My Latest Blood Test Results: I've asked several... - Thyroid UK

Thyroid UK

137,646 members161,423 posts

My Latest Blood Test Results

Poppyfaery profile image
14 Replies

I've asked several times before but I've got to ask again, can you please advise on my blood test results? As previously advised I took the test very early before food or drink and my last dose of Levo 24 hours prior to the test . These results were over 2 pages and it seems I can only upload 1. However page 2 is almost all Full Blood Count which mostly seems to be comfortably in range except my RBC at 4.46 (Range 3.8 - 4.8) and, perhaps unexpectedly, the corresponding RBC Distribution Width at 15.4 (Range 8.0 - 16.0). My GP has advised me my B12 is high. Previously it was very low so I've been taking B12 tablets for some time and ealier this year had a private allergen test which recommended BioCare Methyl B Complex, methylfolate and methyl B12. According to the label these "contribute to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue" although I'm still sleeping far more than I want to and constantly feeling worn out when I am awake. In addition I suffer from extreme brain fog and on the rare occasions I do feel comparatively energised my mind is invariably left limping behind. Thanks in anticipation for any suggestions.

Written by
Poppyfaery profile image
Poppyfaery
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Read more about...
14 Replies
SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

You can add second image on a reply here

Click on rectangle with mountain view

Poppyfaery profile image
Poppyfaery in reply to SlowDragon

Thanks SlowDragon!

Text
SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

No ferritin results

Just testing TSH is completely inadequate

You need TSH, Ft4 and Ft3 tested together…..most patients have to test privately to make progress

Do you have autoimmune thyroid disease, also called Hashimoto’s, usually diagnosed by high thyroid antibodies

How much levothyroxine are you currently taking

Do you always get same brand levothyroxine at each prescription

Are you taking a good quality vitamin B complex ….or just B12 and folate?

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

Looking at previous posts….would strongly suspect your hypothyroidism is autoimmune

Previous posts show Ft4 far too low …..so on inadequate dose levothyroxine and very poor vitamin levels

List of private testing options and money off codes

thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...

Medichecks Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins

medichecks.com/products/adv...

Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes antibodies, cortisol and vitamins

bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...

Only do private testing early Monday or Tuesday morning, before 9am and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test

Come back with new post once you get results

SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering

Poppyfaery

My GP has advised me my B12 is high.

Don't worry about your B12 level, it's high because you're supplementing. Also it only shows what is in the blood, who knows how much is reaching the cells?

Your folate is at a pretty good level now, it's recommended to be at least half way through it's range and with that range that would be 11.5 plus.

With those results I'd be tempted to stop the individual B12 and folate supplements and take a good quality, bioavailable B Complex containing methylcobalamin and methylfolate.

HbA1C is within range at the higher end but has not reached pre-diabetes level.

TSH at 0.77 is good but TSH on it's own is not an indicator of thyroid status. You need FT4 and FT3 testing as these are the thyroid hormones, TSH is a pituitary hormone.

Electrolytes are all within range so no problems there.

Optimal level for serum iron is 55-70% (higher end for men) and your level of 16.8 (11-32) is 27.62% through range. It may be worth your GP doing a complete iron panel which includes serum iron, transferrin saturation, total iron binding capacity plus ferriti. This would then confirm if you have iron deficiency. If your FBC doesn't show low haemoglobin then that doesn't suggest anaemia. You can have iron deficiency with or without anaemia.

Vit D is low at 51nmol/L (20.4ng/ml)

The Vit D Society and Grassroots Health recommend a level of 100-150nmol/L (40-60ng/ml), with a recent blog post on Grassroots Health mentioning a study which recommends over 125nmol/L (50ng/ml).

To reach the recommended level from your current level, you could supplement with 4,000iu D3 daily.

You can check this out on the Vit D Council's website, scroll down to the 3rd table (current level 20-30ng/ml) and check out the recommended dose to achieve 50ng/ml.

As you are so low in the range it wouldn't hurt to take 5,000iu to start with:

web.archive.org/web/2019070...

Retest after 3 months.

Once you've reached the recommended level then a maintenance dose will be needed to keep it there, which may be 2000iu daily, maybe more or less, maybe less in summer than winter, it's trial and error so it's recommended to retest once or twice a year to keep within the recommended range. This can be done with a private fingerprick blood spot test with an NHS lab which offers this test to the general public:

vitamindtest.org.uk/

Doctors don't know, because they're not taught much about nutrients, but there are important cofactors needed when taking D3. You will have to buy these yourself.

D3 aids absorption of calcium from food and Vit K2-MK7 directs the calcium to bones and teeth where it is needed and away from arteries and soft tissues where it can be deposited and cause problems such as hardening of the arteries, kidney stones, etc. 90-100mcg K2-MK7 is enough for up to 10,000iu D3.

D3 and K2 are fat soluble so should be taken with the fattiest meal of the day, D3 four hours away from thyroid meds if taking D3 as tablets/capsules/softgels, no necessity if using an oral spray.

For D3 I like Doctor's Best D3 softgels, they are an oil based very small softgel which contains just two ingredients - D3 and extra virgin olive oil, a good quality, nice clean supplement which is budget friendly. Some people like BetterYou oral spray but this contains a lot of excipients and works out more expensive.

90-100mcg K2-MK7 is enough for up to 10,000iu D3.

For Vit K2-MK7 I suggest Vitabay, Vegavero or Vitamaze brands which all contain the correct form of K2-MK7 - the "All Trans" form rather than the "Cis" form. The All Trans form is the bioactive form, a bit like methylfolate is the bioactive form of folic acid.

Vitabay and Vegavero are either tablets or capsules.

Vitabay does do an oil based liquid.

Vitamaze is an oil based liquid.

With the oil based liquids the are xx amount of K2-MK7 per drop so you just take the appropriate amount of drops.

They are all imported German brands, you can find them on Amazon although they do go out of stock from time to time. I get what I can when I need to restock. If the tablet or capsule form is only in 200mcg dose at the time I take those on alternate days.

If looking for a combined D3/K2 supplement, this one has 3,000iu D3 and 50mcg K2-MK7. The K2-MK7 is the All-Trans form

natureprovides.com/products...

It may also be available on Amazon.

One member gave excellent feedback on this particular product yesterday here:

Here is what she said (also read the following replies):

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Magnesium helps D3 to work. We need magnesium so that the body utilises D3, it's required to convert Vit D into it's active form, and large doses of D3 can induce depletion of magnesium. So it's important we ensure we take magnesium when supplementing with D3.

Magnesium comes in different forms, check to see which would suit you best and as it's calming it's best taken in the evening, four hours away from thyroid meds if taking magnesium as tablets/capsules, no necessity if using topical forms of magnesium.

naturalnews.com/046401_magn...

drjockers.com/best-magnesiu...

Lipids are all in range so those are good.

Alkaline Phosphatase is over range but I don't know anything about that to be able to comment, best ask your GP.

I'm still sleeping far more than I want to and constantly feeling worn out when I am awake. In addition I suffer from extreme brain fog and on the rare occasions I do feel comparatively energised my mind is invariably left limping behind.

Your low iron wont be helping and further investigation should be done as mentioned above. Also you need FT4 and FT3 testing because you have absolutely no idea of your thyroid status, if your FT3 is low then this causes symptoms.

Poppyfaery profile image
Poppyfaery

As always a very big THANK YOU for your time. This has given me a lot to be getting on with but I do appreciate all your comments.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply to Poppyfaery

You could work on improving low vitamin D 6-8 weeks

Then get full thyroid and vitamin testing via Medichecks or B H test

Come back with new post once you get results

Poppyfaery profile image
Poppyfaery in reply to SlowDragon

Hello ive bought a blood test for £50 but my local phlebotomy people wont do the draw , although they have done previously, theres no bmi clinics or superdrug to use where i live do you think i could buy a syringe and do it myself or can you advice me please , thank you in anticipation.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply to Poppyfaery

Absolutely not

Return the kit and request a DIY fingerprick test kit instead

Only do private testing early Monday or Tuesday morning, before 9am and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test

Do NOT do test in heatwave….it will get ruined before it gets to the lab

Tips on how to do DIY finger prick test

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Poppyfaery profile image
Poppyfaery in reply to SlowDragon

Oh god thanks slow dragon ive been beside myself, ill let you know how i get on many thanks again n

Poppyfaery profile image
Poppyfaery in reply to Poppyfaery

When i spoke with the the doc as well as asking about a blood draw wich he wouldnt help, i mentioned my hands are always numbish and my index finger and the next finger feel pins and needley all the time, i spoke of throid trouble ide had for years no commentjust couldnt wait to get rid, this is a phone consultation, my husband hasjust been told hes diabetic and hasbeen for 6 years but no one said till itgot real high, and they gave me lithium wich i took till you told me didnt mix with levo, i spoke of you hed never heard of you and tried dis ing you i went off it a bit, been in touch withblue horizon they were fine about changing my blood thing to pin pric, many thanks again your a god send wich i told the doc

Charlie-Farley profile image
Charlie-Farley

As always on point - I had similar oodles of advice from SeasideSuzie, SlowDragon and others on the forum over a year ago now and been reaping the rewards ever since. Hope you feel better soon Poppyfaery 😊👍

Poppyfaery profile image
Poppyfaery in reply to Charlie-Farley

Thamks charlie just seen your post, it would be marvelous to feel well again imlosing hope bless your heart for your kind thoughts,

You may also like...

Help interpreting my latest blood test results

on my latest blood test results from Medichecks. My TSH has come back low -- and I've been having...

Latest blood test results

Evening all 🤗 I have my first thyroid blood test results since starting levothyroxine. Started...

Latest blood test results

Any thoughts appreciated. Please note that the tests are carried out per my Endo’s protocol which is

Latest blood test results

84 mg/L (Range: 0 - 5) Ferritin: 102.0 ug/L (Range: 13 - 150) Folate - Serum: 7.96 ug/L (Range: >...

Latest blood test results

morning, no B complex for a week before.The test for folate, B12, ect had clotted in the phial so...