Can someone take a look at my latest test results please.

[hooper]

Bloods were taken 15 March. Got the results today and need some input on your thoughts about them please.

Tests done:

Vit D

B12/folate level

Serum ferritin level

Full blood count (424)

Thyroid function test

Total 25-hydroxy Vitamin D: 57.2 nmol/L

Interpretation:

<10nmol/L - Deficiency; suggest vitamin D replacement.

10-35nmol/L - Insufficiency; suggest vitamin D supplementation.

36 - 60 nmol/L - Adequate; for optimal bone health, concentrations at the upper end of the range may be preferable and advice on diet and safe sun exposure may be appropriate.

>60 nmol/L Optimal

Total 25-hydroxy Vitamin D report, Satisfactory, No Further Action

Serum vitamin B12 level (XE2pf) 913.0 ng/L (191 - 663) - Above high reference limit

B12/folate level (XalqS)

Serum folate level (42U5.) 8.4 ng/ml (4.6 - 18.7)

B12/folate level Report, Satisfactory, No Further Action

Serum ferritin level (XE24r) 44.0 ng/ml (13 - 150)

Serum TSH (XaELV) 1.36 miu/L (0.3 - 5.5)

SerumTSH level; Serum ferritin level Report, Normal, No Further Action.

Doesn't mean very much to me. Do I need to supplement? Also interested in what is going on with Serum vitamin B12 level!

Thank you, Jen x

[Moggie]

Are you supplimenting B12? and could I ask how you are feeling?

Moggie x

[hooper in reply to Moggie]

Hi Moggie. No, I'm not supplementing B12. Have not been feeling well for the last 6 months really. I lost my dad in July last year. I've had rashes with a temperature; catching anything going; aching like mad - legs (shins especially); right elbow, forearm and wrist; left shoulder and top of arm into neck too. Not sleeping too well and having lots of nightmares and waking feeling groggy and nauseous. Saw a specialist via NHS in the new year and I found out I have Hashimoto's Thyroiditis - thought for the last 6 years I was just hypthyroid!

[Moggie]

Sorry to hear about your dad - my dad died 12 years ago and it still make me sad.

Who ordered these tests? Can you not discuss them with whoever ordered them. If not then I would make an appt with GP to discuss B12 seeing as you are not supplimenting, and I wouldn't be supplimenting anything else until I had talked these results through with your consultant or GP. Your vitD is a little low but without a calcium result to go by I wouldn't suppliment this either. Before you talk it out with your GP/Consultant do some research on the internet or ask a question on here about high B12 and see what comes up. You need to research things before you have appts so that you are ready for any dismissive comments from the medics.

I think your main problem is that you still feel so ill even though your results seem to be o.k.ish. Your TSH needs to be one or under for you to feel half human again. My TSH was 1.41 a while ago and I felt dreadful, so maybe try for an increase in your Levo. Are you still on 75mcg's, if so ask your GP for a trial period of 100mcg's with a promises that if you feel any worse you will stop the increased meds and book another appt, that sometimes satisfies GP's and make them realise that you are taking a sensible approach.

Have you looked at changing your diet at all. I have noticed a big difference in my symptoms since stopping most sugar's and going wheat free.

Have you had an iron tested recently?

Sorry for all the questions but it helps to get a full picture and will sometimes jog something in your memory that will give you an answer.

Moggie x

[hooper in reply to Moggie]

Hi Moggie. I went to see a new GP at my surgery to tell him how I felt but he just dismissed it as a mental health problem because of my past traumas - lost my husband 8 years ago followed by my mother, best friend and father. I was left financially in a mess. Mortgage only half paid off, unable to repair the house; the roof was a nightmare for me till my sons helped fund the repair. I became ill in 2007 and couldn't keep on working. I was terrified of the jobcentre and being forced to go out to work when I knew I was unreliable. I had no heating for 3 years (I was hypothyroid at the time) until my son's realised what was going on and came back home to help me out. This is not all of it by a long way but I think it gives you some idea of how "scared " I have been (still am really!). Sorry, rambled on there! I asked to have the tests because they were tests you all recommended and I was determined to come out of the surgery with something! I am looking to change my diet, as you describe. I did ask for an iron test but I didn't get it. Jen x

[Moggie]

Can only say that from what you have desribed you are making huge steps forward in asking questions on here and then following up with actual actions. You did great to get the tests you did, which just proves that it can be done.

I would go back to the GP's time and time again, or it might be easier to book a phone call, and keep asking for things until they listen. Its hard, I know, when you are not well but until you MAKE your GP listen with shear bloodymindedness and perseverance then things wont get much better.

My first priority would be to find out WHY my B12 is so high so ask another question on here with that one aim, it might be nothing but then again it might be that people on here suggest it needs looking into by your GP for one reason or another. Next I would speak to my GP again and say you are not happy with the way things have been left and need an explination regarding your results and a trail increase in Levo. Your sons sound very good so if you feel you are not getting anywhere with the GP then book another appt and take one of them with you. Sometimes it gives you more confidence when you have support from a loved one.

Thought I would link this blog for you to read as it just shows what can be achieved.

thyroiduk.healthunlocked.co...

Look forward to seeing your B12 question appear and reading what is suggested.

Moggie x

[hooper in reply to Moggie]

Thank you so much Moggie, I will do all you suggest. Bit worried now though about what B12 raised is going to bring up!

Jen x

[Moggie]

It wont make a different to your levels what answers you get so please ask the question. If there is something to be concerned about then you need to take this info to your GP sooner rather than later. There might also be a simple explination for this so please dont worry unnecessarily. It could even be that the lab has messed your results up.

People on here are great and will help all they can.

Moggie x

[shaws]

If you were supplementing as Moggie says, a high B12 isn't important. As you are not supplementing you have to get your doctor to check why yours is higher than the range. Dont let him put you off, you have put up with enough already and it is time to try and get well again.

He should give you Vit D3 supplements too.

[hooper in reply to shaws]

Thank you shaws, I did think that perhaps I needed Vit D.

[Moggie]

How are you feeling today?

Moggie x

[hooper in reply to Moggie]

Bless you for being there! I was just about to get in touch with you. Still feeling very weak and had a bad night - but enough of the negative. I phoned for an appointment with my doctor but had to settle for a telephone conversation with him; just finished. I got quite upset with him because he wasn't agreeing with my concerns, just kept saying they were in range. I had to be quite rude really and talk over him to get him to listen. I asked why B12 was so high 913.0 range (191 - 663) - his response - " is it?" he thought not and scrabbled with some information from somewhere to see what it could be. I said I was concerned because I'd seen articles about leukemia and cirrhosis of the liver. "Oh yes" he said, but made no more comment. He still thought it was "in range". Vit D was good he said - 57.2 range (36 -60; optimal being 60 +) and I didn't need supplements. My ferritin likewise was ok though mine is at 44.0 with a range of (13 - 150) - no need for anything there either! TSH of 1.36 he considered to be very good in a range of (.3 -5.5). I just had to jump in here and say that since optimal thyroxine was achieved my TSH had always been below 1 and I needed it to be. Last TSH in Sept 2012 was 0.74 so I had nearly doubled in 6 months.

It was all a battle but with persistence I settled for the following (it was that or nothing)

Increase in thyroxine to 100mcg (currently 75mcg)

Retest of TSH; full blood count and B12 in a months time

Asked for Vit D3 as shaws suggested, but had to settle for "boosting my calcium intake through dietary means" he suggested an extra pot of yogurt a day. How does this help?

[Moggie]

I Hooper, sorry its taken so long to reply but I dont have internet access over the weekends.

Well at least you have got a full blood count, which will show up anything out of the ordinary. What a pratt your GP sounds. How is a pot of yogurt going to help you?.

Glad you got your Levo increased but I'm not suprised he didn't give you any VitD. Before you take any form of VitD your calcium needs to be checked otherwise you could lay yourself open to painful gall stones. The more VitD you have in your body the more calcium your body makes and if your calcium levels are o.k. and you take vitD that's when the gall stones could form. Remember to ask for print outs of all your results and you will be able to see if you can safely take VitD suppliments of nor by your calcium levels.

Well done you for sticking up for yourself and making this stupid GP take notice. When you get your next results post them on here and if you are not happy then I would ask for a referal to see an endo. Your GP is obviously over his head if he cant even see that a high B12 level could indicate something is wrong (not necessarily bad wrong, just wrong) so maybe an endo will be able to make sense of it.

How was your weekend?

Moggie x