Blood results

[Jhgking]

Hi again. I've just collected the print out from the docs. Based on these results the doc has said my Levo should be changed from 50mcg to 100mcg. Any advice greatly appreciated.

Does the presence of TPO mean I likely have Hashimoto's?

TSH 5.42 mu/L (0.3-5.0)

T4 11.3 pmol/L (7.9-16.0)

T3 4.8 pmol/L (3.8-6.0)

Anti Thyroid Peroxidase 168iu/mL (0.0-9.0)

Vit D 91nmol/L (50.0-150.0)

B12 486 ng/L (120.0-900.0)

Folate 5.8 ug/L (2.5-9999.0)

Ferritin 11 ng/mL (15.0-300.0)

Thank you.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Extremely low ferritin

Are you prescribed any iron supplements

Or is GP doing full iron panel test for anaemia first

Are you vegetarian or vegan

or suffer heavy periods

high thyroid antibodies confirms autoimmune thyroid disease also called Hashimoto’s

Have you had coeliac blood test done yet

If not request coeliac testing - if not already on strictly gluten free diet

nice.org.uk/guidance/ng20/c...

1.1 Recognition of coeliac disease

1.1.1 Offer serological testing for coeliac disease to:

people with any of the following:

persistent unexplained abdominal or gastrointestinal symptoms

faltering growth

prolonged fatigue

unexpected weight loss

severe or persistent mouth ulcers

unexplained iron, vitamin B12 or folate deficiency

type 1 diabetes, at diagnosis

autoimmune thyroid disease, at diagnosis

irritable bowel syndrome (in adults)

first‑degree relatives of people with coeliac disease.

[Jhgking in reply to SlowDragon]

Hi Slowdragon

My doc just said "take iron" to me this morning. No mention of how much or what form. Just that they'll retest levels in 6 weeks.

I have an iron spray (Better You) or I have some ferrous sulfate that I purchased otc. but I've just read on another thread that your iron can be high and your ferritin low. I'm a bit stumped now about what I should do....

I had blood count done at the beginning of December (attached) I know that's a while back but doe this shed any light?

I've always suffered with being at the lower end of iron range and during pregnancy have needed supplements as I was close to transfusion.

I will follow up by requesting coeliac testing 👍🏼 I'm not gluten free or vegan/veggie and do eat well. I did have very heavy periods until I started the Levo but now they're OK. I don't have any gastro-type symptoms.

I've been supplementing with a vit B complex as it's the only thing that could get me through the day before diagnosis (which I stopped a week before recent blood test as it contains biotin) so I think those levels are only where they are due to the supplements.

Blood count

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Jhgking]

Will tag SeasideSusie and humanbean re iron

Recommend reading the many posts and replies by humanbean on iron and ferritin

Hopefully either or both of they will pop along and comment

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Jhgking]

Jhking

My doc just said "take iron" to me this morning. No mention of how much or what form. Just that they'll retest levels in 6 weeks.

I have an iron spray (Better You) or I have some ferrous sulfate that I purchased otc. but I've just read on another thread that your iron can be high and your ferritin low. I'm a bit stumped now about what I should do....

Your full blood count does not suggest anaemia. However, a ferritin level of 11 (15-300) is iron deficiency. You can have iron deficiency with or without anaemia. Your GP should be ashamed if he is telling you to buy OTC iron supplements with such a dire ferritin level.

From: 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.

In your position I would go back to your GP, quote the above, ask that he prescribes iron and monitors you regularly with a full iron panel to include Serum Iron, Transferrin Saturation Percentage, Total Iron Binding Capacity and Ferritin. This is the test for iron deficiency. The reason for the full iron panel is because, as you have said, you can have poor ferritin level but the rest of your iron panel is good, so in that case you wouldn't want to raise your serum iron over range but you'd want to increase the ferritin level.

[Jhgking in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thanks for all the info SeasideSusie I'll make sure any future bloods include all the things you mentioned and follow up with doc.

I've been reading back on ferritin posts and I'm also gonna add liver to my diet.

[fuchsia-pink]

Doubling up from 50 to 100 mcg is quite big leap. I can see that you are badly under-medicated, but if it were me, I'd cash the new prescription but move up to 75 for the first 2 - 3 weeks and then up to 100 mcg. Re-test bloods when you have been on the full dose for 6 -8 weeks. That way you will also create a small "spare stash" of levo - which is always useful to have [use oldest stocks first]. You'll have to split a 100 tablet into 4 this way, so need a pill cutter or scalpel or craft knife x

[Jhgking in reply to fuchsia-pink]

Thanks for the tip. Didn't know such a thing as a pill cutter existed! 😆

I was very tempted to just make the leap because I want to feel better but I think doing 75 for a while is the way to go.

Actually, your plan works really well as my next blood test falls in the Easter hols 😱 so if I leave it a couple of extra weeks I won't have to drag the kids with me. Every cloud...

[Gingernut44]

Are you on statins - your total cholesterol is very low. If so, you may need to reduce the dose once your thyroid levels are where they should be.

[Jhgking in reply to Gingernut44]

Oh, really? Thanks Gingernut I'll have a look to see what that might mean. I'm not on anything except Levo, b-vits and iron.

[Gingernut44]

Perhaps you have naturally low cholesterol !!