Following advice from this group I successfully fought my case for having the various blood tests done to check Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, Follate etc. I have just come back from the GP and am more worried than ever as she mentioned possible PCOS but said that for now she wouldn't do anything to check it despite me saying that this was an extreme concern to me as somebody looking to conceive in the next year or so. Has anybody else had experience of this whilst hypo and should I be as worried as I am?
I am still feeling very VERY tired all of the time as well as experiencing irregular menstrual periods, extremely dry skin and mental 'fog' amongst other things.
I am on 100mcg Levo and my current Thyroid Function Test showed TSH 0.29 (0.35-4.94), T4 18.1 (9.0-19.1) and T3 4.66 (3.6-6.5)
Please help!!
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emma_marie
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Did you ask WHY she is mentioning PSCO. I have done quite a bit of research on this and found some really interesting sites, similar to this one, regarding PCOS. I must add that I do not have PCOS but I do have a large cyst on my right ovary and am due to be operated on in a week or so's time, they will remove and cyst AND the ovary but I am 53 and no longer need my ovaries.
Soem experts say that there is a link between PCOS/cysts and thyroid problems but when I mentioned this to the gyna a few weeks ago she looked at me like I had just landed from Mars, didn't expect anything else really.
Have you had the results of your B12, VitD ect tests and if so what are they?
Thank you for your reply Moggie & I hope all goes well with your operation.
She mentioned PCOS as I have many of the symptoms - irregular periods, abdominal pains, acne... However I'm hoping that much of this can also be attributed to the rest of my problems.
All of my results came back normal with the exception of the VitD which is 36nmol/L when the expected range is >75nmol/L and the GP has prescribed Colecalciferol for this following a Parathyroid Hormone test which I will be having later today.
Thank you again & any advice/thoughts would be amazing.
Some of your symptoms can be put down to the low VitD levels - my level was 12.5 last year and after treatment I was a lot less tired, brain fog cleared up and I had suffered with acne for years so dont jump the gun. My GP also did a parathyroid test, which flagged up the low VitD.
If my memory serves me right the ranges of VitD are <30 severly deficient, 30 - 60 insufficient, 60 - 75 sometimes insufficient and above 75 is sufficient so going by those ranges you are getting close to the severly dificient range which could be your problem.
Did your GP check your calcium levels as I see she has asked you to take a suppliment with clacium in it? This really should be checked out as to much clacium is just as bad as to little.
Hope I have helped a little and please let us know how you get on.
It would also be interesting to see what your other results where (B12 etc) as, even though your GP is saying are o.k. they could still be to low for you. My B12 level was 320 (range 190 - 900) and my GP said it was fine but it really does need to be 600 or over for optimum health.
Ask the receptionist this afternoon for a print out of ALL your lastest blood tests (and any others that you might think are relevant) and post on here with ranges for people to comment. Dont let her tell you you can't have them as under the Freedom of Information Act you are legally entitled to have a copy of them.
Moggie, I thought this may be too much info for you all but perhaps you can make more sense of it than me. These are my results on 100mcg Levo (blood tests taken on Monday)
Your B12 is low and, as I have said, ideally needs to be 600+, your Ferritin is also low and people on here advise it to be around 90 so putting that with your low VitD it's no wonder you are feeling tired and out of salts. Your calcium levels look fine to me as do your thyroid levels.
Not to sure about the others but someone else will soon jump in and advice. If I was you I would ask a seperate question on your ferritin, B12 and Folate levels to see what others think (just in case it is missed on this question) and take it from there. I have a link to a good B12 suppliment, if you want it just let me know.
Here is the link that you want - I have just read your questions and Carolyns answer , which is amost exactly my thoughts and she is taking about the same B12 suppliment.
Just a little tip when using this site - if you use the "reply to this" button under the persons name they will receive an email, it stops people missing your reply.
You've got a bit of a shopping list now with vitamins haven't you.lol. Just be careful what you are doing so that you dont overload the body.
And if you order anything from Amazon, if you use this link to get to Amazon shop2fundraise.co.uk//direc... Thyroid UK will receive a donation. You can also use this link to get to many other online retailers too.
Thanks for this Moggie. I certainly do have a long shopping list! Would you recommend I check with my GP before taking these or should it be ok to give them a go? I think I need B12, B complex, Ferratin, Iron and VitC from the answers on the other forum. Is this what you think also?
Put it this way, it would do no harm to run it past your GP - I never take suppliments until I have had blood test that confirm I need them (as you have) and then I will tell my GP what I am taking. She normally nods and says o.k. but if she doesn's agree with something then she tells me and I then ask her to explain why.
What you have got to realise is that, according to your GP, you B12, Ferritin and folate levels are "in range" so she may not feel the need for you to try and improve them. It really does depend on the attitude of your GP but like I said if you run it past her and she see's a problem at least you will know about it and after getting her to explain it you will be able to make an informed decision.
I think taking suppliments MUST involve a lot of common sense and you seem a sensible enough person to know if you are overdoing things.
I would definately be trying to get my B12 and Ferritin up but dont really understand enough about the others to advise you safely - which is again why you should run it past your GP.
I say this because I have a heart palp problem and found that taking most suppliments increased the palps, which has led to all sorts of troubles so my advise to you is be sensible and get the correct advise.
Hope this has helped and not confused you even more.
I agree with Moggie. Taking B12 will do no harm even if you didn't really need it. Any excess will be flushed out of your system.
Iron, on the other hand, should not be taken without first getting a blood test. Too much iron can be dangerous. As your ferritin is at the very low end of a wide range, iron is probably a good idea. Over the counter iron supplements don't contain huge doses anyway but will probably be enough to increase your ferritin a little.
Other things that help with iron and ferritin are red meat, sea food, liver, green leafy vegetables.
Oh gosh, sorry for all of the questions. I'm just looking at buying some of the recommended vitamins. I think that B12 is contained within B complex so should I avoid taking the two together? Also, is there a particular iron supplement you would recommend? I have taken some in the past which tasted AWFUL!! x
The B12 in the complex will most likely be a fairly small amount and will probably be the cyanocobalamin which isn't so easily used. Perhap stick with the 1000mcg B12 rather than the 5000mcg if you are taking the complex too.
I like Spatone for iron. It doesn't upset my stomach and is much more easily absorbed that others. There are other easily absorbed ones too. You add spatone to fruitjuice so you can barely taste it - just maybe a slight metallic taste? I don't mind it though.
Never apologise for asking questions! That's what we are here for and we are glad to help. Don't forget that your questions are also helping others who may not have thought about this particular question or may be feeling too shy to ask the question themselves.
Please keep the questions coming if you have them and we will do our best to help
Reading through both your questions I have to wonder if you have an absorption issue, this may account for the low Vit D, B12, Folates and Ferritin. This makes me wonder if you may have issues with the health of your digestive system. Your latest thyroid levels look optimal although the previous levels were definitely low!
I would ask your GP for a Gluten Sensitivity Blood Test to see if anything comes up, even if it comes back normal I personally wouldn't rule out working on healing your digestive system. Should anything come back untoward insist on having a gut biopsy to check for coeliac, once this is done (if necessary) work towards eliminating wheat and gluten from your diet. It may be necessary to eliminate dairy too.
Wheat and dairy are irritants to many people and those of us with thyroid imbalance tend to be rather more sensitive than the average person!!! Wheat has been scientifically 'transformed' over recent years and I have to wonder if it is a major contributor to the increase in chronic illness and the obesity of our times.
My own personal journey identified last autumn that I am likely coeliac as I have a positive anti endomysial antibody. I have eliminated dairy (yes this is a problem for me ) wheat, gluten and oats and I feel REALLY WELL!!! No medical person suggested a gut biopsy to gold standard test for coeliac until I had been gluten free for almost 4 months........I am not prepared to contaminate myself at this point, it would be nice to know for sure, hence my advice to get the blood test and then insist on the gut biopsy asap if necessary.
There's a lot of information on the internet about improving the health of the digestive system and if you are interested in pursuing this area I would be happy to share my experience with you and point you in the right direction. When the gut is unhealthy we are unable to produce the B vitamins needed in the body, amongst most other nutrients and the poor gut health seriously impacts the hormonal balance.
It's a little too long to include in this comment....but I have to wonder if my gut health had been identified and treated as a child maybe I wouldn't have been diagnosed with Hashimotos Thyroiditis when I was 26.........Who knows???....what I do know is that I have learnt an awful lot about this illness and my body in my strive to feel well and I do feel very well these day beter than I have for a very long time if ever.
Work on yourself and get yourself well and you will have THE most beautiful babies in a year or so
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) wheat, gluten and oats and I feel REALLY WELL!!! No medical person suggested a gut biopsy to gold standard test for coeliac until I had been gluten free for almost 4 months........I am not prepared to contaminate myself at this point, it would be nice to know for sure, hence my advice to get the blood test and then insist on the gut biopsy asap if necessary. 
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