Has anyone had improved thyroid labs or reduced their thyroid medication, after optimising their ferritin, B12, folate, or vitamin D?

[Carrie234]

I'm currently on a bit of a mission to try and get my ferritin, B12, folate and vitamin D to optimal levels.

I'd love to hear anyone's stories or experiences of getting these nutrients up, and then finding their TSH, T4 and T3 levels improve and/or they have to reduce their thyroid medication.

It would be encouraging as I work on getting my levels up.

Thank you!

[Buddy195 Administrator]

Yes, my thyroid levels improved when key vitamins were optimal and I needed a slight reduction in thyroid medication. My thyroid antibodies also reduced (yet are still over range) and many adverse symptoms improved (especially energy levels). I also found I needed a slight reduction in thyroid meds when starting HRT (whereas some members report needing v slightly more). So always recheck key vitamins and thyroid levels if I have a dip in my health that I can’t shake off…. Invariably thyroid medication or vitamins need tweaking!

[Carrie234 in reply to Buddy195]

Thanks so much that's really encouraging to hear!

[humanbean]

When I first started taking thyroid hormones in 2013 I was very unwell for reasons unconnected with my thyroid. I tried taking Levo, T3, and NDT in various combinations but discovered that I couldn't tolerate either Levo or NDT i.e. anything that included T4. I could only cope with taking T3 alone.

I managed to raise my Vitamin D, Vitamin B12, and folate without too much difficulty, but my serum iron and ferritin were a nightmare. It took me nearly two years to raise my ferritin to mid-range, but my serum iron stayed low. Any attempts to raise my serum iron did not work but would instead raise my ferritin beyond the level I was happy with.

I took a maintenance dose of iron supplements for five years to keep my ferritin at mid-range. After that five years of maintenance dosing I found that my serum iron was starting to rise, and I also found I could (finally!) tolerate Levo.

So, in total I was (mostly) taking T3 alone for seven years, then in 2020 I switched to Levo only, raised my Levo dose until my Free T4 was above range, dropped back a bit in my dose and then added T3 back in.

I currently tolerate both T4 and T3, and I attribute this to making long-term improvements in my basic nutrients, including iron/ferritin.

[Carrie234 in reply to humanbean]

Thanks so much humanbean, that's a really encouraging and interesting story.

I often wonder if when we are low in a certain nutrient, it is low for a reason and the body can resist attempts to bring the nutrient level up. Not that it should be low, but that perhaps other systems are not optimal which means the body cannot handle that nutrient at the higher level.

Might I ask, did you have any theory as to why you were finally able to raise your serum iron after five years?

[humanbean in reply to Carrie234]

No, I don't know anything for certain about my iron and ferritin problems. The only thing I do know is that I have seven relatives (five females and two males) who have had problems with iron and almost constant anaemia. I think we might all have a genetic problem with iron absorption.

In my case I think one (possibly far-fetched) possibility is that when I was anaemic or iron deficient the doctors would (reluctantly) prescribe iron supplements for about three months then they just stopped prescribing. They all took it for granted that three months worth of iron was enough for anybody.

But in the end I think that my body was so starved of iron, and I had such poor absorption that it took all those years of supplementing to bring my levels up to something that worked for me.

What saved me in the end was finding out that the iron supplements that doctors prescribe (here in the UK) were actually available in pharmacies without prescription, so I could treat myself without having to beg for more. (And begging got me nowhere anyway.)

I also found out about iron panels and found out that I could buy them from Medichecks.

I would never rely on doctors to treat my iron ever again.

[Carrie234 in reply to humanbean]

Thank you, that makes a lot of sense, that it can take a long time of continuous supplementation to get the iron levels up. I'm looking forward to feeling better I hope, as I bring mine up.

[terebol]

I'm glad someone posted this question as I have wondered the same thing.