diagnosed nov 19

[nat10]

just joined, as need some advise on how to feel better. diagnosed november bloods Serum free T4 level12.700 pmol/L12 - 22 pmol/L

Serum TSH level7.550 mU/L0.27 - 4.2 mU/L

Levothyroxine sodium 50microgram tablet

retested 8th Jan

Serum TSH level1.840 mU/L0.27 - 4.2 mU/L

but still really tired so asked for iron and b12 check, he increased llevothyroxine to 75

Serum ferritin14.050 ug/L15 - 150 ug/L

Se thyroid peroxidase Ab conc57.000 kIU/L0 - 34 kIU/L

B12/folate level

Serum vitamin B12664.000 ng/L197 - 771 ng/L

Serum folate10.400 ug/L3.3 - 19.3 ug/L

Serum free T3 level4.300 pmol/L3.1 - 6.8 pmol/L

Serum free T4 level16.200 pmol/L12 - 22 pmol/L

Serum TSH level1.100 mU/L0.27 - 4.2 mU/L

kidney function now down as well is this normal when on Levothyroxine

started a low gluten diet as well as b12 supplement and a higher dose of vit d, also take a multivitamin and mineral tablet for the iron but that also has iodine in.

thanks

[greygoose]

If you were only diagnosed in November, you can't reasonably expect to feel much better in January. It takes a lot of time, and you're still only on a small dose of levo. Your FT3 (the active hormone) is still quite low. Plus you have Hashi's.

Your ferritin is under-range. That is going to make you very, very tired. Your doctor need to do a full iron panel to see if you're anaemic. You should also get your vit d tested, that could be low as well.

I don't know if lowered kidney function can be called 'normal' but it does happen when you're hypo. Nothing to do with the levo.

A 'low gluten' diet is not going to do anything for you. It's either 100% gluten-free or it's not worth bothering with.

You don't need a B12 supplement, your B12 is good. Did you have a previous test where it was low? And, did you get tested for vit d before you started supplementing it?

You shouldn't be taking a multivitamin anyway for all sorts of 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. A vitamin or a mineral is only going to help you if you need it, anyway. More of something you don’t need is either pointless or even dangerous, as with calcium, iron or vit D.

[nat10 in reply to greygoose]

thanks for all the info,

full blood results

Haemoglobin estimation128.000 g/L 120 - 150 g/L

Total white cell count6.100 10*9/L 4 - 10 10*9/L

Platelet count297.000 10*9/L 150 - 410 10*9/L

Red blood cell (RBC) count4.410 10*12/L 3.8 - 4.8 10*12/L

Haematocrit0.377 L/L 0.36 - 0.46 L/L

Mean corpuscular volume (MCV)85.500 fL 83 - 101 fL

Mean corpusc. haemoglobin(MCH)29.000 pg 27 - 32 pg

Mean corpusc. Hb. conc. (MCHC)340.000 g/L 315 - 345 g/L

Red blood cell distribut width13.200 % 11 - 15 %

Neutrophil count4.200 10*9/L 2 - 7 10*9/L

Lymphocyte count1.300 10*9/L 1 - 3 10*9/L

Monocyte count0.500 10*9/L 0.2 - 1 10*9/L

Eosinophil count0.150 10*9/L 0.02 - 0.5 10*9/L

Basophil count0.030 10*9/L 0.02 - 0.1 10*9/L

didnt get tested for vitamin d just started taking a supplement over the winter months last year and it helped so have taken it again this year.

[greygoose in reply to nat10]

OK, but if you don't get vit d tested first, you cannot know how much you should be taking.

I'm afraid I don't know that much about iron. But, hopefully, SeasideSusie will be along soon to help you with those results.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to nat10]

Those results are for a full blood count, they are all in range and don't indicate iron deficiency anaemia.

You can have iron deficiency without anaemia.

You need an iron panel which tests serum iron, transferrin saturation % and TIBC along with Ferritin. The fact that you have a below range Ferritin result already means that your GP should have done some further investigation at the time.

As for Vit D, it's essential to test. Taking too little D3 won't help raise a poor level, taking too much can lead to toxicity as excess Vit D is stored. You can get a home fingerprick blood spot test with City Assays for £29:

vitamindtest.org.uk/index.html

Post results when you have them and say what you are currently taking, ie dose and form (tablets, capsules, softgels, oral spray, etc). An appropriate dose can then be suggested with information about the important cofactors which are necessary when supplementing with Vit D.

[nat10 in reply to SeasideSusie]

thanks for the info,

will go back to gp if i dont improve and ask for other tests.