Hi new to community and wonder if anyone can help with results ...
Crp 1.16, ferritin 74.4, folate 10.96, B12 121, D 71.5, TSH 3.63, FT3 4.03, FT4 14.2, thyroglobulin a/b 18.3, TPO a/b 46.
The results don’t seem terrible so why do I feel so rubbish and what would be a good plan
Chelseablue26
Can you please add the reference ranges for your results, ranges vary from lab to lab so we can't interpret your results without the ranges from the lab that did the tests.
Is your B12 an Active B12 test?
Is the unit of measurement for Vit D test nmol/L?
Do you have a diagnosis of hypothyroidism and are you taking any thyroid replacement hormone?
Tests from Medichecks so whatever they are! I have since 28 had TSH around 4.7 and T4 around 11 so always been a bit rubbish. This is the first time I have paid for a full panel and not just relied on NHS TSH and T4. Looks like I have hashimotos. Ive never taken prescription meds but over last few years have used lugols Iodine and co factors, gone gluten free etc but menopause has been a challenge - emotionally rather than physically to be fair
Tests from Medichecks so whatever they are!
Not everyone is familiar with Medichecks ranges (ranges vary from lab to lab), so if would be extremely helpful if you would either add a picture of your results to your first post or type them in.
If you think you have Hashi's then I assume your thyroid antibodies are over range? If so then the fact that you have been using Lugols Iodine could very well be a problem as iodine used to be used to treat overactive thyroid gland.
Did you test your iodine level before starting Lugols Iodine?
Ok thanks - here goes:- CRP range is 0-5, (1.16)
ferritin is 13-150, (74.4)
folate serum is >3.89, (10.96)
Active B12 is >37.5, (121)
Vit D 50-175 (71.5)
TSH 0.27-4.2 (3.63)
Free T3 3.1-6.8 (4.03)
FT4 12-22 (14.2)
Thryog a/b <115 (18.3)
TPO a/b <34 (46)
So last one is the only one technically of the over the range implying Hashi.
Only did iodine skin test and had HTMA showing ridiculously high Calcium and extremely low potassium otherwise not disastrous.
Many thanks for your help btw 
That is not a real test. That is voodoo. It was discredited a long time ago, and shows you nothing because there are so many factors that can affect the rate of absorption - or evaporation.
Ok. I guess that wasn’t my only motivation for iodine. I’d read through Lynne Farrow’s Iodine crisis, listened to some of Dr Brownstein’s vids and generally could see the logic to the argument around the disappearing iodine and the over exposure to chlorine etc (life long swimmer here). Going forward any advice would be gratefully received
I can understand that. But, what they don't stress hard enough is that you should always get proper testing before taking iodine and then should only do it under the supervision of an experienced practitioner. Iodine is not something to mess around with. Too much is dangerous. It can have a devastating effect on your thyroid. It can even trigger Hashi's. Did you find out you had Hashi's before starting the supplements?
So, what can you do going forward? Keep testing until the results get so bad that your doctors have to take notice. Trouble is, they only look at the TSH and on that test, whilst we know the TSH is too high, it's not high enough to alert a doctor to a problem. And, it doesn't - at the moment, anyway - reflect your FT4/3, which are both pretty low, and will more than likely be causing your symptoms.
Things you could try to make you feel better are: a 100% gluten-free diet, taking selenium, more iron-rich foods to raise your ferritin a bit. But, no guarantees that any of that will work.
Hashimoto diagnosis at 28 after 3 kids in 5 years and then a divorce. GF for 12 years and I do take Selenimethionene (I’ve spelt that wrong). Docs are happy with my numbers so I’m gonna get nothing there. They just shout menopause and offer HRT and anti depressants! No ta
Well, what do they know! So, you've never been on thyroid hormone replacement, levo or whatever?
No I haven’t.
Well, at some point you're going to need to be, I'm afraid.
Most ppl r iodine deficient my Dr didn't test mine and told me to take up to 200 mcg or mg whatever it is a day the thyroid supplement I got contains 150 iodine.
Hello Greygoose are you able to tell me more about how iodine can damage the thyroid and what you mean by dangerous? Would taking iodine cause hyper symptoms?
Excess iodine can cause cancer. It can trigger Hashi's. It can cause hyper symptoms by making you hyper temporarily, or it can make you more hypo, because iodine is actually anti-thyroid in excess.
Hi Chealseablue26, If you are interested in ensuring adequate iodine levels - per the authors info you have read, I personally would use food. So dried sea vegetables are an easy option. I found local health food shop selling packets of. Easy to use, soak in water for a few mins then add to soups, stews, curries. You could use fresh samphire, coast picked in Norfolk but much comes from Israel depending if UK in season. You can wash, freeze and then break off bits to put in soups etc. You will find on Fish stalls, in Norfolk on the coast, I have even bought from Morrisons.
I would say your CRP is good - optimum 1 or below, but I wouldn't say you have much inflammation going on, so that is good
I am working at getting my TSH down was 3.8 used red/ near infra red combination light shining on thyroid for 3-5 mins 1x or 2x perday (retailer in the UK redlightman.com) and Frankincense essential oil applied to thyroid area on neck. I have used Frankincense Serratta and Frankincense Sacra (Neal's Yard essential oils) If my skin sensitive sometimes - I dilute with a little coconut oil (liquid fractionated coconut oil from Fushi.co.uk. Fushi, sell a great range of organic tinctures GF)
I am sure this protocol is what lowered my TSH from 3.8 to 2.8 (first time in years not risen, and had actually fallen) Not due for next annual blood tests for a couple of months.
The only other result that I would feel happy commenting on is vit D. I believe from all I have learned from Functional Medical professionals and the research body Grassroots - Vitamin D Research Council that our vitamin D blood level should be top of the UK range which is 125mmol/L and if have any health problem much higher. I like to keep mine around 150 mmol/L. Remember the level is not static , gets used up. Daily dosing is important as the unbound vitamin D which the organs and immune system use is diffused directly into cells has only a half life of 24hrs. So on the days we aren't getting sun on a substantial area of our bodies we need to supplement See you tube Dr Hollis presentation on vit D dosing. He has researched vit D for 30yrs+ takes and recommends 4000iu per day to sustain optimum levels.
I know a practitioner that if feels has been anywhere germy, or coming down with a cold, will take 25000iu per day for a few days, simply because the immune system needs it and that's when coming from an optimum level.
Grassroots have produced a chart of disease prevention correlating with serum D levels you will find if Google. Note in US ng measurement. to translate to mmol/L you have to multiply by 2.5 so 60ng = 150mmol/L
Everyone should be taking fat soluble vit K2 (which is not K1) enables enzyme triggering which escorts calcium to bones and teeth rather than allowing to gravitate to soft tissue ( see Kate Rheaume Bleue's book - The Calcium Paradox - the little known vitamin that could save your life) Vit D enhances calcium absorption and fat soluble vitamins D,A,E and K2 work together. You may be feeling rubbish from various things. But if vit D levels aren't optimum - it could be playing a huge part.
Don't expect your GP to have even heard of vitamin K2 most haven't as it was only recognised in the 1990's. But it is essential for your GP to test your calcium serum levels just to make sure in normal range and no calcium/parathyroid gland issues exist(rare) before supplementing vit D. Calcium serum levels are a usual test along with other general blood tests so you have probably had taken. I hope you get print outs of any blood tests you have from the GP receptionist so that you are aware of exact level numbers and can keep and compare how you are doing and move forward in the right direction. Remember normal range is just average and not always healthy optimal
Lastly, key to feeling healthy and well we have to track backwards and further back to our mitochondria. 1,000's in each and every cell (excluding blood cells) They produce our energy ATP. So heart, brain, eye and liver cells have many thousands more as these cells need energy to function in very high energy requiring organs. Feeding and supporting our mitochondria to keep numbers up /reproducing and healthy, is therefore essential. We can lose up to 75% of our numbers as age.
I have just listened to expert interviews on the Mitochondrial Summit that aired this month. Fascinating. Mitochondria switch from energy producing mode to dorsal/defence mode and can get stuck there, so producing minimum energy. If cells don't have energy to function then nothing in our body will be working well.
Your post seems to imply you research to find answers. Look up English Nicki Gratrix and The Cell Danger Response, Dr Ari Whitten (fatigue researcher) (has book on amazon on red/nr infra red light (boosts mitochondrial health) website the Enegy Blueprint. Dr Jay Davidson organised the mitochondrial summit and was interviewed - interesting info on the supplement TUDCA. Online recordings and transcripts are available but no longer free
Thank you for all that advice. Yep I will definitely consider the seagreens type route. I think food is always a preferable option. I do have a red light gadget (Photizo I think) which is actually for horses but my sister (equine type person) swears by it for inflammation so I use it on family aches and pains so I'll look into that. I have frankincense for my wrinkly face so thats good!
As for hormone D, I'm still doing my research. There is a lot of information out there but the newer research is less settled on the benefits of high doses. I'm a lover of the sun and not a lover of sunscreen which helps. I track my D exposure through an app in the summer. And sadly I have enough fat cells to accommodate it through the winter :). Cholecalciferol has a an interesting history - I believe it is a registered rodenticide in America. Like I say, still investigating but thank you for all your time and suggestions - really appreciate reading others' experiences
That's interesting. Do you have any links to the newer D research you mention. Always good to have a 360 degree view. I will post Dr Hollis presentation lecture video. Only a few mins in and illustrates with a diagram how vit D is absorbed (diffused) or bound, which makes for interesting viewing even if you don't want to watch the 30 min lecture. I must say had me hooked. As far as I am aware with the diffused D into cells for organ and immune system needs, once in the cell it cannot get back out of the cell, so used up or wasted. Unlike the D that goes to and is bound in the liver, which can travel about the body and required for skeleton and teeth. So would that not mean that fat cells can only be storing the bound D?
Glad you know about the red/nr infrared light benefits. Discovered recently that not only do mitochondria feed on the nutrients you supply in food but also on specific wavelengths of light, so benefits the mitochondrial health and reproductive capacity.
youtube.com/watch?v=FbheaUL...
Dr Kruse is a good source on the wisdom of light but he is a difficult read. V Scientific but his message is we need less nutrition gurus and more light gurus. In a world of blue light domination and increasing ill health, I fear he may have a point. Here is a link:
youtube.com/watch?v=60-VAun...
Interesting watch.
Here is an interesting read:
sciencealert.com/the-larges...
There are many out there.
Thanks Chelsea . The video streaming won't work, however I will go through his you tube videos with interest. It's a positivity thing, I always like to hear of the benefits of things I am doing. Thanks also for the science alert link - I have read and not convinced though - mainly focusing on skeletal health and risk of fracture which is not immune and organ health. Seems a bit vague on the contribution to other aspects of health
Focusing on such because the NHS and other health organisations prescribe calcium and vit d for bone health following bone density scans and the author /research is questioning such practise. I think it has long since been proven that ADCAL or whatever it is called is not appropriate and calcium supplements should not be taken. Leave calcium to green veg. And magnesium if there is a problem, is key . That bone density scans have been considered as leading everyone awry however the investment in is not going to mean this is going to be highlighted any time soon x
Not sure why it’s not working but I’m not too technical I’m afraid! Type Trevor Marshall and ‘why does Vitamin D work so well’ into YouTube and it comes up. It’s basically explaining the perceived benefits of Vit D in the short term and long term issues. D3 is only 1 of 24 metabolites that we know of and supplementing any isolate in high doses can challenge homeostasis. I have a school run soon and a mad evening but at some point I’ll dig out the studies appearing to show that perfect natural D levels are in fact optimum at around 30 (long term studies of Hawaiian fishermen etc). Gotta go x
x
Not much point in reducing TSH if the FT4 and FT3 don't rise correspondingly. TSH doesn't do anything much apart from stimulate the thyroid and conversion.
Thanks greygoose, totally agree but many of us don't get tested for anything but TSH by our GP's. And high TSH is a clue that the body is screaming out for more thyroid hormone and so produced accordingly. If over years we see our TSH climb continually , to me it is a sign that the thyroid is not working optimally. If by certain non drug interventions I see that my TSH has stopped being made as much then it is an indication to me that I am helping my thyroid function better. And hopefully such treatments will benefit the thyroid so much that I may prevent future issues x
Unfortunately, that's not always true. The TSH is a very bad indicator of thyroid status. So many things can affect it.
I know that a lot of doctors will only test TSH, believing that this tells them all they need to know. They could not be more wrong! But that is why so many people get private tests done. You cannot just rely on the TSH to tell you what your thyroid is doing. It is a pituitary hormone, and if something is affecting the pituitary and it's output of TSH, that has nothing to do with the thyroid.
So, important to have T4 and T3 tested at the same time if think TSH improving. Right. Does this have to be FT3 and FT4 or just T4 and T3 ? Do you know a good healthy range that T3 & 4 should be?
Right. And it should always be FT3 and FT4. TT3 and TT4 don't give much in the way of useful information.
Ranges vary from lab to lab. And healthy results vary from person to person. But, generally, FT3/4 should be in the top third of the range, FT4 just slightly higher than FT3.
What did iodine do for you? Did you take it for a specific reason?
I can’t say it was specifically iodine as I have over last couple of years taken B Vits, increased potassium /sodium and magnesium, added selenium and then Introduced iodine. I use a few adaptogenics (ashwaghanda or holy basil sometimes). This is the first time my TSH and T4 has ever been in range although still far from optimal!
Such a disgrace that any GP refused to treat you on both TSH and T4 being out of range previously. I think you may need to find a better GP.
Edit, spelling of refused was changed by my clever ipad to feuded. I have corrected in first sentence.
Medichecks results- help please?
Blood results help please
Help with results please
Help with results please
Help with test results please
