hospital:

viapath.co.uk/our-tests/act...

Reference range:>70. *Between 25-70 referred for MMA

However, as it's just a couple of points below then you might just want to supplement. If you're going to supplement with B12 then take a good B Complex also to balance all the B vitamins. Recommended here are Thorne Basic B or Igennus Super B. That should also help raise your folate level.

[Saggyuk in reply to SeasideSusie]

THanks, actually I might test B12 further as it's the one thing I've been completely unable to keep stable all these years. Iron I managed without treatment for a good couple of years until these tests (I even increased without treatment), Vit D has good reason to be low as never go outside enough anyway and Folate, I can normally keep up when I'm eating well enough. B12 though - always just goes down and down when not supplementing - has never stabilised and there's no real reason I should be low in it. It's also the only thing that didn't go up or stop going down when I went GF

[Lalatoot]

Seaside Susie gives good advice particularly on vitamins so I would go with what she recommends. If it was me the FT4 result would be too low in range. I need my higher - well over half way even though the FT3 result is good. some folks can manage with low FT4 when they are on T3 meds; others cannot.

[Saggyuk in reply to Lalatoot]

Hiya - Yes, ideally I've been wanting to get some extra T4 to give it a go for some time - however the docs just won't give it to me with my results. The only way my consultant would give me more is if I reduce the T3 which I'm not prepared to do (used to be on T3 only for 15 years as they couldn't get my tsh down).

I just don't know where I'd be able to buy T4???

[Lalatoot in reply to Saggyuk]

If you put that question on a separate post someone will be able to tell you.

[SilverAvocado]

Saggyuk, looking through your results you've got quite a few very low vitamins, including low iron. SeasideSusie has given a really good run down of them.

I don't think you should be surprised that all these low levels are making you feel bad. Just because they've been even worse in the past doesn't really mean anything! I think often with these things the symptoms can be worse as they start to improve because before that the body was just making the best of it as if it would never get anything better. These are still pretty low levels, and the improvement of getting them up to optimal will almost certainly give you a big improvement in symptoms.

I think your freeT3 also looks a touch low. You've certainly got room for an increase if you want to try one. The TSH is on the high side for someone taking T3, too, which makes me think maybe your body wants more.

[Saggyuk in reply to SilverAvocado]

Thanks, yes totally aware they won't be helping - I wasn't clear but I mostly meant that I don't think these are the cause of my leg issues as started quite some time ago when results were fine, it's my legs causing me the biggest problem at the moment

I will definitely be sorting the above out and I suppose maybe it might help regardless, it could be that although not initial cause, it could have made things worse with my legs in the meantime. And I suppose maybe they were not all low before - as in two were okay and other two not or one was okay and three were not whereas now, all four are on the low side

And I suppose back to the blinking iron pills - at least I had a nice long break from them! I was just so happy not to have to be taking multiple pills every day and the bad stomach from iron

I've just had an endo test which included bone profile/calcium as well so I'll see if this is changed at all.

I'm not concerned about my T3 levels, I am normally higher than this - all previous results from the past few years were with supressed TSH and I was just due my next dose of T3 when the blood test was taken. If I were most optimal at the time of the blood test, I likely would have gone quite over range for a little while once I'd taken my T3 dose and I really cannot tolerate that anymore. I had been on 10mcg more of T3 some time ago but it made me feel hyper and not well. My last results on this dose were:

TSH X 0.181 mIU/L (Range: 0.27 - 4.2)

Free T3 X 7.91 pmol/L (Range: 3.1 - 6.8)

Free Thyroxine 12.200 pmol/L (Range: 12 - 22)

And the ones in December were also pretty much the same even though I had accidentally left it too long from the last dose to blood test so I'll take it as a blip. Maybe the low vits aren't helping either.

I'm going to try additional T4 instead and see how that goes

THanks again

[HLAB35]

You say you feel ill taking Magnesium.... I completely understand as I used to take a dire supplement that really put me off, but since taking better quality Magnesium compounds with less filler - I am fine. There are a lot of really cr***y Magnesium supplements that can cause bloating and give you the runs.

The reason I am saying this is that I have found (and it's been proven in Labs) that by increasing Magnesium everywhere in the body, vitamin D also improves (serum levels are always kept good at the cost of our muscles and bones - low serum levels are rare and mean you're probably at risk of serious heart problems). Epsom Salt baths could help your aches and if that works then the gels or lotions are worth a try.

[Saggyuk in reply to HLAB35]

Hiya - thanks. Unfortunately I can't tolerate any crappy vits so always end up having to spend a fortune. I have issues with fake sugars like mannitol and anything derived from wheat/barley (maltodextrin, trocopherols, etc - often found in cheap ones). I think the first one's I tried were thorne B but I also tried one from the company I use now as they have limited fillers but neither were tolerated. It doesn't mess up my stomach, it just very quickly leaves me nauseous, shaky and weird ears lol! My results are normall at 1 or above and my mum's are always over range but I suppose I can try it again now I've finally had a lower result perhaps. I can certainly try epsom salt baths though

[HLAB35 in reply to Saggyuk]

Have you tried Igennus? The Neurobalance one is good as it has Magnesium, Zinc and B6 (as P5P) in it - all are very calming in combination and it supports cognitive function. In the past I sometimes found B12 and folate made me too 'buzzy'. It's something to do with over or under 'methylating' and MTHFR experts are the ones to adk about that. I have just found that by taking lots more Magnesium (which calms the nerves) I can tolerate b vitamins and vitamin d to a much greater extent and get all my levels much higher.

[Saggyuk in reply to HLAB35]

Yes I'm aware I have such issues as had a very very worrying and peculiar reaction to B12 at first and cannot tolerate 3-5k or higher levels at all. I was so bad me Dad nearly called 999 as buzzy was not the word I think some people here mentioned over/under methyllyyy stuff but I never looked into it further so I suppose I have some reading to do

I'm fine with Vit D too.

Thanks, will look into igennus.