Help with results please

[HappyBadger]

Hi there, I asked some of you lovely people, a while ago about that f I needed T3 and how to get it. I was given some great advice from SlowDragon, fuchsia-pink, Tattybogle and seasidesusie.

So I’ve now had my bloods done and here is my thyroid results from Monitor My Health, because my GP didn’t think I needed my thyroid checking.

TRIODOTHYRONINE

30/03/2022

4.6 pmol/L

FT3 levels normal (normal range 3.1 - 6.8 pmol/L)

THYROXINE

30/03/2022

17.1 pmol/L

FT4 levels normal (normal range 12 - 22 pmol/L)

THYROID STIMULATING HORMONE

30/03/2022

0.12 mu/L

TSH levels low (normal range 0.27 - 4.2 mU/L)

And here is my vitamin levels. Again GP didn’t think texting vitamin D was worth it

So any advice would be soooo appreciated x

[SlowDragon Administrator]

No vitamin results?

You can add an image as a picture in a reply

Or just type out results and ranges

[HappyBadger in reply to SlowDragon]

🤦🏼‍♀️ SorrySerum vitamin B12 level 302 ng/L [197.0 - 771.0]

Serum folate level 4.8 ug/L [3.0 - 20.0]

Serum ferritin level 98 ug/L [13.0 - 150.0]

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to HappyBadger]

Definitely need to get vitamin D tested

NHS easy postal kit vitamin D test £29 via

vitamindtest.org.uk

So B12 and folate are too low

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...

With 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...

How other member saw how effective improving low B vitamins has been

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Come back with new post once you get vitamin D result

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Can you confirm you did test early morning, ideally before 9am and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test

FT4: 17.1 pmol/l (Range 12 - 22)

Ft4 51.00% through range

FT3: 4.6 pmol/l (Range 3.1 - 6.8)

Ft3 40.54% through range

Helpful calculator for working out percentage through range

thyroid.dopiaza.org

So you have room to increase your dose of levothyroxine a little

Reasonably good conversion of Ft4 to Ft3……better than many we see

How much levothyroxine are you currently taking

Do you always get same brand levothyroxine at each prescription

Do you take levothyroxine waking or bedtime?

[HappyBadger in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you so much for all this info. Yes I can confirm that I had stopped all supplements for just over a week before test and no levo for 24hours before.

The GP has given me folic acid and ferritin to take and said he will retest in 3 months. I have a phone consultation tomorrow with him to tell him I’d like to increase my levo. I can only get along with the Almus brand. Am I right in thinking that they don’t do 25mcg? If so do you think I’d be ok to take an extra 50mcg every other night? Im currently on 100mcg that I take every night . I also take a Vitamin D+K spray from BetterYou and just started the B complete spray from BetterYou as well. Thank you again for your help.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to HappyBadger]

You probably don’t want to take folic acid and separate Vitamin B complex

Perhaps just taking vitamin B complex and separate B12

Or initially taking folic acid from GP, plus separate B12. Then once finish folic acid supplement, start a daily vitamin B complex

Yes Almus is Accord brand (also boxed as Northstar)

Accord don’t make 25mcg tablets

Request prescription for 50mcg tablets and cut in half to get 25mcg dose

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Surprising you are getting prescription for iron.

Ferritin level is good

Was iron level low?

[HappyBadger in reply to SlowDragon]

So sorry, brain not working, not ferritin he gave me Ferrous sulfate 200 three times a day, but I couldn’t take that much gave me a bad stomach, so I take just 200 once a day, So I shouldn’t just take 50mcg of levo then I should definitely cut in half? And I’ve just ordered a Vitamin D test too.

So I should just not take the folic acid then and carry on with the B Complete d spray and get myself a good B12 supplement? And should I carry on with the ferrous sulfate too. ?

[eeng in reply to HappyBadger]

The NHS seem to prescribe Ferrous Sulphate even though it's the worst absorbed and hardest on the stomach out of all the possible iron supplements. I guess it's cheap. Most people find ferrous fumarate (210mg usually, available otc at superdrug) or iron bisglycinate are much better tolerated. I just found this online - it sound a bit extreme though: "Iron fumarate has poor bioavailability and significant side effects. Iron gluconate contains hardly any elemental iron. Iron sulphate has terrible bioavailability, and it may be dangerous. Iron bisglycinate is new, safe, and highly bioavailable".

My daughters, who are frequently anaemic, have never had any problems tolerating ferrous fumarate, so maybe the above is from an advert for iron bisglycinate! However it gives you some idea of what your options are.

[helvella in reply to eeng]

There is a section in my Vade Mecum which identifies elemental iron content of a variety of iron supplements.

helvella - Vade Mecum for Thyroid

The term vade mecum means:

1. A referential book such as a handbook or manual.

2. A useful object, constantly carried on one’s person.

Please don't get put off by the number of pages!

In particular, it is not intended that you sit and read the document. Just that you download it and know you can look things up.

Not everything is in this one document - my major medicines document is still separate!

From Dropbox:

dropbox.com/s/vp5ct1cwc03bl...

From Google Drive:

drive.google.com/file/d/1ZW...

[HappyBadger in reply to helvella]

Oh wow, thank you so much I’m going to have a good look at this , thank you. X

[HappyBadger in reply to eeng]

Thanks so much for that, it made me feel awful. It’s terrible that you can’t get prescribed something decent but I agree it cheep.