Another post with latest results.

[Snoopydog11]

Here are my Medicheks results from 14 November, all done correctly.

TSH 0.02 mIU/L (0.27 - 4.2) -6.4%

Free T4 (fT4) 13.2 pmol/L (12 - 22) 12.0%

Free T3 (fT3) 5.2 pmol/L (3.1 - 6.8) 56.8%

T4:T3 Ratio 2.538 

Thyroglobulin Antbodies (TgAb) 25.2 IU/mL (0 - 115) 21.9%

Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies (TPO) 11.7 IU/mL (0 - 34) 34.4%

C-Reactive Protein (CRP) 0.82 mg/L (0 - 3) 27.3%

Folate - Serum 42.7 ug/L (8.83 - 60.8) 65.2%

Vitamin B12 (active) 150 nmol/L (37.5 - 188) 74.8%

Vitamin D 73 nmol/L (50 - 250) 11.5%

Ferritin 65 ug/L (30 - 650) 5.6%

I have done a separate post regarding the low Ferritin.

These results are after 3 weeks of one Bitiron daily and some days there was an extra 25 mcg thyroxine but I did develop sweating after 2 weeks so stopped that extra 25 and stuck with the Bitiron. My guess is that because ferritin is so low it causes me issues in tolerating the extra T4 or maybe I just don't need it.

I have ME/CFS and run out of energy from quickly and have never been able to walk for longer than 20 minutes ine one go before being completely out of energy.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Snoopydog11

These results are after 3 weeks of one Bitiron daily and some days there was an extra 25 mcg thyroxine but I did develop sweating after 2 weeks so stopped that extra 25 and stuck with the Bitiron.

I don't think you can rely on these results to be accurate for your thyroid levels. We should test 6-8 weeks after being on a stable dose, no changes. You have tested too early after 1 x Bitiron and muddied the water by adding extra thyroxine for two weeks then stopping it. I would decide what dose of which you want then wait 6-8 weeks before retesting.

Because Bitiron contains T4 and T3 then the T4:T3 ratio is not relevant, it's only relevant when taking T4 only.

Folate and Active B12 appear to be good, presumably you are supplementing? If so and you take a B Complex, did you leave this off for 3-7 days before this test?

Ferritin 65 ug/L (30 - 650) 5.6%

The lab processing this test will have been INUVI which Medichecks has recently started using. Their other lab - Eurofins County Pathology - uses the range 13-150 for females and 30-400 for males, as does The Doctor's Laboratory which they sometimes use. My GP range is 15-300 for both females and males.

I really can't take this range that INUVI uses seriously, I have never, ever, seen another ferritin range go that high with the same unit of measurement used by all labs.

If your level was 65ug/L with Eurofins County Pathology with their range of 13-150 then it would be a reasonable level. I believe Medichecks has been questioned over the difference in the ranges even though the unit of measurement is the same but there hasn't been a satisfactorily clear answer.

Some experts say the optimal ferritin level for thyroid function is 90-110ug/L.

[Snoopydog11 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Interesting about the ranges, I did wonder.

Previously for the past 20 years I have been taking NDT with 25 thyroxine, dosage this year down to 1 grain because I had hyper symptoms if I went to my previous dose of 1 1/2 grains. In all the time I have been taking NDT I have always had some issues of either feeling hyper or not enough. Blood tests have never shown up an issue even though I have been having these hyper symptoms like constant sweating and/or insomnia.

During September things started to get a lot worse and I suffered with severe lack of energy and so I raised by 1/2 grain but it didn't make any difference I just ended up so cold and inability to exercise hence me looking for an alternative to the Thyroid S which I just didn't like.

For the most part Bitiron has helped me to feel much more normal without the sort of symptoms I was getting on NDT. Unfortunately this awful virus has come along the day after doing the thyroid test and given me bronchitis so I feel I have gone backwards but just have to be patient.

Therefore it was a deliberate action of mine to test after 3 weeks to see how things looked because it followed on from the NDT and 25 thyroxine I have been taking for 20 years.

[Snoopydog11]

No I don't take any folate or B12 supplements, I just rely on a very good diet. I don't tolerate any extra form of folate as they give me horrendous migraines.

The only B supplement I take is 50 mg B2 and 20 P5P, both to help with energy and the migraine issue and to help with methylation as part of the energy cycle.

Thanks Pam

[humanbean in reply to Snoopydog11]

I'm surprised that your B12 and folate are so good if you just rely on diet - it's rarely seen on this forum without supplementation.

There are multiple forms of folate available as supplements these days, and the same is true of B12. If you ever do need to take either of these :

To supplement B12 take methylcobalamin rather than cyanocobalamin

perniciousanemia.org/b12/fo...

To supplement folate take methylfolate rather than folic acid.

takecareof.com/articles/ben...

The reason I asked about B12 and folate is that the body needs them to help convert serum iron to ferritin (as well as for many other reasons).

[humanbean in reply to Snoopydog11]

I've just got muddled up and deleted one of my replies to you (the one where I asked for your folate and B12 results). I thought I'd duplicated a post but then realised I hadn't after I deleted it. It doesn't matter though, I was asking for info you put in the second of your two posts.

[humanbean]

I didn't know anything about Bitiron until I just looked it up, a pill with 50mcg T4 and 12.5 mcg T3. I'm assuming you get it privately or buy it on the internet, because it doesn't appear in the British National Formulary. I can't imagine an NHS doctor prescribing it.

Have you ever taken T4 and T3 separately? The combined products never impress me (although I've never taken one) because the ratio of T4 to T3 that works for patients isn't going to be the same for everyone. You might do better with a personalised ratio of T4 to T3.

I take T4 and T3, but I have also taken T4 only, T3 only, NDT, and various ratios of T4 and T3. I wouldn't like to be stuck on some manufacturer's idea of what every thyroid patient needs.

Your Bitiron would have too little T4 for me, and I wouldn't want your test results.