Could I actually have a thyroid issue? Thyroid tests seem fine. Confused, please help

[Jdxxx]

Hi everyone,

I’m seeing a functional doctor in Brazil (online, so there’s some limitation) and also working with a few traditional medicine doctors in the UK.

I became an useless person over the last year, I went from bright and lively to stupid, fat, insomnia ridden, gold-fish memory, paper thin nails, swollen body and cellulite-ridden with leg aches , loud tinnitus, anxiety and depression at its all time high, from top performer, to poorest performer at work, isolated, moody… It happened very sudden in my view and symptoms progressively worsening.

So far I’ve found out I have H pylori (will start treatment soon), iron deficiency anemia (due to receive IV infusion), low in iodine (supplementing 2 x week with 5% Lugol (I dissolve 1 drop in a bit of water and I take 1 teaspoon of that water), also endometriosis, ovarian cyst and uterine fibroids which I will have a surgery once my iron levels are a bit better.

My Brazilian Funcional doctor prescribed T4 and T3 straight away prior to testing, but I could only get the T3 so far and haven’t started yet. UK doctors have not mentioned anything about my thyroid as it seems all my results are in range.

Do you think any of results below warrant me taking Thyroid medication? What is more bizarre for me is how fast I’ve put on weight and one of the medications I tried removed my apetite were I was barely taking 1000 calories a day (weighted all food and tracker) and in 1 week I only lost 100g, I am worried because I am very swollen legs so if I lost 100g only I am not even losing the water weight so I don’t get what could it be…

Please any advice is welcome!

Thank you so much!

Serum Iron: 5.5

UIBC: 77

Iron binding saturation: 7

Ferritin: 15ug/L

TSH: 1.22

Free T4: 17.7

Free T3: 4.6

Reverse T3: 0.15ng/mL

Anti TPO: <4

Anti TG: 22

Parathyroid hormone: 34.0pg/mL

Iodine urine: 63.10ug

Vitamin D: 54

Folate: 17.9ug/L

B12: 256.0 pmol/L

Homocysteine: 6.6 umon/L

Glycanted haemoglobin (HbA1C) 32mmol/mol

Haemoglobin A1C: 5

thank you for any advice 🫶

[GlowCoach Administrator]

Can you add reference ranges for each test? These are important as they vary between labs - numbers in brackets after your result.

By most ranges your thyroid numbers dont look especially suspicious but your B12 is horribly low.

Are you vegan or vegetarian?

[Jdxxx in reply to GlowCoach]

Thank you for replying! I’ve added the blood tests with the laboratory ranges. The functional doctor prescribed t3-t4 without any labs, just based on my symptoms and then asked for tests but he wanted me to feel better while I was testing and waiting for follow up… I didn’t take it though because I’m afraid of messing up, but he is one of the doctors that believe people have subclinical hypothyroidism… but I don’t see any indication as well hence the reason why I wanted to see if anyone here had any views on it, maybe my symptoms are due to iron and h pylori but I just can’t figure out the inability to lose weight and that is the only one that I thought would make my symptoms something thyroid related. my glucose and stuff like that seem to be fine…

[Jazzw]

Is that B12 result a serum B12 or active B12 result? If it’s an active B12 result, it’s going to be above the reference range and won’t be the problem. If it’s a serum B12 result, it might be.

[Jdxxx in reply to Jazzw]

B12 is active and I was taking supplements at the time (methylcobalalin)

[Jdxxx]

Adding the blood tests with lab range.

Serum Iron: 5.5umol/L ---- (5.8-34.5)

UIBC: 77 umol/L ---- (24.2-70.01)

Iron binding saturation: 7% ----- (15-50)

Ferritin: 15ng/L ----- (13-150 – optimum ferritin level for females >27)

TSH: 1.22 ----- 0,5–5,0 mUI/L)

Free T4: 16.6 ----- (12–22 pmol/L)

Free T3: 4.6 ----- (3.1- 6.8 ) pmol/L

Reverse T3: 0.15ng/mL ----- (0.12 - 0.35)

Anti TPO: <4IU/L ----- (<25)

Anti TG: 22 IU/L ----- (<40)

Parathyroid hormone: 34.0pg/mL ----- (15.0 - 65.0)

Iodine urine: 63.10ug ----- (100-199)

Vitamin D: 54 ----- (200 reduce)

Folate: 17.9ug/L ----- (>2.9)

B12: >256.0 pmol/L ----- (25.1 -165.0)

Homocysteine: 6.6 umon/L ----- (<15)

Glycated haemoglobin (HbA1C): 32mmol/mol ----- (20-41)

Haemoglobin A1C: 5% ----- (4-6%)

[GlowCoach Administrator in reply to Jdxxx]

Iron & ferritin are horribly low. You might want to give it a month or two after your infusion and assess how you feel then.

FT4 looks like a very wide range. Is that range correct - 12-31?

[Jdxxx in reply to GlowCoach]

T4 was incorrect, sorry - I’ve edit it. My result is 16.6pmol/L and the lab range is 12.0-22.0.

I agree, I’ll wait after infusion to see - thank you for the feedback

[GlowCoach Administrator in reply to Jdxxx]

Free T4 (fT4) 16.6 pmol/L (12 - 22) 46.0%

Free T3 (fT3) 4.6 pmol/L (3.1 - 6.8) 40.5%

Your results aren't the best but they definitely arent the worst and you dont have positive antibodies. I think watch and wait would be abetter plan than diving in with thyroid replacement.

It would be good to understand why your iron & ferritin were so low. If you're not vegan or vegetarian get checked for coeliacs.

Are you supplementing any vitamins as yet?

[jgelliss in reply to GlowCoach]

I found with my personal thyroid journey that Dr's never flaged my low Iron/Ferritin levels even though it was clearly marked low. It just made my thyroid meds work the way they are supposed to. I had all sorts of Hypo/Hyper symptoms. After joining our Great Forum that I learned how crucial vitamins are and are cofactor to our thyroid hormones to work Optimally for us.

[RedOne1]

Have you had your hormone levels tested? Endo, fibroids and ovarian cysts could be due to a hormone imbalance such as low Progesterone/ high oestrogen. I am aware of people treating the above and other symptoms you describe with Progesterone. May be worth looking into if you haven't already. There is a Facebook group - hormonal balance support group UK. They have lots of info and research available.

[Jdxxx in reply to RedOne1]

Thank you! I have not looked into that properly yet. I feel I’m on an intensive medicine course this year 🥹😅