Bloodtest results

[catpurple7]

Hi everyone, these are my 8 weeks tests following a levothyroxine reduction.

TSH 0.01 mU/L 0.30-4.20

FT4 16.4 pmol/L 9.0-19.0

FT3 4.2 pmol/L 3-5.4

B12 899 ng/L 180-900

Vit D 196 nmol/L 50-250

Transferrin Sat Index 31% 16-50

Serum Transferrin 2.71 g/L 1.8-3.6

Serum Iron 21.1 micromol/L 11-30

Folate 12.5 microg/L 3.0-20.0

Ferritin 41.6 microg/L 30-336 (it says that this is a new reference range)

I followed protocol, no levo 24 hours, no b complex for 7 days, i stopped the iron patch 3 days before (just in case) and test was done fasted at 8.45am.

I'm currently taking 112.5mcg levothyroxine, B complex (pink tribe lipsomal), B12 spray probably 2 or 3 times a week when i remember, vitamin c, a probiotic, iron patch (50mg) vitamin d + k2 5000iu - 6000iu and magnesium. I've also started taking a digestive enzyme and an evening primrose capsule for the hot flushes🥵

I've had a text message from the Dr saying i need to reduce my dose by 25mcg, also at my last test i'd been using the iron patches for 7 weeks and my levels had gone up, but now i've been using them for 16 weeks and my levels have gone down.

I'm tired all the time, no energy, my joints ache, because my iron levels were going up i dismissed it being iron and presumed it was the menopause!!! 😱

Any advice as always is very grateful 😊

[SlowDragon Administrator]

FT4: 16.4 pmol/l (Range 9 - 19)

Ft4 is 74.00% through range

FT3: 4.2 pmol/l (Range 3 - 5.4)

Ft3 only 50.00% through range

Suggest you refuse to reduce dose further

Work hard on improving low ferritin

Ferritin at least over 70 to help improve conversion rate

Retest again in another 6-8 weeks

See if Ft4 or Ft3 go up (hopefully) or down

If Ft4 drops further you will need to increase levothyroxine a SMALL amount

If Ft4 is constant and Ft3 dropping then look at getting T3 prescribed alongside levothyroxine

[catpurple7 in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks for the advice, i'm presuming that because my ferritin and iron have gone down then the patches are not working?

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to catpurple7]

Possibly…..but reducing levothyroxine has probably had a negative impact

[catpurple7 in reply to SlowDragon]

why can't things be simple 🙄 i think i might get the heme iron that seems to of helped a few people on here 🤔

[TiggerMe Ambassador in reply to catpurple7]

I'm with SD absolutely refuse another dose drop, if they bang on about it ask for a referral..... are you avoiding HRT?

Shame about the patches perhaps the initial rise in ferritin was down to a minor infection 🤷‍♀️

[catpurple7 in reply to TiggerMe]

my dr doesn't even know what dose i'm on 🙄 and i've told her twice!!!

I always said i'd never go on hrt, but now i'm not so sure 😬 the hot flushes are not very nice at all but since starting evening primrose i've hardly had any 🤞

i wonder if my fatigue and aches and joint pains are down to the menopause or low iron? 🤔

[TiggerMe Ambassador in reply to catpurple7]

Hopeless isn't it .... low TSH... must reduce dose 😠😠

Probably a bit of both as the symptoms cross over, we have estrogen receptors throughout our bodies much like T3 receptors, I can thoroughly recommend the body identical (made from yams) life is miserable with low hormones whether thyroid or sex and has a knock on effect with heart and bone health 😕

[farrellkl68 in reply to TiggerMe]

I’ve been on HRT for 4 years now. I’ve gradually reduced my oestrogen patch down to 25 now I’m post meno.

[TiggerMe Ambassador in reply to farrellkl68]

Are you planning on stopping?

[farrellkl68 in reply to TiggerMe]

Staying on it for now , until I’ve seen endo.

I don’t think there are any studies that go beyond 5 years , so it’s weighing up the risks v benefits.

I’m low risk for BC, although I do have a cyst . I think that can be linked to thyroid too?

I saw my mum go through menopause without it and she had so many things go wrong in her 60s 😢. She was hypo too.

[TiggerMe Ambassador in reply to farrellkl68]

I've heard a fantastic interview with a lady who started HRT in her 30's and is still the life and sole in her 80's that has watched all her disapproving friends suffer and fade with many other issues, I shall see if I can find it, she was a shining light.

I've no intention of letting my levels drop off having been there 🙃

I've a couple of cysts too

[TiggerMe Ambassador in reply to farrellkl68]

Found it!... Loads of great interviews but this one really stuck with me...

podcasts.apple.com/gb/podca...

[farrellkl68 in reply to TiggerMe]

Thank you Eeyore . . I will take a look .

The cyst did worry me . I want my next mammogram to confirm it definitely is one . Long story but NHS referral involved cyst being aspirated but wasn’t 🙈.

I went private and they are “pretty sure” it’s a cyst. nobody would do a mammogram as it was only 9 months since last one .

[catpurple7 in reply to TiggerMe]

Is that something the dr prescribes or can you get it over the counter? although it feels like the more i take to try and feel better just makes me feel worse 🙄 😂

[TiggerMe Ambassador in reply to catpurple7]

It's prescribed but straight forward to trial if you ask them for specific types like Oestrogel or Lenzetto with Utrogestan

balance-menopause.com/uploa...

Lots of info here... balance-menopause.com/subje...

[catpurple7 in reply to TiggerMe]

my b12 and vit d look high to me, should i stop supplementing?🤔🤷

[TiggerMe Ambassador in reply to catpurple7]

Top of range is good for both, Vit D will likely start to drop a little as we go into the dark months 🤗

[catpurple7 in reply to TiggerMe]

should i stay on the same dose for vit d, i'm currently taking 5000-6000iu or maybe reduce to 3000iu 🤔

[TiggerMe Ambassador in reply to catpurple7]

I think the 'standard' dose is 3000iu and people might go up to 4000iu for the winter... any idea where you were before supplementing? This might give you a clue as to your own production... you've certainly room to drop down and still keep it over 100 I'd have thought

I tend to keep mine the same as I invariably skip a dose here and there and mine used to drop in the summer if I stopped🤷‍♀️

[catpurple7 in reply to TiggerMe]

Looking back to when i bought the vitamin d i'm on, it was last august and my vitamin d level then was 44 nmol/L

[farrellkl68]

my TSH and T4 were very similar at my annual blood test .

I was having hyper symptoms.

12 months ago my TSH was 0.6. T4 had never been reported previously .

Was told test again in 6 months but I’ve got an appointment with private endo in 3 weeks .

Hoping to get the whole thyroid blood tests done .

[catpurple7 in reply to farrellkl68]

i thought i was finally going in the right direction as it's taken me ages to increase my ferritin levels and now they've gone back down 🙄

[farrellkl68]

I was diagnosed as hypothyroid 21 years ago , it runs in my family but the menopause ( technically post meno now) is what’s really exacerbated my symptoms .

As I said above I’ve been on HRT for 4 years. I’m 55.

Actually my TSH was 0.9 12 months ago not 0.6 🙄.

never had ferretin tested . Got a list of tests I’d like to have with Endo.

I’m a healthy weight, don’t drink, exercise , sleep okay .

I’m just tired of feeling rubbish .,

[catpurple7 in reply to farrellkl68]

I'm tired of feeling rubbish too, i'm on a weeks holiday from work and i've sat on the sofa and done nothing all week 😱

[farrellkl68]

that’s rubbish .

I make myself go for 10 mins walk before work in a morning .

And I’ve started lifting weights with a trainer at the gym . She’s really into hormonal health and she’s aware of my fatigue , so we don’t do any cardio .

Spinning is my worst nightmare 🙈.

I do actually feel energised afterwards even though I’d rather be on the sofa eating a chocolate Orange 🤣.

just hoping that the endo can figure out what’s going on . The GP quite happy for me to go elsewhere, I think …

[catpurple7 in reply to farrellkl68]

I'm not sure my legs could move that quick 😂

[farrellkl68 in reply to catpurple7]

😅

[AbiKat1]

I had to reduce thyroxine when my TSH was that level, I just reduced down by 25mcg in the week only. I found my symptoms totally improved. No more aches and pains.

I have had to drop and increase many times, my auto immune thyroid can go up and down, especially when triggered.

Menopause / perimenopause, plays havoc with the thyroid levels.

Everyone is different but see what an endocrinologist suggests for your symptoms.

All the best