low Ferritin lab, on T3 only, stalled out any support helpful

[SheeshKabab]

after years of T4/T3, Dr switch me to Nature Thyroid in Oct. amazing first wk. then backwards. They upped it, same results, then added 25mcg T4 to it. Again great then NOT. Jan switched me to T3, cont with the T4. Amazing week, then backwards to not good.

upped T3 , same again. Reverse T3 lab says 9.

Stopped T4 march 10th.

I continue to feel extremely bad.

headaches, heavy head. Cognitively off, dizzy nausea even

( I did have mild concussion in Jan, but had many days I felt great when first raising T3)So bit of conundrum on it being from the fall as so many good days after it Sorry for that twist.

I just learned my Ferritin came back in Low end of Normal 36

according to great work by Paul Robinson, I’m thinking , hoping maybe this is missing piece

See iron panel attached.

Any guidance on HOW to best raise Ferritin I’d be so grateful.

tricky as needs to be not near dosing and currently I take multiple dosing a day of T3

Currently 20/15/15mcg ( 6am, 11am, 4pm)

Although feeling terrible w heavy head. Brain fog, even vision disturbance

Sorry for all this. Any insights so deeply thankful

[greygoose]

What you're describing - feeling good then not so good, increase dose and pattern repeats - is perfectly normal. That's the way it works. And starting to feel bad again is just an indication that you're ready for your next increase in dose. And this will continue until you reach your sweet-spot and symptoms disappear.

[Sasah in reply to greygoose]

What if you never reach it or dose needs to be too high!

[greygoose in reply to Sasah]

Well, that would depend on the individual case and what they're taking.

Someone on T4 only, for example, if they have to keep increasing their dose until the FT4 is too high, it would mean that either they're poor converters and need some T3 added to their T4, or that they are having problems absorbing the hormone into the cells, so they would probably need to be on T4 mono-therapy. There's no solution that fits every case.

[Sasah in reply to greygoose]

Thanks for reply.x

[greygoose in reply to Sasah]

You're welcome.

[Kerry124]

I ate pate a few times a week to increase my ferritin when it was low. Strangely now it’s quite high but I think it can be high if you have gone through the menopause and you also have a autoimmune disease like I have

[humanbean]

Ferritin 36 (16 - 232) 9% through the range

Iron, Total 101 (45 - 160) 49% through the range

Iron Binding Capacity 287 (250 - 450) 18% through the range

% Saturation 35 (16 - 45)

You haven't mentioned which country you live in. In the UK NICE (the National Institute For Health And Care Excellence) has declared that a ferritin level less than 30 is indicative of iron deficiency. If you don't live in the UK you won't be able to read the following link...

cks.nice.org.uk/topics/anae...

Serum ferritin level is the biochemical test that 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. However:

Ferritin levels are difficult to interpret if infection or inflammation is present, as levels can be high even in the presence of iron deficiency.

Ferritin levels may be less reliable in pregnancy.

Despite this, many labs in the UK are still using reference ranges for ferritin which are deficient at the low end. In your results the lab is saying that ferritin results of 16+ are "normal", which is deficient according to NICE.

.

Do you have recent test results for Folate and Vitamin B12? If you do could you post them in a reply along with their reference ranges. If you don't have recent test results you should get them tested.

.

The pattern of your results is suggestive of an MTHFR problem. (In percentage terms your ferritin, which is 9% through the range - is lower than your iron which is 49% through the range - it would usually be the other way around.) If you were to take iron supplements to raise your ferritin it would most likely be your iron that rose rather than your ferritin, which is very undesirable. This can be overcome by optimising Folate and B12 with the correct type of supplements, which are methylfolate to optimise Folate, and methylcobalamin to optimise B12.

[SheeshKabab in reply to humanbean]

HumanBean!!!! Wow wow wow.

You are amazing that you said looks like MTHFR issue!! I am blown away

Yes, Yes I am homozygous c677t!

As well as other compromised SNPs

I have tried many methylFolates & methyl B12’s, and can’t seem to tolerate them.

Have had luck with Folinic acid and Hydro B12, but haven’t been great about taking them.

I will make it happen now for sure!

That said. Given you caught that and even knew that, I would love any other pieces of guidance

I got my lab back and my reverse T3 is <5

That’s the lowest value the lab can put.

It must not have ability to calculate lower with accuracy

That said I’m trying to raise my T3 and it is not working

So beyond grateful for your support

[humanbean in reply to SheeshKabab]

You're welcome.

Yes, Yes I am homozygous c677t!

I have tried many methylFolates & methyl B12’s, and can’t seem to tolerate them.

The following links might help people with MTHFR problems :

mthfr.net/methylfolate-side...

mthfr.net/overmethylation-a...

butternutrition.com/signs-o...

The people with MTHFR problems need more "methyl donors" to overcome their problem. With methylfolate I am not sure which part of the substance causes the side effects that people get. Is it the methyl part of the methylfolate or the folate part?

If you want to try alternatives to methylfolate to boost the number of methyl donors you take in then here are some of the ones I know of :

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dimet...

*** en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trime...

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methy...

If I was going to try any of the above I would go for the one with *** next to the name but it would be worth your while to research any of the compounds I've given before supplementing any of them. All of the ones I've named are available without prescription in the UK, and can be found on many websites that sell supplements.

[SheeshKabab in reply to humanbean]

Hi humanBEAN!!!

Great stuff.

I’ve looked at lots of those.

And have Betaine and TMG.

Again I am off and on with them

I also wonder if the low stomach acid we hypo’s have may be component

Adding ACV in water in am to see if k might get that supported

I am thinking the MTHFR may be mighty piece must I have had such a hard time finding even naturopath or functional doctor who cracks it for me

So grateful to chat and share here!!

Oh glutathione Think rhat can be key for liver I & II

Now can I ask again about the iron

Should I not try to take the iron until I have taken the folate and B12 for a while?

Bad in paul Robison work I’m thinking the low ferritin may be why I’m not doing well trying to raise the T3

Or does it mean if I upped the aT3 more, even if low ferritin , I’d gain some benefit

Or is the low ferritin going to keep me stuck in my progress ?

[SheeshKabab in reply to humanbean]

Oh I forgot to add.. I’m in the US