Hello, I’ve been feeling awful for 3 years and am trying to figure out why. I’ve recently gotten test results back regarding thyroid and would love some input. I’m not on thyroid meds.
Symptoms are brains fog (worst one!), tiredness, severe short term memory loss, sensitive to light and dim places, sound sensitive, hair loss, Terry’s nails, (kidney and liver tests are good) low mood, no motivation, hot feet and hands. Before this I was working ft and keeping busy and now I can barely function.
I’ve had a lot of tests done. I’ll most the relevant results:
B12 - 175 pmol (now on injections for a year)
Folate >45 nmol (>8)
Ferritin is 29 (was 11 a year ago, I’m on 300 mg elemental iron per day now)
Reverse T3 is 15 (8-25 ng)
I am a type 2 diabetic on insulin but have been for 15 years and my A1C is 6%, so it’s good.
Thank you for any help!
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Snooperkitty21
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I’m not on Metformin, I’m on insulin and Victoza.Vitamin D is low at 63 nmol (75-250). It was 74 nmol last August. I’ve been supplementing for a year 5,000 iu sublingual but I’ve recently switched to a recommended soft gel brand. I’m taking cofactors too.
I’m not vegetarian or vegan.
Thank you for those links! That is possible.
I don’t know if I have a thyroid problem or hashimotos or maybe my thyroid is low because my iron/vit D are low?
I’m trying to find out if I have a thyroid issue or if it’s my low iron cause my thyroid numbers to be off.My gp offered a trial of levo (the T4 medication) but that was without seeing these results and I don’t know if that’s be a good idea.
With low iron, would someone also take thyroid medication to help their thyroid until their iron levels go up?
SlowDragon can you please comment on your opinion to the above (possible thyroid issue itself or low iron causing this)? Not sure if thyroid meds would help my symptoms until my iron is up and then come off of them?
I got another iron panel result and it’s still low.
SeasideSusie or humanbean hopefully may pop along re low iron
Obviously ferritin needs significant work
What age approx are you?
Pre or post menopause
Heavy periods are often classic sign of being hypothyroid and will lead to low iron and ferritin ask for full iron panel testing for Anaemia
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
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.
Thyroid disease is as much about optimising vitamins as thyroid hormones
Thank you for your reply! I am 40 and not in menopause. I get regular monthly periods but they’re very heavy with clots and last 4 days.My iron is very low and I’ve been on iron pills for a year without much improvement. I have been denied infusions by 2 drs.
My gp offer a levo trial without the thyroid panel results so I don’t think he knows a lot about the numbers.
Ok I will try it as I’m desperate to feel better. I feel awful and lightheaded with brain fog 24/7.I’m going to basically tell my doctor what dose I want. What dose should I asked for to start? He’s probably open to my ideas about it.
If it doesn’t work can I come off of it (after trying an increase)?
Thank you for that info. I believe I read 50 mcg/day is the starting dose? I ask here because you are extremely knowledgeable and sometimes my dr won’t prescribe optimal doses of things (example, the B12 I’m taking)
Physicians should: 1) alert patients that preparations may be switched at the pharmacy; 2) encourage patients to ask to remain on the same preparation at every pharmacy refill; and 3) make sure patients understand the need to have their TSH retested and the potential for dosing readjusted every time their LT4 preparation is switched (18).
Levothyroxine is an extremely fussy hormone and should always be taken on an empty stomach and then nothing apart from water for at least an hour after
Many people take Levothyroxine soon after waking, but it may be more convenient and perhaps more effective taken at bedtime
No other medication or supplements at same as Levothyroxine, leave at least 2 hour gap.
Some like iron, calcium, magnesium, HRT, omeprazole or vitamin D should be four hours away
(Time gap doesn't apply to Vitamin D mouth spray)
If you normally take levothyroxine at bedtime/in night ...adjust timings as follows prior to blood test
If testing Monday morning, delay Saturday evening dose levothyroxine until Sunday morning. Delay Sunday evening dose levothyroxine until after blood test on Monday morning. Take Monday evening dose levothyroxine as per normal
REMEMBER.....very important....stop taking any supplements that contain biotin a week before ALL BLOOD TESTS as biotin can falsely affect test results - eg vitamin B complex
I have bloodwork today to test a few other things before a Levo trial. Ferritin again
Vitamin A
DHEA
Aldosterone
AM Cortisol
I think my adrenals are not functioning well and want to get these results to see if I need to increase cortisol before thyroid meds.
If all is well, I’m meeting with my dr soon to start the levo and maybe T3 too since my RT3 is 15 (8-25) but I’ll pop back in here to discuss 🙂 thank you for your help!
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