My son’s bloodresults

[Onedge]

Can somebody help me interpret the blood results below and perhaps provide an answer to why he’s feeling so unwell and fatigued. Thank you

[SlowDragon Administrator]

B12 is extremely low

What's his diet like

Is he vegitarian or vegan?

Needs folate tested too

GP should be testing for pernicious anemia

Likely to need B12 injections, or daily B12

[Onedge in reply to SlowDragon]

He’s 25 and not a vegetarian or vegan. He eats well.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

How old is he?

Perhaps get testosterone tested

[Onedge in reply to SlowDragon]

I have no testosterone <0.09 ( 0.10-1.42 nmol/L). Also I have low vit d( rickets) detected so on two a day for ten years now. Low folate ( on folate tablet each day( and low ferritin(. Do you think this lack of absorbing vitamins runs in the family??

[Onedge]

Thanks Slowdragon He’s 25 . Not a vegan. What do u think of his thyroid results? Do they need retesting?

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Onedge]

All thyroid tests should be done as early as possible in morning before eating or drinking anything other than water

Is this how test was done?

An ultrasound scan of thyroid might be helpful

What has GP said about very low B12

Folate tested too

[Onedge in reply to SlowDragon]

I did tell him to do the test as early in the morning as possible. It was a finger prick but the first tests got lost or corrupted and so this was the second lot. I think they forgot to do the folate one so he’s been told to send another through post. ( not high on confidence with this lab!!). Only problem is he has covid atm and is in self isolation.

Does he now take these results back to his doctor and then ask for an ultrasound??

[Onedge in reply to SlowDragon]

The fact he has than TgAB and TPOAB antibodies. Although low does the fact he has them signify some problem with his thyroid?

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Onedge]

No, antibodies are low. Only if above range gets diagnosis of autoimmune thyroid disease

Folate test often fails.

He could make appointment with GP on phone to discuss extremely low B12

GP will want to do full NHS testing of B12, folate and testing for Pernicious Anaemia

pernicious-anaemia-society....

Would strongly recommend getting coeliac blood tests done for all the family

But you must be eating high levels of gluten for 6 weeks before test

Dairy intolerance is often secondary result of gluten intolerance

coeliac.org.uk/healthcare-p...

Extremely high percentage of thyroid patients are gluten intolerant, not coeliac

But always get tested for coeliac BEFORE cutting gluten out

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

healthcheckshop.co.uk/store...?

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

chriskresser.com/the-gluten...

amymyersmd.com/2018/04/3-re...

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

drknews.com/changing-your-d...

restartmed.com/hashimotos-g...

Non Coeliac Gluten sensitivity (NCGS) and autoimmune disease

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/296...

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

nuclmed.gr/wp/wp-content/up...

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

restartmed.com/hashimotos-g...

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.

Why gluten intolerance can upset cortisol levels

kalishinstitute.com/blog/gl...

[Onedge in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you so much for your advice and links. Will read up now. I have leaky gut, IBS and possibly crohns too. I have to watch everything I eat as I get severe flares and my Sjögrens, Fibromyalgia, pain, fatigue, mobility, trigeminal neuralgia just go through the roof. Perhaps this also runs in family.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Onedge]

So it’s highly likely you need to be absolutely strictly gluten free. As if coeliac.

Watch out for cross contamination, no shared butter, jam, separate toaster for gluten free bread (or use toasting bag, can buy from Coeliac U.K.)

Fibromyalgia is frequently low Ft3, due to vitamin deficiencies, undiagnosed or inadequately treated hypothyroidism/Hashimoto’s

[Onedge in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you for advice. I didn’t realise that fibromyalgia and low ft3 were connected. Will follow dietary advice

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Onedge]

Few links about fibromyalgia


healthrising.org/blog/2019/...


thyroiduk.org/tuk/research/...



stopthethyroidmadness.com/f...


prohealth.com/library/new-t...


chriskresser.com/low-t3-syn...





holtorfmed.com/download/chr...

[BlueStars01]

Hi,

B12 is low. My daughter's level was 290. Docs said she wasn't deficient. She had low energy and felt lightheaded for years. But after high dose supplements she is feeling so much better! In some countries they treat if its under 500. There are some doctors who say the lowest should be 400. So B12 needs to go up.

Folate needs to be checked.

Also, you said ''Do you think this lack of absorbing vitamins runs in the family??''

Have you/he been tested for coeliac/gluten intolerance? That is something that runs in the family. This can cause lack of vitamin absorbing. My friend had low vitamin levels for years and was tested for coeliac. Was told she doesn't have it. She stopped eating gluten anyway, 6 months later felt much better. Now her vitamin levels are all up. You said your son eats well and eats meat, my daughter was vegetarian and also had a bad diet for years. And her b12 was higher than his.

Also, having coffee/tea with meals/vitamins affects nutrient absorption as well. It's best to wait an hour.

[Onedge in reply to BlueStars01]

Thank you for your comments and advice. I have quite a few gluten free products and I feel so much better, less bloated , if I eat them. I will definitely tell him to eat more. We have both gone over to oat milk as diary both upsets us and as a child he was given lots of allergy tests and diary was one. Neither of us has had a coeliac test. Does the doctor do this?

He has given up coffee and I’ve gone over to caffeine free tea and reduced my tea intake which I have found beneficial so I’ll encourage him to do this as well.

He had his blood test done privately ( finger prick). Does he now take these results to his doctor??