I had been waiting to see an endocrinologist for 7 months after a low cortisol result in August last year. I saw them last week and they said there was nothing wrong with me according to tests and it was probably medication related. Please could I use the knowledge of this forum to look at my blood results and offer advice for next steps...
TSH (0.4-5) - 1.7mlU/L June 2023
Free T4 (9-19) - 10pmol/L June 2023
Cortisol - 380 nmol/L Dec 2023
SST baseline 145 rising to 532 Sept 2023
229 August 2023
B12 (189-883) - 402 Ng/L Aug 2023
Folate (3.1-20) - 6.6 ug/L Aug 2023
Iron (7-26) - 8.9umol/L June 2023
Vitamin D - 24mmol/L Dec 2023
Thank you in advance.
Written by
Tigghilly
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Sorry, missed this. I take omazraprole as I was on naproxen. However I had b12 and iron deficiencies before I began taking it. B12 deficiency was diagnosed over 7 years ago and originally had loading dose injections but then nothing.
Serum ferritin level is the biochemical test, which most reliably correlates with relative total body iron stores. In all people, a serum ferritin level of less than 30 micrograms/L confirms the diagnosis of iron deficiency.
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
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 264l
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.
With serum B12 result below 500, (Or active B12 below 70) recommended to be taking a separate B12 supplement
A week later add a separate vitamin B Complex
Then once your serum B12 is over 500 (or Active B12 level has reached 70), you may be able to reduce then stop the B12 and just carry on with the B Complex.
If Vegetarian or vegan likely to need ongoing separate B12 few times a week
Thorne Basic B recommended vitamin B complex that contains folate, but they are large capsules. (You can tip powder out if can’t swallow capsule) Thorne can be difficult to find at reasonable price, should be around £20-£25. iherb.com often have in stock. Or try ebay
IMPORTANT......If you are taking vitamin B complex, or any supplements containing biotin, remember to stop these 7 days before ALL BLOOD TESTS , as biotin can falsely affect test results
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 continue separate B12
Post discussing how biotin can affect test results
I had been waiting to see an endocrinologist for 7 months after a low cortisol result in August last year.
Pity you didn’t join here and get FULL thyroid retest just BEFORE consultation
Most endocrinologists are diabetic specialists and useless for thyroid
Once you get vitamin levels improved and full thyroid including thyroid antibodies you may wish to see thyroid specialist endocrinologist
Here’s link for how to request Thyroid U.K.list of private Doctors emailed to you, but within the email a link to download list of recommended thyroid specialist endocrinologists
Ideally choose an endocrinologist to see privately initially and who also does NHS consultations
Thank you for this. I have been taking supplements for over a year now. Ordered a full thyroid and vitamin test last night and was planning on doing it next week... Can I post the results? I know you said 2-3 months but I've already been taking the supplements.
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Advice on vitamins please and blood results.
Blood test results - advice please.
Advice on blood test result please
Blood test results advice please 
Blood test results and advice please 
