I had a blood test and then had a call from the doctor to say my iron levels were a bit low and that I have ‘low thyroid’ levels. When I asked for more information they said that they are on the low side so I will need to be checked again in 3 months, and he said it’s an under active thyroid.
I asked for a copy of my blood test results and here they are. They don’t make any sense to me though and I don’t know where on the results does it way anything to do with thyroid?
Just wandering if someone can help please?
Thank you 😊
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confusedkm
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I don’t know where on the results does it way anything to do with thyroid?
That's because there are no thyroid results on that printout. Is that the only sheet you were given? If so you need to ask for the rest of your results.
What we can see from those results are:
B12 is on the low side, although your GP will tell you it's OK because it's within range, they aren't bothered where in range because they're not taught much about nutrition so as far as they're concerned just being somewhere in the range is fine. However, according to an extract from the book, "Could it be B12?" by Sally M. Pacholok:
"We believe that the 'normal' serum B12 threshold needs to be raised from 200 pg/ml to at least 450 pg/ml because deficiencies begin to appear in the cerebrospinal fluid below 550".
"For brain and nervous system health and prevention of disease in older adults, serum B12 levels should be maintained near or above 1000 pg/ml."
A good quality, bioavailable B Complex will help raise your level, eg Thorne Basic B or Igennus Super B.
Folate should always be tested when B12 is tested because the two work together. See if folate result is on another sheet with thyroid results.
What has your GP said about your high red blood cell distribution width, low MCHC and low ferritin?
Yes, that’s exactly what I thought, which is why I am very confused.
They didn’t explain much over the phone and what they did explain didn’t make much sense.
They said my iron is low and so is my thyroid and so I have a family history of it which I do. I even called again and asked for more information (I put another post up explaining what I was told and was advised to ask for a copy of my results).
Now looking at my results things are still not clear. That is the only document/results that I received/they have unfortunately 😩 they were testing a ‘full blood count’. I have tried to talk to the GP but no luck so this is a final resort really as I am desperate for some answers do ease my mind.
Okay, thank you for your advice. You are definitely making a lot more sense than the GP.
I have been told to take iron supplements and that they will check my thyroid again in 3 months. That is all that they have said- as they have said that everything else came back normal.
Do you think there is an issue with the last paragraph that you wrote? - like could you explain a little better please? thank you 😊
MCHC means the amount of haemoglobin (the red stuff, containing iron, that helps your blood absorb oxygen) in your red blood cells. Yours was a bit low.
High red blood cell distribution width means the size of the red blood cells varies more than it should. Both these and low ferritin means you need iron supplements.
If you are female, are your periods heavy? Being hypothyroid (not enough thyroid hormone) often causes "Gyne" problems such as that, as well as low iron, folate and other vitamins and minerals. I am way past the menopause and still had low ferritin and folate when first diagnosed with a thyroid problem.
Do you think there is an issue with the last paragraph that you wrote? - like could you explain a little better please?
I'm never up early, I see Jnetti has done an excellent job of explaining. I just wondered if, because it showed a problem with your iron, whether your GP had prescribed iron tablets.
As for there not being any thyroid results on your print out, I'd just ring the surgery and tell the receptionist that you don't seem to have any thyroid results and would she please find them and let you have them, preferably a print out but if she does give them over the phone make sure she gives you the result plus the reference range, repeat them to her back to double check. You should have something like this:
TSH: XX range AA-BB
and possibly
FT4 (Free T 4): YY range CC-DD
It's normal to repeat thyroid tests if the first one comes back abnormal, they could be "off" because of anon-thyroidal illness and they just want to rule that out.
thank you again for your reply everyone! what you have said has made a lot of sense! I have asked the GP again for my thyroid results and they have finally found them and sent it! is it okay to upload it again and get some more advice? thank you again, you guys have been amazing 😀
It might be best to just type them into a post in this thread, I'm sure there is only one, maybe two results. We can only put one photo in a thread and it has to be in the opening post.
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