Test results advice high b12 and iron

[clairel996]

Hi all,Have been on 25mcg levothroxine for 6 weeks so here are my review results (taken first thing before levo dose that day).

I have been taking vitamin d as it was 33 in October and have managed to get it up to 77. Also take 1 x igennus b complex, zinc, biocult prebiotic and magnesium glycinate daily.

My vitamin b12 is now too high, despite only taking one tablet (started with 2 but reduced to 1 about a month ago and didn't take any for the week before the test due to biotin)

My iron percentage saturation has also been flagged as too high. I don't take iron supplements but have been trying to eat more chicken liver pate to improve ferritin but ferritin actually went down from 63 to 58?? Could this be because of the vitamin d increase maybe?

I felt OK for a couple of weeks but feeling tired, cold and headachy again in last 2 weeks so think I need an increase to levo?

Any thoughts welcome, especially on the b12 and iron Percentage and if you agree I need increase dose of levo? Thanks so much!

Review blood test on 14th March

TSH 3.92 (0.27 - 4.2)

FT3 4.3 (3.1 - 6.8)

FT4 18.6 (12 - 22)

Serum B12 915 (197 - 771)

Serum folate 15.2 (3.9 - 26.8)

Serum ferritin 58 (13 - 150)

Serum iron level 26.5 (10 - 30)

Serum transferrin 2.2 (2 - 3.6)

Percentage iron saturation 48.4 (30 - 40)

Vitamin D 77 (no range but says optimal)

[Jaydee1507 Administrator]

Free T4 (fT4) 18.6 pmol/L (12 - 22) 66.0%

Free T3 (fT3) 4.3 pmol/L (3.1 - 6.8) 32.4%

Your free numbers have plenty of room for improvement, would expect to see FT4 much nearer the top of the range. Also TSH far too high. Needs to be around 1, possibly just under 1. Totally not surprising you are symptomatic.

B12 is a water soluble vitamin and having 'too much' is really not an issue at all as your body gets rid of it through your pee. Just continue with the 1 tablet a day.

Vit D should be at 100 to be optimal so increase D3 & K2 dose.

I will ask humanbean or radd to comment on the ferritin/iron levels.

[radd in reply to Jaydee1507]

 clairel996

Serum ferritin 58 (13 - 150)

Serum iron level 26.5 (10 - 30)

Serum transferrin 2.2 (2 - 3.6)

Percentage iron saturation 48.4 (30 - 40)

Transferrin saturation % is only a calculation of other iron results to assess how iron is working. Yours is skewed becasue your serum iron is of a good level but the transferrin proteins made to keep iron safely bound and transported around the body is insufficient. Did you have TIBC or UIBC included in your results? 

Your good serum iron level isn’t a definite elimination of anaemia as low transferrin is indicative of inflammatory conditions. Hopefully when thyroid hormones are optimised and unwanted changes reverse, your iron mechanisms will start functioning better, but if you wanted to investigate further you would need a FBC to assess RBC quantity & health. I personally would wait.

It is better to keep folate and VitB12 of equal levels as they tend to use the same pathways. Igennus B complex uses methyl versions and it may be that you need to change to another brand where the contained folate is of a higher ratio to Vit B12, or only the folate is of methylated form.

[clairel996 in reply to radd]

Thank you for your reply, I'm only just seeing it now I wasn't getting the emails for some reason! I will look for a b-complex with different ratios or just the methylated folate. Thanks again!

[clairel996 in reply to Jaydee1507]

I'm sorry I missed your reply! Thank you, I moved to 50mcg just after my last post and had my bloods done this week, my tsh has gone down but t4 and t3 have pretty much stayed the same which I don't understand, it's all a bit baffling, out bodies are definitely complex things!

[Jaydee1507 Administrator in reply to clairel996]

I know when I was just starting treatment my TSH went up after a dose increase. Probably best not to even begin to reason why. Healing is not in a straight line and the main thing is that you have been getting dose increases. Get back to us if you need any further help.

[clairel996 in reply to Jaydee1507]

Thank you so much! Feel like I'm very much at the start of a long process but hopefully will get there!

[SlowDragon Administrator]

you need dose increase in levothyroxine to 50mcg

Bloods should be retested again in another 6-8 weeks

Standard starter dose levothyroxine is 50mcg

ALWAYS test thyroid levels early morning and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test

Which brand of levothyroxine are you currently taking

[clairel996 in reply to SlowDragon]

I was on wokhartd 25mcg and since moved to accord 50mcg and due to start 75mcg accord tomorrow. I'm so thankful for your reply but sorry that I missed it, please don't think I was being rude!

[humanbean]

Serum B12 915 (197 - 771)

Some links that might be reassuring on the subject of B12 :

perniciousanemia.org/b12/le...

perniciousanemia.org/b12/fo...

stichtingb12tekort.nl/engli...

[clairel996 in reply to humanbean]

Thank you! I'm sorry I missed your reply, but that is very reassuring!

[humanbean]

Vitamin D 77 (no range but says optimal)

Is there an indication of the units of measurement?