A blood test 2 months ago showed very low iron (9 on 1st test) I have always taken feroglobin liquid to boost iron and b vitamins. I was put on a months high dose Iron, 610mg daily and after re testing my iron 6 weeks later it is only up to 10! My GP suggests just keep taking Iron supplements however the ones in the shops are 14mg. Any advice please, I an soooo cold and tired. (Also underactive)
Low Iron Levels.: A blood test 2 months ago... - Thyroid UK
Low Iron Levels.
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Loulabelle19
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how much Levo are you taking
Do you always get same brand levothyroxine at each prescription
What are your most recent thyroid results
TSH, Ft4 and Ft3
What other vitamin supplements are you taking
Plus what are B12, folate, vitamin D and have you also got ferritin test results
Any obvious reason for low iron/ferritin
Are you vegetarian or vegan
Pre or post menopause?
cks.nice.org.uk/topics/anae...
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
If taking any iron supplements stop 5-7 days before testing
Medichecks iron panel test
medichecks.com/products/iro...
Look at increasing iron rich foods in diet
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
List of iron rich foods
Links about iron and ferritin
irondisorders.org/too-littl...
davidg170.sg-host.com/wp-co...
Great in-depth article on low ferritin
oatext.com/iron-deficiency-...
drhedberg.com/ferritin-hypo...
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.
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Posts discussing Three Arrows as very effective supplement
Great replies from @FallingInReverse
re ferritin and Three arrows
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu......
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Great reply by @fallinginreverse
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Ferrodyn supplement
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Thyroid disease is as much about optimising vitamins as thyroid hormones
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
restartmed.com/hypothyroidi...
Post discussing just how long it can take to raise low ferritin
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Iron and thyroid link
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Posts discussing why important to do full iron panel test
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Good iron but low ferritin
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Chicken livers if iron is good, but ferritin low
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Shellfish and Mussels are excellent source of iron
healthline.com/nutrition/he...
Iron deficiency without anaemia
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Ferritin over 100 to alleviate symptoms
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Great research article discussing similar…..ferritin over 100 often necessary
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...
Low Iron implicated in hypothyroidism
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Thanks for your reply, lots to read through. As the level was less than 10 diagnosis of iron deficiency hence the large supplement dose. I am just concerned as levels aren't increasing even on this high dose. Dr. blames heavy periods for cause as I have always had low iron levels. I eat lots of red meat, liver and green veg,kale, cabbage, sprouts, spinach etc. I do drink quite a bit of coffee. I take 175 levothyroxine daily, have been on this dose 12 years. Had previous RAI treatment 1997 been on thyroxine since. Only test for tsh now and GPS's will no longer give put result just update you whether it is in range or not. Currently in range. Also no longer test for menopause but gp thinks as no exact symtoms not in peri menopause yet either. Also don't test for vitamins so not sure but I take berrocca every morning and feroglobin liquid daily. Now take 3000 vit d as recently diagnosed with MS too.
I would STRONGLY recommend getting FULL thyroid and vitamin testing yourself
Just testing TSH is totally inadequate but all NHS increasingly does
Berroca is not recommended on here …..cheap and inadequate dose
Stop this or any supplements that contain biotin a week before all blood tests
Instead supplementing a good quality daily vitamin B complex, one with folate in (not folic acid)
This can help keep all B vitamins in balance and will help improve B12 levels too
Difference between folate and folic acid
healthline.com/nutrition/fo...
B vitamins best taken after breakfast
Igennus B complex popular option. Nice small tablets. Most people only find they need one per day. But a few people find it’s not high enough dose and may need separate methyl folate couple times a week
Post discussing different B complex
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
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 5-7 days before ALL BLOOD TESTS , as biotin can falsely affect test results
endo.confex.com/endo/2016en...
endocrinenews.endocrine.org...
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 if last test result serum B12 was below 500 or active B12 (private test) under 70:
Post discussing how biotin can affect test results
Get full iron panel test before trying Three Arrows iron
Retest regularly
Vitamin D
Aiming to maintain at least over 80nmol but 100-150nmol may be better
Test twice yearly when supplementing
Can test via NHS private testing service
Vitamin D mouth spray by Better You is very effective as it avoids poor gut function.
There’s a version made that also contains vitamin K2 Mk7.
One spray = 1000iu
amazon.co.uk/BetterYou-Dlux...
It’s trial and error what dose we need, with thyroid issues we frequently need higher dose than average
Web links about taking important cofactors - magnesium and Vit K2-MK7
Magnesium best taken in the afternoon or evening, but must be four hours away from levothyroxine
betterbones.com/bone-nutrit...
medicalnewstoday.com/articl...
livescience.com/61866-magne...
sciencedaily.com/releases/2...
Recipe ideas
bbc.co.uk/food/articles/mag...
Interesting article by Dr Malcolm Kendrick on magnesium
drmalcolmkendrick.org/categ...
Vitamin K2 mk7
betterbones.com/bone-nutrit...
healthline.com/nutrition/vi...
MS and vitamin D
Only test for tsh now and GPS's will no longer give put result just update you whether it is in range or not.
You are legally entitled to printed copies of your actual blood test results and ranges.
The best way to get access to current and historic blood test results is to register for online access to your medical record and blood test results
UK GP practices are supposed to offer everyone online access for blood test results. Easiest option is NHS app, you may need "enhanced access" to see blood results.
This currently only applies in England, not across the whole of the UK. Nether Scotland nor N.Ireland have released an NHS app for patients. (Scotland supposedly due in December '24.) Wales has an app, but only for booking appointments, repeat prescriptions and amending personal details
Link re access
patients-association.org.uk...
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
In reality some GP surgeries still do not have blood test results online yet
Alternatively ring receptionist and request printed copies of results. Allow couple of days and then go and pick up.
Bloods should be retested 6-8 weeks after each dose change or brand change in levothyroxine
Ask for Tranexamic acid for heavy periods, it’s excellent has really helped me hold onto iron.
Have a read of my profile, I found this forum 3 years ago with low iron like yours.
I couldn’t tolerate iron tablets so I got a GP referral to NHS haematology and I have iron infusions.
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