Blood test results help needed please

[penguins33]

Hi all, I've had some blood tests done due to having tiredness, bleeding gums and angular cheilitis for the last few months and while everything's coming back within normal range, some are quite low in the ranges and I've read things on here where people say they only feel ok over a certain level so I'd love some feedback please on how things look and what (if anything) I could do in terms of taking supplements to improve things.

Vitamin D – 72 (deficiency < 25, sufficiency > 75 so I'm mildly insufficient)
Serum ferritin – 43 (10-291)
Serum vitamin B12 – 349 (211-911)
Serum folate – 15.5 (2.8-19)
Total white cell count – 3.2 (3.2 – 10.5)
Red blood count – 4.39 (3.6 – 4.9)
Haemglobin – 136 (110-153)
Platelets – 134 (120-400) – I've had bruising/pinprick rashes at this level before so might well be the cause of the bleeding gums.
Lymphocytes are low – 0.75 (0.8-3.1) but they always are and have been lower in the past
LFTs - Mostly seem ok but alkaline phosphate was at the very bottom of the range (8) and I've just read something saying that low levels are caused by malnutrition (celiac or vitamin/mineral deficiency).

UE, glucose look fine to my untrained eye.

TSH was over 2 so too high but I will get that sorted out by the hospital who manage my (non-autoimmune) thyroid issues. I don't think this is the full answer to the tiredness though as it's been much higher in the past and I've not felt as bad.

Other possibly relevant information is that I'm veggie (no meat or fish but I do eat dairy and eggs) and have been on the combined pill since last summer – I'm pretty sure that's the reason for the TSH increasing.

Thanks in advance.

[scaryteacher]

Your platelets are fine. I'd give my eye teeth for a count that high. The range is actually 150k-450k, so you are OK. I am surprised you get petechiae at that level.

[penguins33]

I was covered in them last time and that was the only thing that looked off from normal in my blood tests.

It's really the vitamins B12 and D that I'm wondering about this time and the ferritin too.

[Pleasemrstweedie]

Vitamin D, vitamin B12 and ferritin could all do with a boost and getting them optimal will improve the thyroid situation.

Vitamin D needs to be about 100, vitamin B12 over 500 and probably nearer 1,000 and ferritin needs to be at least 70 and probably nearer 100.

Vitmain D softgel supplements can be bought on Amazon – 2,000iu a day would probably be enough for you. While you’re there you can by Jarrows sublingual methylcolbamin B12 lozenges, 5,000mcg a day is the usual dose and finally you can buy ferrous fumarate over the counter(but not at Boots for some reason). Start at 1 tablet a day and work up to 3 if you can.

Finally, if your gums are bleeding, see your dentist, if only for confirmation that it’s not something he can help with.

[Tummyrumbled]

Bleeding gums is usually a sign of gum disease. Your dentist will be the best person to see for this problem.

[penguins33]

Thanks very much Mrstweedie that's just what I was looking for.

In terms of the bleeding gums, I have been to the dentist and she was the one who suggested it might be a vitamin deficiency or anaemia which is what made me go to the GP.

[penguins33]

Sorry, one more question if I may. How long would you expect it to take before I saw any improvement from the various supplements? Thanks again for your help.

[Maybenot321]

About 6wks to 2 months, I'd say.
Did you have T4 and T3 tested in the TFTs?

[penguins33]

Thanks - I'll make sure I get enough supplements to get me through at least that long.

T4 was 17. I'm not sure if they did T3. There are no results showing in my profile, but the last TFTs I had at this hospital they did T3 too but it came through separately to the other results so it might still appear.

I called the hospital about the raised TSH earlier and they said they didn't want to do anything yet but will wait to see how it is at my next routine appointment in a couple of months time so that's disappointing, especially when the national guidelines for my condition state it should be kept under 2. Hopefully the supplements will make a difference while I'm waiting for the appointment and I'll be able to question them better face to face rather than having to rely on someone passing messages between me and the consultant.

[pinkstarsarefalling]

Penguin, twice now my ferritin has dropped to 50 ish that I know of and both times bleeding gums accompanied it, going as ferritin raised. Exhaustion too. My gums also react when my tsh is only a bit up, eg 2 ish. I think sort those three and see if it helps.