iron levels

[Samanthaplumber]

hi looks like my problem is going to be put down to transient hyperthyroidism but I still get symptoms of hypothyroidism from when I was over medicated so I am looking at just trying to keep my thyroid as healthy as I possibly can. It light of that I had some private bloods carried out and I am worrying that my iron levels are on the low side giving me symptoms. I take an iron supplement of gentle iron 40mg a day.

[Samanthaplumber]

@samanthaplumber

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[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Samanthaplumber]

retest 3-4 times a year if self supplementing iron

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 3-5 days before testing

Medichecks iron panel test

medichecks.com/products/iro...

Eating iron rich foods like liver or liver pate once a week. Increase the amount of red meat you eat, other foods include 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

dailyiron.net

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.

[Samanthaplumber in reply to SlowDragon]

SlowDragon these are my iron test results from 25/3

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[SlowDragon Administrator]

Folate is also low

What B vitamins are you taking

Low folate

supplementing a good quality daily vitamin B complex, one with folate in (not folic acid)

This can help keep all B vitamins in balance

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 2 per day and/or 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 3-5 days before ALL BLOOD TESTS , as biotin can falsely affect test results

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)

[Samanthaplumber in reply to SlowDragon]

SlowDragon I don’t take a specific B vitamin. I take a menopause complex that has B12 and B6 in it and the these gentle iron tablets from Holland & Barrett 40mg a day. I just don’t feel right and don’t know what to do about it. I had blood tests done at the hospital on Friday but haven’t had my results yet but all the consultant said was if everything is in range they won’t do anything

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Samanthaplumber]

Multivitamins never recommended on here

Get a good quality vitamin B complex

You need a full iron panel test if taking iron

[Samanthaplumber in reply to SlowDragon]

SlowDragon the menopause supplement is the only thing that has kept me sane as the doctor won’t put me on HRT. I can’t stop taking that. The doctor was the one who said I could take the over the counter iron tablets years ago because I can’t stand the ones from the surgery.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Samanthaplumber]

What exactly is this HRT supplement

Yes you may need iron ….but you need to check levels with full iron panel if taking iron supplements

It’s possible to have too high a level of iron, even if ferritin is not very high

[Samanthaplumber in reply to SlowDragon]

SlowDragon it’s this

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[Samanthaplumber in reply to Samanthaplumber]

SlowDragon

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[Samanthaplumber in reply to SlowDragon]

SlowDragon my doctor won’t do a full iron panel as he says my levels are in range. He also wouldn’t take notice of a private blood test

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Samanthaplumber]

But it’s not for your doctor, it’s for you to know where your iron levels are

You’re buying your own iron supplements

You need to retest 3-4 times a year

excellent info from SeasideSusie (much missed) explaining why iron panel is necessary

Examples of Good iron but low ferritin

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[Samanthaplumber in reply to SlowDragon]

SlowDragon thank you I really appreciate your help. I just feel lost, I could have a private iron blood test done but I wouldn’t understand the results and I am reluctant to take more B12 as my levels for that seem quite high. I can try the B complex you recommend to see if that helps. I need to try and clear up some of these symptoms I am having so I can be sure they aren’t thyroid related.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Samanthaplumber]

Iron and ferritin

Come back with new post once you get results

Members can advise on wether you could/should be taking iron supplements or only increasing by eating iron rich foods

multivitamin

That contains soya - not recommended for anyone with thyroid issues

And also milk thistle, not recommended

posts mentioning Milk Thistle

healthunlocked.com/search/p...

Suggest you write new post asking members for suggestions for alternative HRT supplements

And work on improving low folate with vitamin B complex. This will keep all B vitamins in balance. Likely to see B12 reduce as other B vitamins improve

[Samanthaplumber in reply to SlowDragon]

@SlowDragon thank you for your help I will try a post about menopause supplements

[Samanthaplumber in reply to SlowDragon]

SlowDragon is this the one you mean ? It has folic acid in it

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[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Samanthaplumber]

it’s folate in it (just listed as folic acid)

suggest you buy smaller number initially- 60 tablets

[Samanthaplumber in reply to Samanthaplumber]

SlowDragon thank you I have ordered some and will give them a try. I will see what the consultant comes back with ( hopefully today) and then book a private iron panel check and hope someone on here can help me interpret the results

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Samanthaplumber]

FallingInReverse and humanbean post and reply a lot about iron and ferritin

[humanbean]

In your shoes I would want to double my folate (i.e. up to about 20 nmol/L) and almost double my ferritin (iron stores).

To raise folate I take methylfolate, which is available without prescription from websites that sell supplements.

It is a good idea to get an iron panel done before trying to raise anything iron-related. It is possible for people to have high serum iron and low ferritin. If the patient then takes iron supplements in an attempt to raise ferritin, they might find their serum iron rises dramatically instead, and that is definitely undesirable.

You might find an NHS doctor who might do an iron panel, but if not this is one that I use :

medichecks.com/products/iro...

There is a discount code given in this link :

thyroiduk.org/testing/priva...

If you wait to order during the Medicheck sales you can get higher discounts.

[Samanthaplumber in reply to humanbean]

humanbean thankyou I am going to try taking the B 12 complex and see what these blood tests say first that I had done last Thursday if I ever get the results.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

who took me off the carbimazole to see what happens. My levels of TSH were 7.2 in Feb and I had a blood test this week it’s now 2.8 with T4 being 16.8. I felt brilliant for a few days but now have palpitations again and have lost some weight. My next bloods are on the 14th April

So bloods redone today

See what they show

Hopefully testing early morning

Remember to stop ANY supplements that contain biotin 3-5 days before ALL blood tests

[Samanthaplumber in reply to SlowDragon]

SlowDragon no these bloods were cancelled because I had them done on Friday