Hi all,
I'm writing in desperation for help. I am a mum of an 8 year old & 2 year old. I am struggling with energy & having so much mum guilt as I struggle to get up and out and keep them busy on a daily basis. My Gp/ endocrinologist have said my levels are normal but I really don't think this lack of energy is normal. I've just turned 40 and I feel 80 as I have aches & pains on a regular basis. I suffer with SIJoint disfunction too & had a herniated disc 6 months ago. I am currently taking 150mg of levo and 5mcg of t3 daily. Thyroid levels ft4 16.7 (12-22) tsh 0.99 (0.27-4.20) t3 4.5 (no range) I got a medichecks test to check my vitamin levels as doctor refused to do my vitamin d. Most of my levels are in the low range so I've started taking Ingennus Vitamin b complex & doctors best vitamin d 2000. Should I double this dose of vitamin d? I am going to start on some vit k2 mk7 also after reading here how important it is. Anything else I can do? Thanks in advance.
See GP with these results
Ferritin is dire, you need full iron panel test for anaemia. Likely to need iron supplements prescribed
Do you suffer heavy periods?
Are you vegetarian or vegan
Vitamin D is far too low
Just 2 points away from needing LOADING dose of 300,000iu prescribed in total over 6-8 weeks
Suggest you see GP re this too
NHS Guidelines on dose vitamin D required
ouh.nhs.uk/osteoporosis/use...
GP will often only prescribe to bring vitamin D levels to 50nmol.
Some areas will prescribe to bring levels to 75nmol or even 80nmol
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...
But with Hashimoto’s, improving to around 80nmol or 100nmol by self supplementing may be better
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/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 NHS
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
amazon.co.uk/BetterYou-Dlux...
It’s trial and error what dose we need, with hashimoto’s we frequently need higher dose than average
Calculator for working out dose you may need to bring level to 40ng/ml = 100nmol
grassrootshealth.net/projec...
Government recommends everyone supplement October to April
gov.uk/government/news/phe-...
Taking too much vitamin D is not a good idea
chriskresser.com/vitamin-d-...
Web links about taking 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...
2 good videos on magnesium
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Vitamin D and Covid
Notice how much vitamin D many of these medics are taking
vitamind4all.org/letter.pdf
I did actually go to the doctors & they retested my iron, thyroid & vitamin d only. When I called for results the receptionist said I shouldn't have vitamin D tested as they don't routinely do it & wouldn't tell me the result!! She said gp had wrote "buy vitamin d over the counter". I couldn't believe what I was hearing. My haemoglobin came back as 121 g/l (115-160) I feel really let down by my gp. I sent them a copy of all my results and thats all they retested! Not vegan or vegetarian and heavy enough periods since having my 2nd child.
Hey there,
Is it possible to see a different doctor at the same surgery ?
I'm sorry, you must feel so lt down, the results speak for themselves.
Hi there , to be honest I never actually got speaking to the doctor. The receptionist wouldn't let me go past her. I emailed the results to the doctor so yes I think my first step is to actually speak with a doctor. Seems like an enormous task when feeling so lethargic but gotta do it. Thank you.
Well, I'm afraid we have all been there - but these results are very real and not an illusion - good luck, and keep us in the loop :
Thank you so much penny Annie. I know I can't go on feeling like this.
You are legally entitled to copies of your blood test results and ranges
Heavy periods are symptom of being under medicated thyroid wise
Also when iron levels are low heavy periods are more common...chicken and egg
You need full iron panel
humanbean and SeasideSusie are the iron experts
Look at increasing iron rich foods in diet
Eating iron rich foods like liver or liver pate once a week plus other red meat, pumpkin seeds and dark chocolate, plus daily orange juice or other vitamin C rich drink can help improve iron absorption
List of iron rich foods
dailyiron.net
Links about iron and ferritin
irondisorders.org/too-littl...
davidg170.sg-host.com/wp-co...
Great in-depth article on low ferritin
oatext.com/iron-deficiency-...
drhedberg.com/ferritin-hypo...
This is interesting because I have noticed that many patients with Hashimoto’s disease and hypothyroidism, start to feel worse when their ferritin drops below 80 and usually there is hair loss when it drops below 50.
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Thyroid disease is as much about optimising vitamins as thyroid hormones
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
restartmed.com/hypothyroidi...
Post discussing just how long it can take to raise low ferritin
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Never supplement iron without doing full iron panel test for anaemia first
Post discussing why important to do full iron panel test
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Why low ferritin needs improving
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Thank you SlowDragon. I'm really trying to eat more iron rich food, im just not sure I could do the liver.
Hide it in curry, stews, sheep pie, Lancashire hotpot etc
Personally I love liver ....and my ferritin is way too high...so have to limit iron rich foods!
Will get the husband to do it & then I won't know its there 😀 gosh I couldn't imagine being really high in ferritin lol...hopefully some day.
Post menopause helps obviously
Ferritin 240....but iron is not high
Some of us, especially with Hashimoto’s....inflammation causes high ferritin
Asda have little tubs of frozen chicken livers - they are very clean and very mild :
Defrost a tub a week, flash fry in a little olive oil and then whizz down into a pate and add a little mayo if it looks too dry:
Store in the fridge and each morning take a spoonful, with a dollop of Hellman's to help this medicine go down :
I now just take this just to keep my ferritin up at around 100 :
But you will need a lot more help than just this, and ferritin does take it's time building up and saying put.
Brilliant. Great advice. Thank you. I will definitely give it a try. Fingers crossed it goes down OK 🤞