Ferritin and t3

[sylus_911]

I have managed to get my ferritin up from 34 to167.When I had a blood test my t3 had gone right up to 7.6.My question is if you,ve got the right amount of ferritin in your body do you need to take t3.I dont suppose it's as simple as that,is it.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

sylus911

It's not a case of whether you need to take T3. A better ferritin level should help with conversion of T4 to T3 but if your conversion is still poor then maybe T3 is needed.

Are you still taking NDT?

Back in July your T3 was even higher at 7.9 and a member suggested you reduce your NDT and maybe add in some Levo. Did you do this?

Also, when did you take your last dose of NDT before the blood test, it should be 8-12 hours before the blood draw, any closer gives you a false high FT3. You didn't answer this question when asked in your last thread.

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[sylus_911 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Hi seaside susie.Yes I am still on NDT and no I did,nt add any thyroxine because I need a letter from my consultant for my doctor to prescribe it to me. I see my consultant every 6 months.

Also I'm sure I read a post on here that adding a bit of thyroxine can make your t3 go up.And yes I always make sure the blood is taken 8-12 hours before.Although the only appointment I could get was at 11,30,I do normally ask for the earliest appointment they have.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to sylus_911]

sylus_911

Also I'm sure I read a post on here that adding a bit of thyroxine can make your t3 go up

If you are capable of some conversion of T4 to T3 then taking some thyroxine could very well increase your FT3 to a certain extent, as well as increasing FT4.

As your FT3 was over range when you last posted, did you reduce your NDT?

[sylus_911 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Hello seasideSusie

Yes I did reduce my NDT by a quarter of a grain.Also when I looked into my b12 in August my test showed it was 213 (120-625)After having another test recently for b12 it's gone down to 175(120-625).I'm just wondering if I'm absorbing properly.My levels are constantly up and down.Could this be the case?

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to sylus_911]

sylus_911

So as you reduced your NDT by 1/4 of a grain, one would expect your FT3 to reduce. As it has increased it could be that the much better ferritin level has had an effect on conversion and that's why your FT3 is even higher now. Maybe consider a further reduction of NDT.

With your B12 results being so low, I think it would be a good idea to test for B12 deficiency. Do you have any signs/symptoms of that, you can check here:

b12deficiency.info/signs-an...

b12d.org/submit/document?id=46

[sylus_911 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Hi seasideSusie, I did have a Active B12 test,2 months ago that came back as 92.0, which as far as I'm aware is quite good. I think I put this on a post before.Yes I do have quite a few of the symptoms and 2 members of family have a b12 injections.

I have just got back from seeing my Endo,he said everything seems ok but is going to put my Vit D up.At the moment I'm on Fultium 800 iu to 3000 a day.That seems a big increase. Is it?No mention of low b12 and reducing my NDT. Going back on the b12 what is the ideal level should it be.?

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to sylus_911]

sylus

For Total serum B12 (which is the test with the wide range), 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."

You haven't said what the unit of measurement is for your B12 test.

However, Active B12 is said to be the better test and 92 is a decent result.

But as you have symptoms of B12 deficiency and there are family members who have B12 injections, it might be worth looking into this further. Your Total B12 is extremely low to give such a good Active B12 level.

he said everything seems ok but is going to put my Vit D up.At the moment I'm on Fultium 800 iu to 3000 a day.That seems a big increase. Is it?

What is your Vit D level?

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

sylus_911

My range for active b12 is 37.5

If that's Medichecks the range is 37.5-188

My last Vit D test was 2 years ago,that was 70.2 (50-200)

Why has your endo increased dose from 800 to 3,000iu? I find it strange that an NHS doctor gives more than 800iu unless tested and shown to be in the "insufficient" category which is <50. When taking Vit D we should be tested at least once a year, twice a year preferably.

There's no saying what dose you should be taking without seeing a current test result.

The Vit D Council and Vit D Society recommends a level between 100-150nmol/L.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

sylus_911

I am puzzled because here you are saying:My last Vit D test was 2 years ago,that was 70.2 (50-200)

yet in this post you made in May

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu....

you posted your vitamin levels including

Vit D. 25-OH. 73 nmol/1 (50nmol).

At that time I gave you information about what dose of D3 was recommended to raise that level to the level recommended by the Vit D Council/Vit D Society. I suggested the dose you should take, when you should retest and where you could order the test from, what cofactors were needed when taking D3 and what to do to find your maintenance dose when you'd reached the recommended level. Yet here you are saying you've been taking 800iu and now your doctor wants to raise it to 3,000iu without testing.

I'm not sure why you're asking again now when you already had all the information to help you 4 months ago nor why you didn't do anything about it at the time.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Sylus_911

Doctor's have little to no training about nutrients. As far as they are concerned if the result is anywhere within range, be it narrow or very wide, then that is fine. They have no understanding that just being in range is not optimal. They are only obliged to treat any deficiency to just bring it into range. After that it is down to us to buy our own supplements to raise an inadequate in range level to optimal level.

With a Vit D level in the 70s which is considered "adequate" one wouldn't expect a GP to prescribe. It's also difficult to get iron prescribed if Ferritin is in range. So if you have had these prescribed whilst in range then you are in a minority.

[sylus_911 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thanks again for your help.

[Serendipitious]

That’s an extraordinary increase and well done for doing so. Just wondered how long it took you and how you did it?

[sylus_911 in reply to Serendipitious]

Hi Serendipitious.I had an Iron infusion as my Iron levels were really low.

[Serendipitious in reply to sylus_911]

Ah no wonder it sounded like it. I had one back in 2016 but then I was back to square one within a year.

Was this privately or through the NHS?

[sylus_911 in reply to Serendipitious]

Serendipitious.It was on the NHS,it took a while for my Doctor to agree to it.I will keep an I on my levels.I,ve noticed already that my ferritin has gone down slightly.I had the infusion at the beginning of July.

[Serendipitious in reply to sylus_911]

It’s really good that you were able to get an iron infusion on the NHS if your Ferritin was 34. Mine normally sits around 20. I ate a lot of chicken liver and also supplemented with grass fed beef liver capsules on the days I didn’t eat it and I managed to get it to 30. No idea how that will last if I don’t keep this regime up.

[sylus_911 in reply to Serendipitious]

Did you have your infusion on the NHS?I dont know if mine should go back down wether I would be able to go back and have another infusion.I got talking to a lady in the hospital and she said it was her second infusion she had thyroid problems,.

[Serendipitious in reply to sylus_911]

Mine was private. I had employee medical insurance back then. I saw the invoice and it cost over £800! My then private Endo recommended it. They had to have a doctor on site in case I had a reaction to it. My Ferritin rose to 150.