As promised for those of you following I have taken another thyroid test and this time I also did some vitamin readings. I think I know what to do next and up my levo even more. But if you have any other ideas seeing as my TSH is almost fully supressed do let me know! I have also purchased injectable B12 and will be injecting that alongside Folate when I get it, as I am feeling a little low on that front. Believe it or not the iron is the best it's ever been BUT my TSAT is lowish.
I am feeling TONNES better, but could I get EVEN more so???
My symptoms particularly my fatigue has improved so much. I can actually get up and do things. The lightening legs have gone completely but some muscle aches and ankle gripes remain, shoulder and back pain still linger. I think some of the back pain is due to severely weak (and energy less) core muscles.
I am still a little foggy particularly at the end of the day / end of week, but it is definitely getting better.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated and I hope this helps you as well
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Flippasmile
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Reference ranges are incorrect. Ranges don't start at zero. Was this Thriva by any chance? If so the FT4 range is 12-22 and the FT3 range is 3.1-6.8, and all the others are wrong too. The reference range is only the green bit on the coloured graph, anything in the yellow, orange or red area is out of range.
Can you add a picture of your results, either the coloured graph or the pdf that shows your results plus normal ranges.
No, that's probably me being a silly, it was with monitor my health and everything is on a scale from 0. But I do remember last time I did this it was different! DOH! I will go and change it.
With serum B12 result below 500, (Or active B12 below 70) recommended to be taking a separate B12 supplement as well as a B Complex
Then once your serum B12 is over 500 (or Active B12 level has reached 70), you may be able to reduce then stop the B12 and just carry on with the B Complex.
If Vegetarian or vegan likely to need ongoing separate B12 few times a week
In week before blood test, when you stop vitamin B complex, you might want to consider taking a separate methyl folate supplement and continue separate B12
I'm didn't take any B vits for 4 months to get an accurate reading. I have a previous history of mal absorption of both folate and B12 (extreme anaemia). Drops work a little but still not great so next steps is injecting myself, I had an injection last year from the Drs and my active went up to 86 and I felt brill. I have been with this for several years, and already tried everything else. Thank you for the information though, and your time.
I have been taking levo since October and started t3 in December I think. I'm much improved in my fatigue but obviously the fog is an issue but it's sort of separate if that makes sense.
I would deprecate the writings of Chris Kresser you referenced above.
I find the information imparted by this maverick(?) functional doctor is considerably at odds with what the highly respected CDC has to say on the topic:-
Firstly, my context here is my wife’s PA; as early baby boomers, we are long past TTC considerations.
But it’s important to balance B12 injections with iron and folate supplements, for which we have been advised to use the daily 400mcg folic acid tablets normally offered as a pregnancy supplement; having read round the subject, this seemed to likely be safe and effective.
But the Chris Kresser article you quoted talks about cognitive impairment, increased risk of cancer, and makes a distinction between folic acid and folate that the CDC simply don’t (there is a difference, yes of course, but not for any practical purposes, they say).
(Not that I know who’s right here, necessarily; I haven’t researched the various effects of those gene variants. But I note that the topic seems to be under debate, at the very least).
I know it’s hard to trust competing medical opinions, especially ones from the USA, but given the choice between one doctor’s opinion and a US Government agency with no agenda to push, I have to go with the CDC. Because not taking enough folate can be as damaging as taking too much, for us.
I would still want to take methylfolate rather than folic acid despite what the CDC says. This link actually tells you what the body does with methylfolate and folic acid :
People with thyroid disease quite commonly have problems doing conversions from non-active versions of nutrients to active versions that the body can use immediately.
Did you know that folic acid was first developed and given to humans in 1943? I think it would be extremely rare for scientists to improve on nature in the context of essential nutrients that can be found in food.
Yes, we have the same thing with B12, which can be given as hydroxy-, methyl- or cyano- cobalamin, and some people do better on one than on the others. But all need converting in the body; same with folates.
Actually, scientists can and do improve on naturally occurring substances all the time; while we’ve evolved to use what we find in nature, and what we find in nature has evolved as well, science can often give it a helping hand. Not always for the good, alas; many hard drugs are chemically altered versions of compounds which give less of a high - and probably less of an addiction 😢
But given it can be done, scientists have had 80 years to improve on folic acid, make something closer to naturally occurring folates; why haven’t they, do you think?
Especially as I keep getting offered links that suggest folic acid has dangers that folates don’t, even if the CDC dismisses these.
Could it be that for most people, if not quite everybody, folic acid is perfectly good enough?
It may be that folic acid is fine for many people. But how many people actually know whether they have problems with folic acid or not? Probably very few - they just take it and assume everything will be fine.
Methylfolate works well for everyone as far as I'm aware because no conversion is required before it can be used by the body.
Folic acid, on the other hand, might cause a problem and might not. So why not take the nutrient (methylfolate) that is most easily used by the most people?
I am gluten free, I used to be diary free for years but it makes no difference. I have had the celiac test already with a gruelling 13 weeks having to eat it when I'm severely intolerant but not celiac. I have been sick for 20 years rwally sick for 8 I have been tested for everything, and have tried all the diets. I'm currently low carb / keto and finding it suits me well. So do you think I should add some more levo?
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My second test results just arrived. Can someone help. TY:)
Help with blood results 
Self medication advice
Contemplating Self Administering B12 Injections
