Help with blood test results

[Springador84]

Could anyone help me with my recent blood results please? Over the last couple of months I’ve had 2 sets of thyroid panels and 1 iron panel done. Thyroid panel came with CRP and ferritin level so have included those results for good measure. All pics attached. I’ve been feeling a bit breathless like I can’t get a proper breath , super fatigued , scatty/foggy brain and I’ve also had digestive issues. This is all since having a virus back in November. I wonder if these bloods give any clues as to what might be causing it? . I am not diagnosed with a thyroid condition and I’m not on any medication for it. All tests were taken first thing in the morning before any food apart from the iron panel, I had a mouthful of my daughters cereal. 🙈

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Springado84

CRP is nice and low so that is fine (this is an inflammation marker so the lower the better).

Iron tests should be done after a 12 hour fast (water only) but I don't know if one mouthful of cereal would make a difference.

Optimal iron panel levels according to rt3-adrenals.org/Iron_test_... are:

Serum iron: 55 to 70% of the range, higher end for men - yours is 40.14% through range, so a little low but not dire.

Saturation: optimal is 35 to 45%, higher end for men - yours is 24.77% so again a little low.

Total Iron Binding Capacity (TIBC): Low in range indicates lack of capacity for additional iron, High in range indicates body's need for supplemental iron - yours is 69.22% so if we assume mid-range is perfect then you're a little high.

Ferritin: Low level virtually always indicates need for iron supplementation; High level with low serum iron/low saturation indicates inflammation or infection; High level with high serum iron and low TIBC indicates excess iron; Over range with saturation above 45% suggests hemochromatosis - yours is 16.28% through range so very low.

Obviously your ferritin is a problem, whether you have iron deficiency I cannot say because although the rest of your iron panel isn't perfect it doesn't shout iron deficiency either.

Symptoms of low ferritin include:

◾Weakness

◾Fatigue

◾Difficulty concentrating

◾Poor work productivity

◾Cold hands and feet

◾Poor short-term memory

◾Difficulty remembering names

◾Dizziness

◾Pounding in the ears

◾Shortness of breath

◾Brittle nails

◾Headaches

◾Restless legs

Symptoms of iron deficiency include:

◾Persistent fatigue

◾Pale skin

◾Shortness of breath

◾Headaches

◾Dizziness

◾Heart palpitations

◾Dry skin

◾Brittle hair and hair loss

◾Swelling or soreness of the tongue or mouth

◾Restless legs

◾Brittle or ridged nails

I am not medically trained so I cannot advise nor suggest that you should take iron tablets, your results don't suggest iron deficiency and I'm not sure whether or not they would be classed as borderline but they're not perfect. However, you can help raise your ferritin 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

bda.uk.com/resource/iron-ri...

everydayhealth.com/pictures...

According to some experts the optimal ferritin level for thyroid function is between 90-110 ng/ml.

[Springador84 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you SeasideSusie. That is very helpful. I have been taking iron for the last couple of weeks so maybe the iron panel would have been worse a few weeks ago? I have heavy menstrual cycles / endometriosis suffer and the panel was taken before my period so could that have altered the picture also?

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Springador84]

I think it takes quite a long time for levels to improve so not sure 2 weeks would make much difference, and we should be off iron supplements for 7 days before doing an iron test.

[Springador84 in reply to SeasideSusie]

It’s so frustrating. I just really do not feel like myself and although I’ve never suffered with anxiety I keep getting an overwhelming feeling of panic out of nowhere! 😩A lot of the symptoms above do apply to me so maybe I’ll lay off the supplements and address diet like you’ve suggested. I have been eating pate a fair bit and also liver every so often, so hopefully that will help eventually. Thank you again!

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Please add thyroid and vitamin D, folate and B12 results too

[Springador84 in reply to SlowDragon]

Hello. Thanks for responding. Here are vitamin levels. Please note that vitamin d was at 35nmol back at beginning of December .

I have had two fasting thyroid panels done in last few months. Negative antibodies and T4 and T3 levels were within range and largely similar numbers with both but TSH was 2.2 in December and 3.49 a month ago. It’s gone up with vitamin D Levels weirdly.

Blood test

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Springador84]

TSH was 2.2 in December and 3.49 a month ago. It’s gone up with vitamin D Levels weirdly.

That’s not surprising….

low thyroid frequently results in low vitamins

Or

Low vitamins are affecting thyroid

Thyroid needs GOOD vitamin levels to work well

Improving low vitamin levels can help get thyroid working better ……or if thyroid is the issue….improving low vitamin levels can increase TSH so you can get treated

Optimal vitamin levels

Vitamin D still needs improving to at least around 80nmol and around 100nmol maybe better

Folate is on low side

Are you currently taking any folate or vitamin B complex?

[Springador84 in reply to SlowDragon]

Ah that’s interesting. My ferritin was 26 when I the TSH came out as 3.49. Can low ferritin affect thyroid too? I have started b12 and complex in last few days but prior to these results I wasn’t. Apart from the occasional b12 spray. I did have my serum b12 tested at the doctors a few years ago and it was 264 ng/l which was lower end of the range but I was told it was normal.

Thank you for coming back on this.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Springador84]

So what’s you most recent ferritin result

Are you pre or post menopause

cks.nice.org.uk/topics/anae...

In all people, a serum ferritin level of less than 30 micrograms/L confirms the diagnosis of iron deficiency

See GP for full iron panel test and they should prescribe iron supplements

Are you vegetarian or vegan

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...

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 and retest 3-4 times year if supplementing

Medichecks iron panel test

medichecks.com/products/iro...

Low Iron and thyroid link

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Posts discussing why important to do full iron panel test

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Chicken livers if iron is good, but ferritin low

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[Springador84 in reply to SlowDragon]

Latest ferritin result was 35. I had an iron panel done last week with Medichecks but SeasideSusie kindly reviewed and said that whilst it wasn’t perfect, it didn’t seem to show obvious iron deficiency. I am premenopausal.

Thank you for all the articles. I’ll have a good read through them! I just want to feel better.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Springador84]

Are you vegetarian or vegan ….Or suffer heavy periods

If you have no obvious cause for low vitamin levels, then looking at low stomach acid…..extremely common as we get older and/or if hypothyroid

[Springador84 in reply to SlowDragon]

Yes unfortunately I do have heavy periods and previously been diagnosed with endometriosis.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Springador84]

Endometriosis and autoimmune thyroid disease often go together

preventmiscarriage.com/endo...

Suggest you work on getting all four vitamins optimal then retest thyroid levels

Always test thyroid as early as possible in morning, ideally before 9am

Meanwhile consider getting ultrasound scan of thyroid

Cost £100-£150 privately

20% of Hashimoto's patients never have raised antibodies

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Paul Robson on atrophied thyroid - especially if no TPO antibodies

paulrobinsonthyroid.com/cou...

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Springador84]

Optimal folate is at least half way through range

Optimal B12

Serum B12 at least over 500

Active B12 at least over 70

Low folate and low B12

supplementing a good quality daily vitamin B complex, one with folate in (not folic acid) may be beneficial. This can help keep all B vitamins in balance and will help improve B12 levels too

Difference between folate and folic acid

chriskresser.com/folate-vs-...

B vitamins best taken after breakfast

Thorne Basic B or Jarrow B Right are recommended options that contains folate, but both are large capsules. (You can tip powder out if can’t swallow capsule)

IMPORTANT......If you are taking vitamin B complex, or any supplements containing biotin, remember to stop these 7 days before ALL BLOOD TESTS , as biotin can falsely affect test results

endo.confex.com/endo/2016en...

endocrinenews.endocrine.org...

Low B12 symptoms

b12deficiency.info/signs-an...

If serum B12 result below 500, (Or active B12 below 70) recommended to be taking a B12 supplement as well as a B Complex (to balance all the B vitamins) initially for first 2-4 months, then once your serum B12 is over 500 (or Active B12 level has reached 70), stop the B12 and just carry on with the B Complex.

B12 sublingual lozenges

amazon.co.uk/Jarrow-Methylc...

cytoplan.co.uk/shop-by-prod...

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[bookish in reply to Springador84]

Hi, the 264 ng/l leapt out at me as I have only come across pmol/l for B12. I found a converter online (multiply by 0.738) so that would be 195 pmol. Even 264 sounds low to me and 195 horrible. As you have now started supplementing it will be very difficult to get a true picture of your B12 status. (I'm guessing they didn't check MMA or homocysteine!) With low iron the full blood count may not be clear either. All of the symptoms that you list could be low B12 and any type of anaemia will potentially affect your thyroid function as the brain will not be getting adequate oxygen. Agree that you need the iron and vit D, but don't dismiss the B12. Some get neurological signs even at 500+.

[Springador84 in reply to bookish]

I recently had active b12 tested privately and that was 85 pmol . GP’s only seem to test serum B12 and the last serum b12 test I had was 264 ng/l approx 3 years ago when I developed slight numbness in the tips of my big toes. I had all of the neurological testing etc and everything came back normal so that was that they said. They never tested MMA or homocysteine. I am on a mission now to get the b12, folate, vitamin d and ferritin level up! Thanks for your input Bookish.

[bookish in reply to Springador84]

Just in case, it would be worth checking blood sugar too. Quite small imbalances may add to neuropathy even if not the main cause. I started with the numbness, tingling and other weird neuro symptoms 22 years ago but never got a cause, now diagnosed with small fibre neuropathy but still no definite cause/s pinned down - I'm working on it too! Methyl B12 and small amounts of methylfolate helped me where cyanocobalamin and folic acid didn't, but that doesn't mean you'll be the same. Just worth thinking about. Any virus can cause (hopefully and often temporary) thyroiditis, and will reduce your vitamin and mineral status considerably. This virus, like EBV, some suggest is reducing our methylation capacity, so B12 and folate need may be higher for a while although that won't show in serum tests. Take it gently and good luck.

[Springador84 in reply to SlowDragon]

Thyroid in December results

Blood results

[Springador84 in reply to SlowDragon]

Most recent thyroid

Blood test