Help to understand blood test results and the impact of anaemia on hypothyroidism

[Kittylacey]

blood test results are as follows

serum TSH 0.32 mlu/L

Free T4 16.7 pmol/L

Free T3 4.1 pmol/L

Serum ferritin 23 ug/L

last blood test I was anaemia so I was perscribed a course of ferrous fumerate (iron)

I felt so much better 😊

my iron tablets ran out about 2.5 weeks ago and gp wouldn’t prescribe any more prior to a repeat blood test.

During this time I have gradually felt so much worse- uncomfortable coldness, aches, chronic tiredness, irritability/ depression.

I finally had the blood test (awaiting an appointment for 2 weeks) and results came back today.

The gp is indicating that I now need to reduce the dose of levothyroxin and saying I no longer need iron.

I’m going to try to book an appointment to discuss this ASAP

Has anyone got any advice?

I guess on paper my results look better but I feel terrible 😞

thanks

[Kittylacey]

TSH 0.32 mIU/L (0.38 - 5.33) -1.2%Free T4 (fT4) 16.7 pmol/L (7.9 - 14.4) 135.4%Free T3 (fT3) 4.1 pmol/L (3.8 - 6) 13.6%T4:T3 Ratio 4.073 Ferritin 23 ug/L (11 - 307) 4.1%

Here are my results from the calculator thingy

[SlowDragon Administrator]

So what are your NEW full iron panel test results and ferritin

Typically GP will only bring Ferritin up to 30 (if your lucky) then stop supplements

On levothyroxine we need to have OPTIMAL vitamin levels

Ferritin at least over 70 and around 100 likely better

Vitamin D at least over 80nmol

Serum B12 at least over 500

Active B12 at least over 70

Folate at least half way through range

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Iron and ferritin

You can buy iron supplements OTC

retest FULL iron panel 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...

meanwhile

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

dailyiron.net

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Links about iron and ferritin

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...

Iron and thyroid link

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Excellent article on iron and thyroid 

cambridge.org/core/journals...

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...

Shellfish and Mussels are excellent source of iron 

healthline.com/nutrition/he...

Heme iron v non heme

hsph.harvard.edu/nutritions...

Ferritin over 100 to alleviate symptoms 

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Low Iron implicated in hypothyroidism 

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Ferritin range on Medichecks 

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

‘

[Miffie]

It seems much harder to get ferritin issues resolved on NHS. My own is often low and I cannot tolerate oral iron so have to keep going until it’s below 10 for a transfusion. It’s less an a year since my last transfusion and despite eating an iron rich diet is currently 13. Got to wait 6-12months for another test. If it’s low enough I will get another infusion. Neither the GP or Haematology at the hospital consider a full iron panel necessary. This may be a postcode thing or NHS wide. It may be you need to have private testing and buy iron supplement yourself. Good luck, I hope you get sorted soon.

[Batty1]

Im also always dealing with constant low iron due to inflammation and I found that I can take Vitron-C Iron without feeling ill and I also test myself and put results here for opinions because my doctor is so freaking useless when it comes to testing iron or vitamin D …. unless I test it myself and take results into her which she then turns around and retests the iron panel all over again even though her and I use the exact same lab company…. you can’t make this up!