New GP Blood Results

[SMXX]

These are the latest GP blood results including Cortisol levels taken at 9am. This is after I have requested a second opinion following private blood results showing high TSH of 7.2 and GP stated I should have another blood test in 6 weeks. It shows that I’m low again on Vit D and Folate!! I’ve not requested an appointment yet as I want to gain your insight on my next steps?? What do I do now ?, tempted for a further private test but it will probably fall on deaf ears again ??!! X Thanks for reading... 😊 xx

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Low vitamin levels are direct result of being hypothyroid

Have you had thyroid antibodies tested?

Vitamin D

GP will often only prescribe to bring levels to 50nmol.

Some areas will prescribe to bring levels to 75nmol

leedsformulary.nhs.uk/docs/...

GP should advise on self supplementing if over 50nmol, but under 75nmol (but they rarely do)

mm.wirral.nhs.uk/document_u...

NHS Guidelines on dose vitamin D required

ouh.nhs.uk/osteoporosis/use...

But with Hashimoto’s, improving to around 80nmol or 100nmol by self supplementing may be better

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/218...

vitamindsociety.org/pdf/Vit...

Once you Improve level, very likely you will need on going maintenance dose to keep it there.

Test twice yearly via vitamindtest.org.uk

Vitamin D mouth spray by Better You is very effective as it avoids poor gut function. There’s a version made that also contains vitamin K2 Mk7

It’s trial and error what dose we need,

Calculator for working out dose you may need

40ng/ml = 100nmol

grassrootshealth.net/projec...

Government recommends everyone supplement October to April

gov.uk/government/news/phe-...

With your Vit D, are you also taking it's important cofactors - magnesium and Vit K2-MK7?

Magnesium best taken in the afternoon or evening, but must be four hours away from levothyroxine

betterbones.com/bone-nutrit...

medicalnewstoday.com/articl...

livescience.com/61866-magne...

sciencedaily.com/releases/2...

Vitamin K2 mk7

betterbones.com/bone-nutrit...

healthline.com/nutrition/vi...

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Looking at previous posts...you have B12 injections

Was this diagnosed as Pernicious Anaemia or “just low B12”?

B12 and other B vitamins including folate all work together

As you have B12 injections it’s recommended on here to also to supplement a good quality daily vitamin B complex, one with folate in (not folic acid) may be beneficial.

This can help keep all B vitamins in balance and will help improve B12 levels too between injections

Difference between folate and folic acid

chriskresser.com/folate-vs-...

Many Hashimoto’s patients have MTHFR gene variation and can have trouble processing folic acid.

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

B vitamins best taken after breakfast

Igennus Super B is good quality and cheap vitamin B complex. Contains folate. Full dose is two tablets per day. Many/most people may only need one tablet per day. Certainly only start on one per day (or even half tablet per day for first couple of weeks)

Or Thorne Basic B or jarrow B-right are other options that contain folate, but both are large capsules

If you are taking vitamin B complex, or any supplements containing biotin, remember to stop these 7 days before any blood tests, as biotin can falsely affect test results

endo.confex.com/endo/2016en...

endocrinenews.endocrine.org...

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Looking through previous posts couldn’t see if you have ever had thyroid antibodies tested?

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested. Also EXTREMELY important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially if you have autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's) diagnosed by raised Thyroid antibodies

Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and before eating or drinking anything other than water .

This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip)

Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or thyroid antibodies or all relevant vitamins

List of private testing options

thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...

Medichecks Thyroid plus vitamins including folate (private blood draw required)

medichecks.com/products/thy...

Thriva Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins By DIY fingerpick test

thriva.co/tests/thyroid-test

Thriva also offer just vitamin testing

Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes antibodies, cortisol and vitamins by DIY fingerprick test

bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...

[SMXX]

Hi SlowDragon,

Thanks so much for your replies, your time is appreciated 😊. No I’ve never had a thyroid antibodies test.

I’ve got the Vit D and K2 spray you recommended to me and I had used that prior to the test as it was very last minute so that is what probably skewed my result!!. I’m not taking magnesium as it made me feel awful??. Yes I’m currently self injecting and currently twice per week and injections every 8 weeks with the GP.

They tested me for pernicious anaemia but whilst I was having loading doses and this has skewed these results also.

It’s looking like I will have to pay for another private test and also the antibody test too. The test I had done (as above) was completed at 9am and I’d had a coffee but no breakfast. I want aware of this test as had call from nurse to attend ASAP for the early cortisol test. I don’t know what else to do now, I feel the routine appointment I’m going to have to arrange will be a box-tick exercise for them to prescribe vitamins and for them to tell me my thyroid is fine.

I will, however let them know I will undertake private testing due to the private results which they are choosing to ignore. X

[vocalEK in reply to SMXX]

Did you know that there are several forms of magnesium? If you took the form that acts as a laxative, that might make you make you feel bad. This article discusses the different forms and what to use each of them for. healthline.com/nutrition/ma...

[magsyh]

I would say your cortisol level is low if I were you I would confirm with a proper saliva test to determine what is really going on.

[SMXX in reply to magsyh]

Thank you I’ll have a look for a private test. I’m thinking of going private as I feel this maybe the only way forward. I don’t have the energy to fight this fight just now !! X