Blood results from private test - anything I should be aware of here?

[catlady444]

Hello

First time poster here! I am female, 43 years old. I developed long covid in 2020, and with a lot of hard work and changes I would say I'm 80% recovered from the worst of it all. I still have some bouts of chronic fatigue here and there but mostly ok.

However since them I seemed to develop symptoms similar to that of underactive thyroid - fatigue, dry skin, hands/feet and scalp, gaining weight easily, cold hands and feet before I eat, alcohol intolerance, constipation (something I have always struggled with to be honest, this improves with taking fibre).

The weight gain is the most frustrating, more recently if I put any weight on it is super hard to get off. I am fairly active, walk 10k steps most days and weight train 2/3 times per week. Diet isnt perfect but try and get enough protein and balance and try not to overeat!

I guess I am trying to rule out underlying health issues and once I do this then I maybe have to accept it may be perimenopause kicking in unfortunately or may just be ongoing long covid difficulties.

I had an early miscarriage in November 2024 and my thyroid results were questionable, only had TSH done - 2.2 mU/L and total T4 10.1 (no ranges given).

Asked the GP to repeat these in December 2024 and they would only do:

TSH - 1.26 mU/L (0.35 - 5.00 ) and free T4 (12.2) from thyroid panel

serum ferritin 48 ug/l (15-200), serum folate 17.1 ug/L (3.1-20), active B12 - 128 pmol/L (>25)

LFTs, C reactive protein glucose and HbA1c all taken too and within in optimal normal ranges.

I had a private blood test taken by Blue Horizon as recommended on Thyroid UK as doctor refused to do T3 levels (very quick and easy service to use!) and results as follows:

Vit D - 53 (50-200 nmol/L)

Magnesium - 0.9 (0.7-1.0 nmol/L)

Ferritin - 62 (13-150 ug/L)

Serum folate - 29 (8.83-60.8nmol/L)

Active B12 - 100 (37.5-150 pmol/L)

TSH - 2.31 (0.27-4.20 mlU/L)

Free T4 - 13.2 (12 - 22 pmol/L)

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

T4 total - 90.6 (66-181 nmol/L)

Anti-thyroidglobulin Abs - 15 (<115 lU/ml)

Anti-thyroidperoxidase 14.2 (<34 IU/ml)

Cortisol - 411 (73.8-507 nmol/L) - Sample taken in morning (6am-10am 166-507)

Aware my vit D is low in this test however I was on holiday in Morocco in October 2024 and also take vitamin D gummies every day so this has really surprised me. The other results all seem pretty normal according to the ranges, but is there anything I should be looking out for here?

Just want to make sure I'm not missing anything as will be trying to conceive again soon.

Thanks in advance!

[Rapunzel]

SlowDragon our vitamin queen and humanbean for Vitamin D.

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

may help; looking at your results, this is just as important for baby making as it is for thyroid health.

[catlady444 in reply to Rapunzel]

hello! Apologies for the delay in replying. Work was tough this week and only getting round to doing some life admin!

I tried to access the article in this post but it was behind a paywall unfortunately. I’ll have a dig about though and see what I come up with!

I’m going to write a list of supplements I currently take soon SlowDragon , just wondering if anyone has an ideas about a good vitamin D supplement? I think I might also try and get a full vitamin panel done to see if any other B vitamins or anything else is low.

I’m not veggie although I don’t eat red meat very often. Mostly eat chicken and fish. My ferritin was up at 82 pre-miscarriage and had a couple of heavy periods since (with another on the way) so will aim to work on that as well.

I do think there’s something going on for sure, I guess will just take a bit of digging 😀

[Rapunzel in reply to catlady444]

I copy/pasted the article, a little further down on the same post 😘

[SlowDragon Ambassador in reply to catlady444]

GP will often only prescribe to bring vitamin D levels to 50nmol.

Some areas will prescribe to bring levels to 75nmol or even 80nmol

leedsformulary.nhs.uk/docs/...

GP should advise on self supplementing if over 50nmol, but under 75nmol (but they rarely do)

mm.wirral.nhs.uk/document_u...

But improving to around 80nmol or 100nmol by self supplementing may be better

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/218...

vitamindsociety.org/pdf/Vit...

Once you Improve level, very likely you will need on going maintenance dose to keep it there.

Test twice yearly when supplementing

Can test via NHS private testing service

vitamindtest.org.uk

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

Vitamin D may prevent Autoimmune disease

newscientist.com/article/23...

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...

[SlowDragon Ambassador]

welcome to the forum

Thyroid levels are certainly low

Free T4 (fT4) 13.2 pmol/L (12 - 22) 

Ft4 only 12.0% through range

Free T3 (fT3) 4.6 pmol/L (3.1 - 6.8) 

Ft3 better at 40.5% through range

TSH is not responding correctly to very low Ft4

First step is to

A) get all vitamins to GOOD levels

B) consider getting ultrasound scan of thyroid

20% of Hashimoto's patients never have raised antibodies

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Paul Robson on atrophied thyroid - especially if no TPO antibodies

paulrobinsonthyroid.com/cou...

Vitamin levels

Exactly what vitamin supplements are you taking

Aiming for

Vitamin D at least over 80nmol

Lowish ferritin

Are you vegetarian or vegan

Or heavy periods

Look at increasing iron rich foods in your diet