just had my blood results back and feeling a bit disappointed that my vitamin levels seem to have all gone down (with the exception of vitamin D). Also despite my GP requesting T3 this wasn't done by the labs. Should i get this done separately now for my own records or wait till my next bloods in 7 weeks when my GP has requested them again?
I have been titrating up my thyroxine, could this explain the depletion in vitamins despite my efforts to supplement? I was expecting some increases given what I am taking.
Supplements:
Vitamin D (Better You mouth spray) 4000 iu (D+K2) + 3000iu (D)
IGennus Super B complex - 1 tablet daily (which includes B vitamins and folate)
Glucose Optimiser (which includes B vits) - 3 tablets daily
Ferrous Fumerate 250mg - 5 tablets a week roughly, taking them daily
My doctor has suggested I take a new iron supplement which is modified release at a higher dose and retest.
FYI I take my thyroxine at night, away from food and I test by readjusting this dose to 24 hours before my bloods, which i do fasting and at 7am. I also stop all multi vitamins & iron 7 days before but I took Vitamin D up to day before test.
I take Iron in the morning on an empty stomach. I take b vitamins at breakdfast and lunch. I am taking D vitamin in day but I am going to switch this to dinner time as I wonder if its making me sleepy.
I am feeling better but still tired and fatigued, a bit depressed/anxious, pins and needles, brain fog and acne persisting.
My doctor is happy for me to try 150mg of thyroxine which is good.
All thoughts welcome - thanks all
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Also despite my GP requesting T3 this wasn't done by the labs. Should i get this done separately now for my own records or wait till my next bloods in 7 weeks when my GP has requested them again?
The labs always do this. If TSH and Free T4 are in range then they will usually refuse to test Free T3. It's all part of the standard testing protocol to save money.
There is no point in testing Free T3 on its own, it is only worth doing along with TSH and Free T4. The results all have to come from the same blood sample for them to be meaningful.
I've just noticed that you have mentioned T4 and T3 in your results, rather than Free T4 and Free T3, and you have no range for the T3. Are the results you have Free or Total?
I have been titrating up my thyroxine, could this explain the depletion in vitamins despite my efforts to supplement?
I'm not aware of increasing dose levels of Levo causing nutrient levels to drop. Have you been aware of your gut health deteriorating recently?
Vitamin D - You can decide on your own dose of vitamin D with this link which does the calculating for you :
Remember that you should take co-factors magnesium and vitamin K2 with vitamin D, both of which get mentioned very frequently on the forum. SeasideSusie's replies are very good on the subject and you can find them here :
Vitamin B12 - Your result isn't bad, but recommended by some sources is for it to be top of range or a bit higher - up to about 1000. You might want to take an additional high-dose (1000mcg) B12 supplement on top of the B Complex (methylcobalamin works well for most people and is easy to find) . Once you've got your level optimal you could do several things -
1) Drop the B12 entirely and hope your level remains where you want it with the help of the B Complex
2) Continue taking the high-dose B12, but reduce the number of days a week when you take it. You might only need to take it once or twice a week to keep it where you want it, so it shouldn't be a major expense.
3) Buy a lower dose B12 supplement and take it every day.
Folate - Your result isn't bad but, based on the reference range you've given you might want to take it higher - say, up to about 20 - 30. I really hate those open-ended ranges - they are so unhelpful! I have seen some ranges going up to about 70, so suggesting 20 - 30 isn't dramatically high. You might have to increase this like I've suggested with the B12 - buy a separate high dose (1000mcg) methylfolate supplement, and when you've got your level where you want it do one of the options I suggested for the B12.
Ferritin - Your level is currently 8% of the way through the range which is dreadful. Ideally you would get your level to 50% of the way through the range, but before attempting this you really need to get find out how your iron levels is doing with an iron panel. It is possible to have low ferritin with very high iron, and in that circumstance supplementing may cause iron to climb higher while ferritin stays low. And that really needs to be avoided. Read this post and the replies on the topic :
Can you import vitamins and minerals into Jersey? I'm assuming you live in the Channel Islands?
If you can then you should be able to get hold of the iron supplements prescribed in the UK. I wrote about them, and what dose to take, in this reply to someone else :
Thyroid - As for your thyroid levels, it's very difficult to say what you should do with this. Assuming your T4 result is a Free T4 result rather than a Total T4 result, then your level is already 94% of the way through the range. Increasing your thyroxine dose will probably just take your T4 over the range, and that often makes people feel very unwell. In your shoes I might want to reduce Levo and take a small dose of T3. But I don't know how well that would go down with doctors in Jersey.
I think I’ll see what the new iron type is they’ve sent and have the test in December as planned and then ask my doctor whether she will do an iron panel because I can directly compare that to the ferritin results; given the medicheck one said my iron was fine maybe the rest of the iron panel was misleading too.
They are all free T3 and free T4 sorry for confusion.
And that is interesting about not testing for it if TSH in range. Is it worth me getting a full blood test with free T3 privately?
I wondered about whether T3 needs all those nutrients to be made and so anything free is getting used up. But probably I’m misunderstanding what happens haha.
My gut health is good although not officially tested but I am supporting it with kefir water and plenty of probiotics and prebiotic.
I do take magnesium - a high quality version and a good quantity too. And I take D with k2 as mentioned just didn’t want to go overboard on the k2 hence I mixed up the d on its own with the d with k2.
Yes I was ideally wanting my B12 to be nearer 900 - I will do as you suggest I think and take a separate one. As well as similar for folate. Just seems odd that the complex isn’t sufficient and hasn’t done anything, given I was taking nothing previously.
And re iron I did 2 iron panels when my levels were low before as suggested by Seaside Susie but that threw up a new complication as the medichecks results showed that my iron panel results were all quite fine (in a previous post somewhere) but what was odd was the ferritin also looked fine. I had it done twice. Then I had the next nhs one and again it was low. I currently have a open case with medichecks who is investigating this anomaly.
I actually don’t live in Jersey anymore but good guess there - I did once upon a time.
I’ll see how 150 goes re thyroxine and then I think I’ll investigate getting a private referral with someone who will consider prescribing t3.
Yes but slowdragon and I’ve seen others suggest many are okay on 1 tablet and I also take glucose optimiser which is also b vitamin complex, neither of which I was taking before - so they’ve literally done nothing that’s what I am finding odd.
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