Help...At my wits end: Hi I apologise if I... - Thyroid UK

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Help...At my wits end

Minny69 profile image
13 Replies

Hi I apologise if I posting this in the wrong place. I have not been diagnosed with hypothyroid. My Dr and myself thought that may have been the problem due to my many problems! I had a borderline result 18 months ago TSH was 1.05 and T4 10.4 but that is now normal: TSH 1.76 and T4 12.7.

I am feeling shoddy most of the time and am not getting anywhere at the Drs. I have been going to see them for over 12 months with the same problem.

I have joint and muscle pain, sore tongue, a lot of hair loss, chillblains even in the summer and lack of energy.

I have looked at my blood results online and the only one that is in red is Iron saturation at 24% and that has been the same for 12 months.

B12 is now 431 it was 288 but have been suplementing so that has gone up.

Folate is 6.4

Ferritin 46.

I don't really know what I am asking? Can anyone shed any light on what might be going on.

Can anyone recommend good vitamins to take? Maybe a good B complex. Would the lowish Iron cause any of my symptoms.

Thanks to anyone for reading in advance#

x

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Minny69
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13 Replies
greygoose profile image
greygoose

Can you give us the range for the FT4, please? Ranges vary from lab to lab, so we need the range that came with your results. :)

TiggerMe profile image
TiggerMe

Don't despair you have landed amongst very accomplished people who have made it through the shoddy stage.... welcome aboard, if you can post up results (with ranges) we'll see what we can do

p.s. you can only add one picture in each reply and remember to blank out any personal details

Alanna012 profile image
Alanna012

Do still have/have heavy periods?

Low iron can result is less than optimal conversion of thyroid hormones, but without the range of your results it's hard to see how likely that is as a causative factor.

Minny69 profile image
Minny69

Wow thank you for your replies. It is so much appreciated.

So my results with ranges:

Serum TSH level 1.76 mU/ 0.35 - 5.00 Normal 05 Oct 2023

Serum free T4 level 12.7 pmol/L 11.0 - 23.0 Normal

Serum ferritin 46 ug/L 12 - 300 Normal

Serum iron level

16 umol/L

10 - 30

Normal

05 Oct 2023

Transferrin level

2.88 g/L

N/A

05 Oct 2023

Serum sat iron bindng capacity

66 umol/L

37 - 77

Normal

05 Oct 2023

Percentage iron saturation

24 %

25 - 50

Abnormal

05 Oct 2023

Serum folate

6.4 ug/L

3.9 - 19.8

Normal

5 Oct 2023

Serum vitamin B12

431 ng/L

200 - 900

Normal

5 Oct 2023

Alanna I am perimenopause so don't really have periods anymore. I am on HRT. I am normal weight.

Thank you once again

Also magnesium was a little on the low side back in 2022 and just seen cholesterol a bit high.

Serum magnesium level 0.72 mmol/L 0.70 - 1.00

Serum cholesterol 6.15 mmol/L < 5.01 Abnormal 6 Oct 2022

Bearo profile image
Bearo

Now that you’ve added the ranges - all really clear and easy to read - your post has slipped down the forum and I think people are missing it. Maybe greygoose will spot it and reply, or alert Jaydee

greygoose profile image
greygoose

Serum TSH level 1.76 mU/ (0.35 - 5.00)

Serum free T4 level 12.7 pmol/L (11.0 - 23.0)

Well, your TSH is more or less 'normal' (euthyroid), a bit on the high-side, but that on its own means nothing. Your FT4, on the other hand, is much too low. A euthyroid FT4 would be around mid-range, which would be 17 with this range.

But doctors will count both those results as 'normal' because they are both within the so-called 'normal' range. Sigh.

That said, we don't have a complete picture here. We also need to see results for FT3 and antibodies - TPO and Tg antibodies. If your doctor won't do them, you could do a private blood test, just to be sure. :)

Minny69 profile image
Minny69 in reply to greygoose

greygoose thank you for replying, I missed seeing this reply. I am in a constant fog. I thought I had typed up another post but can't find it!

I had just come back on here trying to find out which is the best magnesium supplement to take? I am ordering the Igennus super b supplement as I have seen recommended by SlowDragon . I have also been taking the Vit D and K2 spray. I had ordere some Magesium L-theonate but they don't suit, I think it is because they have black pepper in them. My magnesium was a bit on the low side and that is my reasoning for giving this a go.

I am waiting to see a dermatologist regarding my hair loss. Interestingly it was my psychiatrist who pointed out that he thought there was something wrong with my immune system. I had antibody tests done though and they were all normal. So I don't know what's going on.

Any pointers for me please?

Also I read part 1 of your story 😪so sorry for what you have been through. Where can I find part 2? I hope you finally got help and are recovering.

Thank you so much

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply to Minny69

Hi Minny, all your posts are here:

healthunlocked.com/user/Min...

Just click on your name or your avatar and that will take you straight to your profile.

There is no 'best' magnesium, it depends what you want it for:

- Magnesium citrate: mild laxative, best for constipation.

- Magnesium taurate: best for cardiovascular health.

- Magnesium malate: best for fatigue – helps make ATP energy.

- Magnesium glycinate: most bioavailable and absorbable form, non-laxative.

- Magnesium chloride: for detoxing the cells and tissues, aids kidney function and can boost a sluggish metabolism.

- Magnesium carbonate: good for people suffering with indigestion and acid reflux as it contains antacid properties.

- Worst forms of magnesium: oxide, sulphate, glutamate and aspartate.

Magnesium testing is actually pointless because the results do not accurately reflect the amount of magnesium in your system. But it is water-soluble so any excess is excreted, so it's safe to take. And, if you're taking vit D, you absolutely need to take magnesium because the two work together.

Which antibodies did you test for?

My whole story is in my profile:

healthunlocked.com/user/gre...

under 'Bio'. I finally got help because I helped myself! Doctors were useless. I now self-treat. :)

Minny69 profile image
Minny69 in reply to greygoose

I never knew different magnesium did different things! Thank you. I have to take vit D because I try to avoid the sun due to Bowen's disease (squamous cell in situ) surprise, surprise nobody informed me to take Magnesium also.

I am having pain in my feet and lack of energy so I may try Malate. Also like the sound of the chloride. They all sound good actually.

I hate to say this out loud in case I jinx myself but I haven't had a sore mouth and tongue for about 5 days. I am thinking that is due to supplementing. So I am thinking I am lacking in something.

I feel like I am putting a large jigsaw puzzle together but some of the pieces are missing.

Which antibodies did you test for?

They did coeliac disease screen and rheumatology screen which were both normal.

I have just looked through notes and see Thyroid peroxidase was in Octorber 2018

Thyroid peroxidase antibod lev< 33 IU/ml 0 - 59

I looked at the link you kindly gave me for seeing my posts!!! OMG I came on here asking for help 6 years ago! I couldn't remember that until I started reading. So nothing has improved, infact it is worse than then. What happened back then was all the problems with my skin started and that took over my life and was more stress added to my poor adrenals.

I am sorry this is turning into a really long post. I think I have lost faith in our system and what has brought it to a head is a consultant telling me I really needed to get my anxiety sorted out. I am autistic so that is going to be a bit difficult.

The Drs make me feel like a hypochondriac but I am not. I just don't feel well.

If you have gotten this far reading this, thank you. I will shut up now 🤐 and go and read your post.🙂

greygoose profile image
greygoose in reply to Minny69

I have to take vit D because I try to avoid the sun due to Bowen's disease

The sun doesn't give you all the vit D you need, anyway. Even some hypos in Australia are vit D deficient.

You can take more than one type of magnesium at a time. There are some supplements around that combine several different types.

I haven't had a sore mouth and tongue for about 5 days. I am thinking that is due to supplementing. So I am thinking I am lacking in something.

Have you had your B12 tested? I think that can cause sore mouth if it's low.

Thyroid peroxidase antibod lev< 33 IU/ml 0 - 59

That is negative, but high in-range. So, given that antibodies fluctuate all the time, you could still have Hashi's. You cannot rule it out on the basis of one negative blood test. Also, there's another Hashi's antibody that the NHS doesn't test: Thyroglobulin AB. It that is high it means you have Hashi's. Have you ever had an ultrasound on your thyroid? If not, ask for one.

Don't worry how long your post is. This is the place where you can let it all out! :)

I wonder if that consultant knows that anxiety is a hypo symptom? Yes, they do like to make you feel like a hypochondriac, but it's just a ploy to disguise their lack of knowledge. Don't let it fool you! :)

Regenallotment profile image
Regenallotment

Hey Minnie, we know that shoddy feeling, sending hugs 🤗

Sometimes reading someone else’s experience helps or sets off a lightbulb moment so here goes.

My hair stopped falling out a few months after I started Thorne Basic B complex. Extra separate Folate and Vit D3 +K2 at 4000iu a day with magnesium. It was a long slow road introducing one thing at a time a fortnight apart. My ferritin remained stubbornly low but with help here I started a heme iron supplement called three arrows from the US and it shot up to top of range in 2 months. This has made me feel so much better. I was diagnosed sub clinical hypothyroid with borderline results, I tested privately for antibodies and then GP tested again to confirm Hashimoto’s autoimmune thyroid. This enabled me to start Levothyroxine which actually felt worse before it got better. It took around 9 months to get to a ‘less shit’ feeling.

I still rattle with supplements, I’ve tried reducing some but start to slide backwards again when I do. I always though my super healthy homegrown diet was enough but apparently not, my body just doesn’t make use of the goodness going in unless it’s in industrial strength supplements.

With Hashimoto’s our levels can swing from hypo to hyper and through ‘normal’ and back again over time so go by how you feel as much as by the results. You’ve had super advice above, find out those antibodies as that will explain a lot of they are positive and help understanding what’s going on. 🌱

Minny69 profile image
Minny69

Regenallotment thank you so much for commenting. That is so good to hear your hair has stopped falling out. Are you in the UK?

I am expecting my B supplements to arrive today I have ordered the Igennus. Can I ask which seperate folate you take and which magnesium?

Having this site is a blessing, it stops making you feel so alone and also shows some people do care. The peolple that should care (NHS) make you feel like nobody gives a damn. I know how overwhelmed they are etc. It just ends up making you feel worse though.

Thank you ☺️

Regenallotment profile image
Regenallotment in reply to Minny69

Hi,

Yes, I am in the UK. Here is a pic of my extra folate and magnesium. Hope that helps, sending ‘you got this’ vibes 🤗🌱

Magnesium and Methyl folate

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