Blood test results: In August after a GP blood... - Thyroid UK

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Blood test results

jenned profile image
11 Replies

In August after a GP blood test my thyroxine was reduced from 150mcg to 125mcg daily. I decided on a private blood test but have had to wait for a nurse appointment, finger pricks don't work!

Here are the results:

TSH 0.11mIU/L (0.27-4.2)

Free T3 3.3pmol/L (3.1-6.8)

Free Thyroxine 18.1pmol/L (12-22)

Ferritin 129ug/L (30-650)

Folate 11.5nmol/L (8.83 -60.8)

Vitamin D 80nmol/L (50-250)

Active B12 120pmol/L (37.5-188)

I have been taking 25ug D3 every day but Vitamin D seems lowish.

And the comments with the results say 'TSH is low which suggests levothyroxine may be too high' which could lead to osteoporosis and I should consider asking my GP for a bone density scan. No comment was made about T3!

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jenned
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SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

Free T4 (fT4) 18.1 pmol/L (12.0 - 22.0) 61.0%

Free T3 (fT3) 3.3 pmol/L (3.1 - 6.8) 5.4%

T4:T3 Ratio 5.485  (≤ 4)

Folate - Serum 11.5 ug/L (8.83 - 60.8) 5.1%

Vitamin B12 (active) 120 nmol/L (37.5 - 180) 57.9%

Vitamin D 80 nmol/L (50.0 - 250.0) 15.0%

Shows poor conversion of Ft4 to Ft3

Most people when adequately treated will have Ft3 at least 50% through range

You’re likely to need addition of T3 prescribed alongside levothyroxine

Email Thyroid U.K. for list of recommended thyroid specialist endocrinologist and doctors who will prescribe T3

tukadmin@thyroiduk.org

Meanwhile working on improving low vitamin levels

Folate is very low

Do you normally take a daily vitamin B complex?

B12 looks good

Vitamin D at least around 100nmol might be better

Is this a Medichecks test?

Ferritin…..this is an odd range….has appeared recently on few test results

Are you male or female

Pre or post menopause

Perhaps consider doing full iron panel test

Medichecks iron panel test 

medichecks.com/products/iro...

 SeasideSusie might pop along and comment re ferritin results

jenned profile image
jenned in reply to SlowDragon

I'm female, 72 years old so post menopause. It is a Medichecks test. I don't take Vitamin B complex. I'm concerned most about the thought of osteoporosis. Over the years most blood tests have shown low-ish TSH which my previous GP said was OK. Sadly my new GP is a numbers man.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply to jenned

Osteoporosis can be linked to low Ft3 or high Ft3

Not really connected to TSH when on replacement thyroid hormones

Osteoporosis and thyroid levels explained here

thyroidpatients.ca/2018/07/...

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply to jenned

so ignore the ferritin result

If it’s over 70 and under 400 (post menopause) it’s fine

low folate

supplementing a good quality daily vitamin B complex, one with folate in (not folic acid) 

This can help keep all B vitamins in balance

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) 

Currently Thorne is cheapest on eBay at £18

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 - eg Jarrow methyl folate 400mcg

jenned profile image
jenned in reply to SlowDragon

Thank you, I'll try the B complex and BetterYou which I used to take but decided on pills instead but maybe spray would be better

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply to jenned

Better you vitamin D spray

blue one

betteryou.com/collections/a...

1 spray = 1000iu

Red one

betteryou.com/collections/a...

1 spray = 1000iu

Green one

betteryou.com/collections/a...

1 spray = 3000iu

Might be cheaper elsewhere

SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering

jenned

Ferritin 129 ug/L (30.0 - 650) 16.0%

This is a Medichecks test and the lab used to process the tests is INUVI.

I have a very hard time taking their ferritin range seriously, in all the years I've been commenting on results here I have never, ever, seen a ferritin range go above 400 and that's the male range which goes higher than the female range. The female range is usually 13-150 and some labs (eg my GP lab) uses 15-300 as a general range for both males and females (pre and post-menopausal).

My personal thoughts are to ignore this range altogether. The unit of measurement is the same as all the other ranges - ug/L - and my interpretation (with the caveat that I am not medically trained) is that some experts say that the optimal level for thyroid function is 90-110ug/L so I can't see anything wrong with that ferritin result.

If you are interested you could contact Medichecks for an explanation, ask why the INUVI range is so wide when the range given when Eurofins County Pathology or The Doctor's Laboratory process their ferritin tests the range is 13-150 with the same unit of measurement.

jenned profile image
jenned in reply to SeasideSusie

Medichecks reply was not satisfactory, ranges varied

Judithdalston profile image
Judithdalston in reply to jenned

I posted here last week re the Medichecks ferritin range from the Inuvi lab going upto 650, and been contacting them as my ferritin was now 6% thru the range after two years of really trying to increase it. I am now waiting for the third reply back; they are getting a medic.to comment, so perhaps they will at last realise this range is ridiculous. I might be struggling at bottom of range, but do wonder how ill might those be at 100%!

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

vitamin D

25ug is only 1000iu

Many thyroid patients need higher dose than average person

Suggest you increase to 2000iu through winter

Retest end of January

Test twice yearly via NHS private testing service when supplementing 

vitamindtest.org.uk

GP will often only prescribe to bring vitamin D levels to 50nmol.

Some areas will prescribe to bring levels to 75nmol or even 80nmol

leedsformulary.nhs.uk/docs/...

GP should advise on self supplementing if over 50nmol, but under 75nmol (but they rarely do)

mm.wirral.nhs.uk/document_u...

But improving to around 80nmol or 100nmol by self supplementing may be better

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/218...

vitamindsociety.org/pdf/Vit...

Once you Improve level, very likely you will need on going maintenance dose to keep it there.

Vitamin D tablets or gels must be minimum 4 hours away from levothyroxine and best taken with evening meal (as likely the meal with highest fat content j

However Vitamin D mouth spray by Better You is very effective as it avoids poor gut function. Can be taken an hour away from levothyroxine

There’s a version made that also contains vitamin K2 Mk7. 

One spray = 1000iu

amazon.co.uk/BetterYou-Dlux...

Another member recommended this one recently

Vitamin D with k2

amazon.co.uk/Strength-Subli...

It’s trial and error what dose we need, with thyroid issues we frequently need higher dose than average

Vitamin D and thyroid disease 

grassrootshealth.net/blog/t...

Vitamin D may prevent Autoimmune disease 

newscientist.com/article/23...

Web links about taking important cofactors - magnesium and Vit K2-MK7

Magnesium best taken in the afternoon or evening, but must be four hours away from levothyroxine

betterbones.com/bone-nutrit...

medicalnewstoday.com/articl...

livescience.com/61866-magne...

sciencedaily.com/releases/2...

Great article by Dr Malcolm Kendrick on magnesium 

drmalcolmkendrick.org/categ...

Vitamin K2 mk7

betterbones.com/bone-nutrit...

healthline.com/nutrition/vi...

jenned profile image
jenned in reply to SlowDragon

Thanks, all interesting and useful

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