Guidance please. GP did a blood test including iron as was feeling tired, cold and shaky. Currently on 100 Levo. I never have changed brand and always do a test 9am without medication within 24 hrs beforehand etc. These are results ; no t3 tested for some reason but historically has always been in range. Last T3 reading was 4.7 ( 2.4 -6)
Serum folate 12.5 ( 3.00-20.00)
Serum vitamin b 453 ( 200-910)
Serum T4 14.4 ( 9-22)
Serum TSH 5.3 ( 0.35-5)
Vit D 115 ( 50-200)
Serum ferritin 32 (10-200)
Serum ALT 12 ( 1-50)
GP says everything in range but wants to raise dose to 125. If I do, want to go slowly as sensitive to changes. Is it better to do 100/125 alternate days for a bit or split 25 pill and take half with the 100 for a bit?
Ferritin not looking optimal!!!! I eat lots of meat, green veg and eat chicken liver pate twice a week . As nothing has come up on iron panel, should I take iron tablets and if so which ones.
I take lots of supplements- Thorne basic b ( not 7 days before tests), vitamin D, C, magnesium, zinc, turmeric.
thanks
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Hopeful129
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As nothing has come up on iron panel, should I take iron tablets and if so which ones.
Did you have an actual iron panel to include serum iron, saturation percentage, total iron binding capacity plus ferritin? If so can you post results/ranges please.
In all people, a serum ferritin level of less than 30 micrograms/L confirms the diagnosis of iron deficiency.
Yours is very close to that so although your GP may argue that it's within range so it's fine, you could argue that as it's so close to that level can you be tested to rule it out. A full iron panel as mentioned above will confirm if you have iron deficiency. It would also be a good idea to have a full blood count to see if you have anaemia. You can have iron deficiency with or without anaemia.
You can have low ferritin without iron deficiency and if you supplemented with iron tablets and your serum iron and saturation are at good levels already then you could take them too high and risk iron overload.
If GP wont do an iron panel then Medichecks do one called Home Iron Test, check here for discount:
I did that when I was increasing, it definitely helps smooth out the increase. Alternating to start with and then splitting the pill once up to the full dose. I still split my T4 dose half and half bedtime and morning, seems to help 🌱
By the way, this could be better. According to an extract from the book, "Could it be B12?" by Sally M. Pacholok:
"We believe that the 'normal' serum B12 threshold needs to be raised from 200 pg/ml to at least 450 pg/ml because deficiencies begin to appear in the cerebrospinal fluid below 550".
"For brain and nervous system health and prevention of disease in older adults, serum B12 levels should be maintained near or above 1000 pg/ml."
I don't think leaving off your Thorne Basic B for 7 days would have had any effect on your B12 level and it seems that it's not lifting your B12 up much. You might want to consider supplementing with a separate B12 temporarily along with the B Complex. Just one bottle would probably be enough. Maybe consider Cytoplan sublingual as it has two forms of bioavailable B12:
I alternate, it suits me because I have to get 12.5mcg from a 50mcg tablet so I cut in half and alternate rather than uneven quarters. Decide which you want to try and give it a go, if it doesn't suit try the alternative.
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