Hi all, i joined this forum on Feb 2020 but this is my first post. Firstly can i say that I have already learned so much on this forum since feb than i have in the 20 years of living with underactive thyroid. I am more desparate for guidance as my 10 year old also has Hashis but as yet she is being monitored and not treated... no doubt I will ask for advise for her going forward too.
Today I am hoping that you would look at my latest blood tests and guide me on what I should do. My tsh is 0.8 T4 and T3 should be available tomorrow hopefully.
B12- 344 ref range 211 - 911. recently started on supplement but stopped days before blood test. was taking vitamin b complex from holland and barrats that had folic acid. feel that vitamin b complex has helped my acid reflux cough
Folate 10.44 ref range 3 - 14.1 this looks ok,
Ferritin 16 ref range 10 - 292
vitamin D 98.0 been taking supplements for a long time.
For years i have struggled with thinning hair and blamed underactive thyroid, but never in all these years had t4 or t3 reading done at GP suregery. Hopefully will find out how well i convert to t3 soon. I had a still born a few years ago. My ferritin levels 2 years ago were at 16 too but GP said it was normal. Now spoken to receptionist and have been told no action required as ferritin is in range.
I am now considering ordering ingus vitamin b complex. Please can u tell me how best to optimise my ferritin and b 12. A bit worried that i dont want to take folate over level too. Many thanks for reading my post xxx
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With such a low ferritin level you need a full blood count to see if there is anaemia and an iron panel to see if there is iron deficiency. You should not consider self supplementing with iron tablets, these tests need to be carried out and if you have iron deficiency or anaemia then your GP should address that and monitor your levels.
B12- 344 ref range 211 - 911. recently started on supplement but stopped days before blood test. was taking vitamin b complex from holland and barrats that had folic acid. feel that vitamin b complex has helped my acid reflux cough
What supplement - B12 plus the B Complex or just the B Complex?
Many people with B12 in the 300s have been fund to need B12 injections. You can check for signs of B12 deficiency here:
Do you have any? If so then they need discussing with your GP so he can organise further testing for B12 deficiency/pernicious anaemia. If you have no signs then it would be fine to supplement yourself. With your current B12 level I would take sublingual methylcobalamin 1000mcg, along with a good B Complex such as Thorne Basic B or Igennus Super B to balance all the B vitamins. Once the bottle of sublingual methylcobalamin has been finished you will probably find the B Complex alone will be enough.
Always remember to stop the B Complex for 7 days before any blood test due to the Biotin possibly affecting results. Also, once supplementing B12 then the results of further testing will reflect that you are taking B12, you would have to be off B12 for 4-5 months to get a baseline result.
High folate level is said not to be a problem when B12 is also high. B vitamins are water soluble and excess is excreted.
Sorry just to further add... i have achs and pains in leg and arms also feel weak too. Been suffering from possible acid reflux for a few months as prescribed acid reflux capsules. That did help but didnt wish to continue on them. As stated earlier i have noticed a difference in acid reflux cough since starting vitamin b complex which had vitamin b 12 too.
Sorry, I didn't get notification of these replies as you've replied to yourself
Methylcobalamin is the better form of B12 and will be in the better quality B Complex supplements, it's the converted form so is bioavailable. But as it's a H&B own brand supplement I'm not surprised, they are generally poor quality.
Your full blood count is fine, no sign of anaemia.
If you have been reading posts on here you will be well aware of just how gluten intolerance is with Hashimoto’s
Are you on strictly gluten free diet?
Hashimoto's affects the gut and leads to low stomach acid and then low vitamin levels
Low vitamin levels affect Thyroid hormone working
Poor gut function can lead leaky gut (literally holes in gut wall) this can cause food intolerances. Most common by far is gluten. Dairy is second most common.
According to Izabella Wentz the Thyroid Pharmacist approx 5% with Hashimoto's are coeliac, but over 80% find gluten free diet helps, sometimes significantly. Either due to direct gluten intolerance (no test available) or due to leaky gut and gluten causing molecular mimicry (see Amy Myers link)
Changing to a strictly gluten free diet may help reduce symptoms, help gut heal and slowly lower TPO antibodies
While still eating high gluten diet ask GP for coeliac blood test first or buy test online for under £20, just to rule it out first
Assuming test is negative you can immediately go on strictly gluten free diet
(If test is positive you will need to remain on high gluten diet until endoscopy, maximum 6 weeks wait officially)
Trying gluten free diet for 3-6 months. If no noticeable improvement then reintroduce gluten and see if symptoms get worse
The predominance of Hashimoto thyroiditis represents an interesting finding, since it has been indirectly confirmed by an Italian study, showing that autoimmune thyroid disease is a risk factor for the evolution towards NCGS in a group of patients with minimal duodenal inflammation. On these bases, an autoimmune stigma in NCGS is strongly supported
In summary, whereas it is not yet clear whether a gluten free diet can prevent autoimmune diseases, it is worth mentioning that HT patients with or without CD benefit from a diet low in gluten as far as the progression and the potential disease complications are concerned
Despite the fact that 5-10% of patients have Celiac disease, in my experience and in the experience of many other physicians, at least 80% + of patients with Hashimoto's who go gluten-free notice a reduction in their symptoms almost immediately.
Many thanks for your response slow dragon, i did have a ceoliac gluten test which came back negative. I had to push for this with my GP too. will now try my best to change diet.
Should i start taking iron supplements to increase ferritin. I will defo eat more lean meat and healthy food to increase ferritin. But for now need something to boost it. As per my full blood test all else looks fine. Will it be dangerous to take iron tablets if im not anaemic but just have very low ferritin.
Should i start taking iron supplements to increase ferritin.
No, not necessarily. This is where iron becomes complicated. You don't have any results in your full blood count that suggest anaemia, so now you need an iron panel to see if you have iron deficiency that is causing your low ferritin.
If you have a decent serum iron level then you wouldn't want to be taking iron tablets because that would raise your serum iron level and possibly take it too high, and too much iron is as bad as too little iron.
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