Just had the results of my latest blood tests via the GP's phone call. I am in Spain and my previous sympathetic Dr has unfortunately left. This Dr was very abrupt .... TSH too low, drop to 50mg per day of Levothyroxine (previously 5 days 75mg/2 days 50mg spread over the week). Tried to explain I am very sensitive to even a small change but he insisted on 50mg so I am ignoring that. I am changing to 75/50 on alternate days to see how I go with that.
For the first time I had ferritin checked and I feel it may a little on the low side? So my main question is any suggestions for the best one to buy and how much to take, presuming that I do need to supplement?
TSH 0.231 (0.4 - 5.0 mcU/ml) prev test a year ago: 1.85
FT4 1.51 (0.89 - 1.76 ng/dl) (not tested for over 2 years, previous results similar)
FT3 3.27 (2.3 - 4.4pg/ml) ( ditto )
Ferritin 51 ng/ml (8 - 252 ng/ml) never previously tested
I take chelated magnesium 200mg, Omega 3 (for high cholesterol), Vit B complex, Vit D 25ug a day (Vit D tested in June, have to pay for that, 43.2 and in the normal range 30-100, was previously below 30)
Written by
Milly1958
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
For the first time I had ferritin checked and I feel it may a little on the low side? So my main question is any suggestions for the best one to buy and how much to take, presuming that I do need to supplement?
You shouldn't be taking iron supplements unless you have had an iron panel to include serum iron, transferrin saturation percentage, TIBC plus ferritin. This will tell you if you have iron deficiency. Also, if you have a full blood count then that will tell you if you have anaemia. You can have iron deficiency with or without anaemia. Ferritin on it's own doesn't tell you whether you have iron deficiency unless it's below 30ug/L.
If your serum iron and transferrin saturation % are good then supplementing with iron may very well take them too high and too much iron is as bad as too little.
If you have good iron panel results but just a lowish ferritin result, then getting iron from diet is the way to try and improve it and in that case you can help raise your level by eating liver regularly, maximum 200g per week due to it's high Vit A content, also liver pate, black pudding, and including lots of iron rich foods in your diet
Thanks for your quick response. I did have a fairly full panel of bloods done, leucosites, hemoglobin and things like that. All in Spanish so not sure what they all are. What would tell me if I was anaemic?
With those results I would be suspecting early stages of anaemia. Before supplementing iron you need an iron panel which comprises of ferritin, serum iron, transferrin saturation (T/S) and total iron binding capacity (TIBC) and/or unsaturated iron binding capacity (UIBC). Have you had these tested?
No I haven't had anything like that tested and not sure how easy it would get that tested locally. They do only the bare minimum here on the NHS. Vit B12 was tested March 2020 : 588 (180-850). Don't think I've had folate tested. Folic acid was in 2020 and it just said not indicative of anaemia.
I could up my intake of iron rich food. I eat very little red meat especially in the summer, mainly salads and veggie food, although I do eat a lot of veg and also nuts and seeds.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
vitamin supplements really working but need further advice please 
Update on Vitamin D3 test
ferritin levels 
Seeing Endo #2 - please help!
