Hi I had bloods done at my GP surgery and had a phone call today from the receptionist to tell me that all my bloods are ok but the GP wants me to start on folic acid.
I have requested an appointment to find out why if all bloods are ok. Anyone had a similar experience?
Bluebellsareblue
Well they're obviously not all OK then, maybe the receptionist meant they're all OK except folate. It's obviously folate deficiency to prescribe folic acid.
Did you request a print out of your results as advised? Pick one up and put results/ranges in a post on the forum.
If you also have B12 deficiency then treatment for that must start before starting the folic acid.
Yes will be picking up a print out when I next pass the GP surgery. Would go and collect today but it's just too hot.
Managed to get a print out of my results
Serum b12 - 511ng/l Range 180 - 900
Serum folate 2.5ug/l Range >3.0
Serum ferritin 20 Range 15-300
Ferritin is deficient
GP should do full iron panel test for anaemia
We need ferritin at least half way through range for levothyroxine to work well
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
Also See page 7 on here
rcn.org.uk/-/media/royal-co...
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
Links about iron and ferritin
An article that explains why Low ferritin and low thyroid levels are often linked
preventmiscarriage.com/iron...
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.
Thyroid disease is as much about optimising vitamins as thyroid hormones
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 a year if self supplementing. It’s possible to have low ferritin but high iron
Medichecks iron panel test
medichecks.com/products/iro...
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...
Heme iron v non heme
hsph.harvard.edu/nutritions...
Good explanations of iron
theironclinic.com/iron-defi...
theironclinic.com/ironc/wp/...
Excellent reply by Blearyeyed about iron in this post
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
This is what worries me the most that my levothyroxine isn't working correctly. My tsh has risen slightly from 0.26 - 0.45. I had thyroid cancer and had RAI and now my tsh needs to be suppressed. I worry so much about the cancer coming back.
Many patients need addition of small doses of T3 prescribed alongside levothyroxine
First steps
1) Get TSH, Ft4 and Ft3 tested via Monitor My Health
(NHS private testing service)
Very common on just levothyroxine to have low Ft3
Low Ft3 leads to low vitamin levels
For good conversion of Ft4 to Ft3 in cells we need good vitamin levels
So it’s chicken and egg
Very common to need to supplement continuously to maintain optimal vitamin levels….usually vitamin D and vitamin B complex….sometimes iron
2) get full iron panel test done via GP
Or via Medichecks if GP is obtuse
3) test vitamin D via NHS private testing service
Come back with new post once you get MMH results
Spoke to GP today and she won’t do full iron panel as ferritin in range. Have appointment with endocrinologist next week so will take my print out with me and show him hopefully he will be more helpful.
Ferritin may be within the GP’s range…..but it’s still deficient
Print out page 7
Give your GP a copy ……
Ok…so B12 over 500 is ok
Low folate
When you finish prescription for folic acid
Suggest you start supplementing a good quality daily vitamin B complex, one with folate in (not folic acid)
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 recommended vitamin B complex that contains folate, but they 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...
In week before blood test, when you stop vitamin B complex, you might want to consider taking a separate methyl folate supplement
Always test thyroid levels early morning, ideally before 9am and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test
How much levothyroxine are you currently taking
Do you always get same brand levothyroxine at each prescription
Essential to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12
I take 150 and always have the same brand.I do usually have a morning blood test and take my levothyroxine after, but the last blood test was in the afternoon I went to GP feeling unwell so it wasn't a planned blood test and I took my levothyroxine that morning.
So you need to retest
TSH would be higher in morning and Ft4 lower
Just picked up a copy of my test results and they didn't do bloods for my thyroid, they just did b12, folate and ferritin 😫 Folate showed up low but would have been good to check my thyroid levels to see if they are making me feel unwell.
Need to test vitamin D
NHS easy postal kit vitamin D test £29 via
Suggest you get full thyroid test done yourself now
TSH, Ft4 and ft3 via Monitor My Health
Low vitamin levels suggests your dose levothyroxine may need slight increase
Always do private testing early Monday or Tuesday morning, ideally just before 9am and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test
cheapest option for just TSH, FT4 and FT3
£29 (via NHS private service ) and 10% off down to £26.10 if go on thyroid uk for code
thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...
Retest full thyroid and vitamin levels again in 2-4 months after working on improving low folate and low ferritin
Get a print-out of your results from the surgery and post results (with ranges) so that members can respond.
Don't take supplements of B12 until GP allows you to have your B12 checked. to exclude that you do not have Perncious Anaemia.
It sounds to me that you may have Pernicious Anaemia which is another autoimmune disease. I have P.A. as did my mother.
If we have PA we have to have regular B12 injections - usually it is every three months but my GP told me I can have as many as I wish. I now get monthly B12 jabs.
My mother had Pernicious Anaemia and had regular B12 injections until GP told her she no longer needed them as her bloods were fine.
Due to GPs advice my mother developed stomach cancer .
These are the results I have had back
Serum b12 - 511ng/l Range 180 - 900
Serum folate 2.5ug/l Range >3.0
Serum ferritin 20 Range 15-300
Bluebellsareblue
As I am not medically qualified I cannot comment on your results except to state that B12 is halfway through range.
I would check with GP and ask for his/her comment.. Many people can take B12 tablets but if there has been a change in the stomach it may not be able to absorb B12 so that's the reason the person has regular B12 injections.
This is an excerpt from following link:-
Pernicious anaemia causes your immune system to attack the cells in your stomach that produce the intrinsic factor, which means your body is unable to absorb vitamin B12.
The exact cause of pernicious anaemia is unknown, but it's more common in women around 60 years of age, people with a family history of the condition and those with another autoimmune condition, such as Addison's disease or vitiligo.
nhs.uk/conditions/vitamin-b...
Is pernicious anaemia caused by lack of b12 only or does it include b9?
Pernicious Anaemia is autoimmune
b12deficiency.info/signs-an...
My vitamin b12 levels are middle range so I’m ok?
Can folic acid supplement cause UTI
Monitoring when starting Folic Acid and Ferrous fumerate
STATINS WITHDRAWN AND FOLIC ACID NOW ADDED TO LEVOTHYROXINE
Folic Acid and Levothyroxine
Enough’s Enough: Folic Acid
