Blue Horizon blood results

[ZM1980]

Hello, I posted here a while back re various symptoms and was advised to get a full Thyroid panel done. From the results, everything is within range (aside from CRP and Cholesterol - but CRP has been hovering on the higher side for a while). Have attached results.

I did have a Thriva fingerprick test a few years ago, which also came back as within range, plus NHS TSH test always within range. I still have no diagnosis for my symptoms, which include chronic joint issues, GERD/stomach issues, dry eyes with floaters and light sensitivity, tinnitus with mild hearing loss, fatigue, brain fog and more recently tingling sensation in feet and fingertips 'dry' and slightly numb at times. I know some of this could be explained by sub optimal vitamin levels and the hypermobility.

Other signs include dry hair that only grows to a certain point (early teens to mid 20s, my hair was longer and would grow quickly), weak nails that are slightly mobile in the nail bed, melasma on face and hypopigmentation/slightly mottled skin on arms and legs. Also more recently I have what looks very much like 'Terry's nails'.

I had some really helpful, informative advice re testing and symptoms preciously from members of this forum and would appreciate any advice on results and what else I should look into ie female hormones and/or possible low level autoimmune condition, without positive antibodies? Around 20 years ago I had optical neuritis, for which I was prescribed corticosteroids - wondering if there could be a link between this and some of my current symptoms.

*I am due to see an endocrinologist in September (GP reffered me to weight management clinic).

Thanks in advance

[GlowCoach Administrator]

Your TSH is pretty good. We usually say anything over 2 is suspect. Your free results aren't so good though although not terrible.

Free T4 (fT4) 15.5 pmol/L (12 - 22) 35.0%

Free T3 (fT3) 5.04 pmol/L (3.1 - 6.8) 52.4%

No result for folate?

Your B12 result is the one that stands out to me as being below optimal.

Are you vegan or vegetarian?

Your ferritin result is also on the low side and we usually recommend increasing iron rish foods in your diet for that - chicken livers, pate, red meat etc

[ZM1980 in reply to GlowCoach]

I had quite a few things tested but not folate - I did have that done on NHS - think I put results in a previous post, but will check 🙂

I don't eat any red meat, but do eat chicken. Find that it's difficult to get iron rich foods in my diet. I was taking Ferrous Fumerate for a while, but found it made my reflux symptoms worse, so bought a liquid iron as substitute, but haven't started taking it yet.

Could the T4 and T3 at those levels be causing any of my symptoms? Are they likely to improve/increase once my Ferritin and B12 levels improve?

[ZM1980 in reply to ZM1980]

Folate (October 22) - 13.5 NG/ML (>2.7)

[GlowCoach Administrator in reply to ZM1980]

Thats not too bad but the B complex I recommended contains folate anyway so will boost it.

[GlowCoach Administrator in reply to ZM1980]

It's possible that your thyroid levels could be causing you symptoms but they are a long way off where you could get any treatment. Better to focus on your B vitamins which would give you more energy and help the tingling, numbness.

So your biggest issue to me looks like low B12. B12 is in red meat but also some fish if you look at the list here and see if theres anything you could add to your diet.

healthline.com/nutrition/vi...

Otherwise its down to supplements. Improving B12 will help some of your symptoms.

Start with a methyl B12 sublingual spray or lozenge for a week, then add a good B complex. Once you run out of the separate B12 just continue with the B complex.

gb.pipingrock.com/methylcob...

cytoplan.co.uk/vitamin-b12-...

amazon.co.uk/Better-You-Boo...

This B complex has all the right vitamins at a not unreasonable cost for 90 days supply(also contains folate). Once B12 is good (over 500) you can stop the stand alone B12 and just continue with the B complex. amazon.co.uk/Liposomal-Soft...

[ZM1980 in reply to GlowCoach]

That makes sense about the B12 levels - I haven't eaten red meat or fish in many years and couldn't stomach it now if I tried! I do include dairy in my diet, but likely not enough (glass of kefir a day, cheese every other day, sometimes will have yoghurt).Thanks for the info about B vitamins and links to products - how long after starting the B12 spray would I need to retest levels to check they're over 500?

It's strange about the nails moving in the nail bed (have had this for over 15 years) - GP mentioned suboptimal Ferritin as the cause, but I also thought it could be linked to Hypermobility

[GlowCoach Administrator in reply to ZM1980]

Retest in around 3 months and see where you're at then. The products I have recommended are high dose and active/methyl type vitamins that re better than you will find in a locsl health store/supermarket etc

If you don't eat red meat then you will always struggle with iron/ferritin & B12.

I don't know anything about nails moving in the nail bed.

[ZM1980 in reply to GlowCoach]

Great, thanks, will see how things go with the B vitamins and recheck B12 levels. Hopefully iron levels will improve with taking the liquid Ferritin (FerroEss).

[ZM1980]

CRP has been mildly elavated for over a year

Blood test results

[Decant]

My CRP was recently flagged as high at 5.39, but SeasideSusie replied with the following "That's not significantly raised, it's slightly elevated suggesting a bit of inflammation which can be from any kind of infection, arthritis and a host of other things. At my recent consultation at my surgery my CRP was 13, this was a few days before I tested positive for Covid, I was told they don't worry unless CRP is in the hundreds."

I know nothing more about it than this, but hope that helps!

[ZM1980 in reply to Decant]

That makes sense about the causes of elevated CRP. I've heard it can be raised because of infection or inflammation. Mine has been mildly elavated for over a year (maybe longer), although the other inflammatory marker ESR, has been raised more significantly for quite a few years. Not sure of the exact cause and still trying to find answers, but could possibly be related to the joint issues. Thanks for sharing!