Please could you have a quick look at my latest blood results and advise on anything you think isn’t as it should be... 🙏
I’m on 125mcg Levo but feel really tired most days and would sleep if I let myself! I think my iron is low (always is). I take Terra Nova easy iron 20mg - 1 a day and also take B12 (this is so much better since taking Nature Privudes drops, as recommended on here!)
I also take Thorne Basic B and Feel magnesium + calcium and Feel Immunity daily.
I stopped taking Basic B four days prior to my blood test (also didn’t eat in the morning of test, which was at 9.20 am)
I’ve been wondering if I qualify for trying T3? Never had it before and not sure if it would help me or not..
I’m Hashi’s and also vegetarian. I wondered if my levels are a bit off as the tiredness is back and slight brain fog too.. but my thyroid numbers seem okay - compared to my previous tests.
Never supplement iron without doing full iron panel test for anaemia first and retest 3-4 times a year if self supplementing. It’s possible to have low ferritin but high iron
Test early morning, only water to drink between waking and test. Avoid high iron rich dinner night before test
If taking iron supplements stop 5-7 days before test
Eating iron rich foods like liver or liver pate once a week plus other red meat, pumpkin seeds and dark chocolate, plus daily orange juice or other vitamin C rich drink can help improve iron absorption
This is interesting because I have noticed that many patients with Hashimoto’s disease and hypothyroidism, start to feel worse when their ferritin drops below 80 and usually there is hair loss when it drops below 50.
Thank you for your incredible patience while you have been awaiting the outcome of our ferritin reference range review. We conducted this with Inuvi lab, which has now changed the reference ranges to the following:
Females 18 ≤ age < 40 30 to 180
Females 40 ≤ age < 50 30 to 207
Females 50 ≤ age < 60 30 to 264
Females Age ≥ 60 30 to 332
Males 18 ≤ age < 40 30 to 442
Males Age ≥ 40 30 to 518
The lower limits of 30 are by the NICE threshold of <30 for iron deficiency. Our review of Medichecks data has determined the upper limits. This retrospective study used a large dataset of blood test results from 25,425 healthy participants aged 18 to 97 over seven years. This is the most extensive study on ferritin reference ranges, and we hope to achieve journal publication so that these ranges can be applied more widely.
Thank you SlowDragon , I'll get a full iron panel test ASAP and also FT4 - I completely missed that one being missing. I'm sure it was on my blood form, perhaps the lab didn't include it..
Since you are taking 125mcg Levo, and FT3 is low, this suggests your T4 to T3 conversion is impaired....but we don't have an FT4 result to be certain right now
This FT3 result is 48% through the reference range - for most people this is too low. Best if roughly approaching 75%
For good health T3 must flood almost every cell in the body by way of an adequate and constant supply....it looks as if this isn't happening
Low cellular T3 = poor health
One important role of thyroid hormones ( particulary T3) is to promote oxygen delivery to tissues. So, if you have low thyroid hormone levels your tissues may have low oxygen levels causing fatigue amongst other issues.
And.. if T3 is low, metabolism slows down also causing fatigue
We need a full thyroid test to so that we can establish conversion and see what's going on
TSH, FT4, FT3, vit D, vit B12, folate and ferritin
You have Hashi's so no need to repeat thyroid antibodies tests
my thyroid numbers seem okay - compared to my previous tests.
Thank you so much @dippydame, this is really helpful and insightful. I've always struggled to understand the conversion but this explains it well!
It also gives me ammunition to take to my GP as I've had a message back about my request for T4 and full iron panel. They've approved the iron but had a message back from my GP saying she's requested my iron levels but the lab have changed their protocol not to test for T4 unless the TSH is out of range. And that "it's very reassuring that the T3 is normal."
I'll try and explain the importance of needing T4, T3 and TSH and keep everything crossed!
I have been on 100ug Levothoxrine daily and to be honest have not felt any adverse affects. I am managing well generally. I have had a full thyroid removal in April last year and so far so good.
Hi SlowDragon and DippyDame - and anyone else in the know...
I've had my extra blood results back - which are below - any insight / thoughts on these would be amazing. They were taken with iron (20mg) for 7 days and at 8.40am.
The lab rejected my re-tests of Folate, Ferritin, B12 and D, as I had these tested less than 3 months ago. I'm going to request this is overturned tomorrow, but in the meantime, the results for these for 10th Jan were (although hadn't stopped iron supplements 7 days prior to this test, unlike my most recent one)
Thank you for your incredible patience while you have been awaiting the outcome of our ferritin reference range review. We conducted this with Inuvi lab, which has now changed the reference ranges to the following:
Females 18 ≤ age < 40. 30 to 180
Females 40 ≤ age < 50. 30 to 207
Females 50 ≤ age < 60. 30 to 264
Females Age ≥ 60. 30 to 332
Males 18 ≤ age < 40 30 to 442
Males Age ≥ 40 30 to 518
The lower limits of 30 are by the NICE threshold of <30 for iron deficiency. Our review of Medichecks data has determined the upper limits. This retrospective study used a large dataset of blood test results from 25,425 healthy participants aged 18 to 97 over seven years. This is the most extensive study on ferritin reference ranges, and we hope to achieve journal publication so that these ranges can be applied more widely.
Thanks SlowDragon So do you think higher levo and not T3?
I know my GP is going to challenge this, based on my TSH even though that isn't the whole picture. What dose woudl you recommend? And do you think I need a stronger iron supplement (currently taking Terra Nova easy iron 20mg) daily.
Thank you. I've heard Three Arrows is great but I'm vegetarian so it's not suitable for me unfortunately. Can you recommend anything else that's similar, but veggie friendly?
I'll request a medication review with my GP for levo increase..
I notice you are taking a combined magnesium and calcium supplement. Have you ever had your calcium levels measured?
If your calcium levels are already good then taking more is not a good idea. Excess calcium can end up lining your arteries and adding to the problem of "hardening of the arteries".
I’ve been asked to retest my folate as this was the only one of my tests to be rejected earlier this month.
I’ve not had just folate tested before - please can you advise on any prep I need to do for just folate? Do I need to stop Basic B? Is there anything else I should omit prior to blood draw? I’m taking 1 tablet of 210 mg Ferrous fumarate a day atm.
My levo was increased to 150mcg and 210mg Ferrous Fumarate prescribed on 23rd Feb 2024 - which have both made a huge difference to how I feel. Next Thursday's blood test will be my first since the increase and FF so I'm interested to see what my levels are now ( I feel like they've improved)
I just hate blood test prep as I feel wiped out when stopped Basic B and not having any FF. But worth it to get a clear reading!
In week before blood test, when you stop vitamin B complex, you might want to consider taking a separate folate supplement (eg Jarrow methyl folate 400mcg) and separate B12
Thank you again. The Nature Provides B12 drops are great - I’ve had them before. Out of interest, can you take them alongside Basic B, (after blood draw, has been done) or would that be too much B12? I stopped the drops when I started Thorne Basic B..
I’ll get some Jarrow - thanks so much for the recommendation
That makes sense - thank you. I think that’s why I stopped the natures aid drops as I’d got to a good level and thought I’d see how I am just on B complex. But will add back in if my levels are low in my upcoming test.
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