Blood test results help

[Rosamond35]

Hi,

Hoping for some advice on blood test results please!

Everything marked as normal, but feel some of these are far from optimal.

Serum folate 8ug/ l (>3.00ugl)
Serum ferritin 34 (15-300 ug/l) though hb fine
Basophil count 0 (0.00-0.1010*9/l

Serum TSH 0.89 mU/L (0.4-4.40mU/L)
Serum free T4 level 11.7 (8.9-17.30)

Symptoms are palpitations, lightheadedness/feeling faint on standing generally feeling unwell, headaches, what feels like low blood sugar within a few hours of eating, Also bouts of muscle aches, periods of repeatedly being ill with colds/covid etc. Plus digestive and bladder issues.

The problems have actually been ongoing for the past 7 years or to varying degrees, but was treated for vit d deficiency a few years ago (level of 23) and had a spinal meningioma removed almost 2 years ago (this had compressed and damaged my spinal cord). Thought I had gradually been getting better and some symptoms such as bladder ones improved dramatically following surgery, but I still feel awful a lot of the time, and have had a massive flare up of symptoms since getting covid about about 6 weeks ago.

I had been wondering if something like POTS could explain things, but would be so grateful if anyone could see something here that I should also be asking about. I feel I have reached rhe end of my tether and am determined to get to the bottom of what has been going for the past few years.

Thank you.

You haven’t got Vit D rechecked? If you were deficient once it’s easy to be deficient again. Was B12 not checked?
I get palpitations, air hunger, dizziness with ferritin below around 50, yours could benefit from being a bit higher as nice guidelines say below 30 needs to be treated and you’re not much above that.

Lots of people have found their B12 and Vit D has become low after having Covid so they would berth testing.

Are you low weight?
What’s your BP like?
I have to wear compression stockings because I get so weak and dizzy due to low BP, cardiology say it’s not PoTs, despite the GP saying they were certain it was because my BP drops upon standing and my pulse goes up. I’m waiting for a follow up to see what they suggest next. I hope you find some answers.

Thanks for your response. Interesting to hear about ferritin level - I will definitely ask about that. Will also get Vit D rechecked as ai have wondered about that. In fact, I do feel a lot like I did in the after giving birth 5 years ago. I had a haemorrhage and was given a blood transfusion but was still anaemic so given iron tablets for a bit and I am sure my vit d levels would have been low then as I stupidly didn't take a supplement when pregnant.

Blood pressure and weight are fine. I'm wondering about POTS as my heart rate does seem to be increased when standing and I generally feel better when lying down. And I suspect my spinal cord was compressed a long time so am thinking it's possible that autonomous nerves may have been damaged.

It's all so frustrating isn't it?

Very frustrating!
I wouldn’t bother asking about ferritin though, the stock response is it’s ‘normal’ but it needs to be above 70-80 to support healthy hair growth. I’ve no clue why they have the normal range so low, many women would benefit from it being higher.
Iron Bisglycinate has better bioavailability than ferrous fumerate so can boost level better, with less gastro side effects too. Just get some otc.
B12 is also marked normal ridiculously low in this country too and you can still be symptomatic at the lower end of the normal level.

OK, thanks. I actually don't mind opaying for iron supplements anyway, as long as I can get strong enough ones over the counter and have a rough idea of how long I should be taking them for.

B12 was 475 ng/l, right in middle of range so I do think that one's ok.

I think I will ask for vit d to be rechecked and coeliac test to rule those out/in and take it from them. I am definitely sensitive to gluten as bread bloats me something fierce.

Why do medical professionals never take women seriously??

I second the suggestions for Vit D, iron and broad spectrum Bs. Also try taking 100% rda of magnesium before bed. Most people are deficient and it is involved in cardiac function and preventing achy muscles.

I also think there is a good chance your thyroid is struggling. Do you use iodised salt? Your thyroid needs iodine to function. Also have a look back in your blood tests results and see if you ever had your TSH tested before. The best comparison for that is to yourself. Lastly you could ask for a thyroid antibody test. That would show if you have the start of hashimotos thyroiditis

Thank you. I was thinking of requesting my blood test results as I've had a fair few over the past while but never seen the actual ranges. Or in fact, seen everything they've tested for.

Will also consider about thyroid if nothing else flags up.

Aren't some cardiologists sceptical about the existence of POTS? Or is the drop in BP suggestive that's its something else.

Good luck.

you might be able to see your past blood tests results in the NHS app.

Don't think I have that unfortunately (in Wales).

You can request results on app // access to results via app

Get that feretin up
Mine was 8
Had iron iv
Was then 252
Now hangs around 100..

For feretin - wheatabix daily
Snack on peas - raisins - apricots

Try better you - oral iron spray
Dr told me to take that with orange juice
Need good vit c to absorb iron.

Vit d
Got mine from 33 to 77 to 89

Actimel drink every day - has 1 /3 of daily vitd in
Plus i take 2000 iu vit d in supplements tablets

You sound exactly like me and I live in Wales too!!

My TSH result was exactly the same as yours too! Previously have always been in the 1's so don't know what's going on there.

I saw a cardiologist privately after having covid and my third booster vaccine after suspecting POTs. He said I had it based on a sit to stand test but wasn't very helpful. Then I finally spoke to one on the NHS who said he didn't think it existed. LOL.

I too had a hemorrage during labour with my second child who is now 4. Havent felt right since then. I was anemic leaving hospital and have struggled maintaining ferritin ever since. Hb always been normal since then though. Had an infusion in May but just recently had some private tests done and ferritin already back down to 11.5.

A drop in BP when standing is known as orthostatic hypotension rather than POTS. POTS criteria is a sustained rise in pulse by 30bpm and no change in BP.

My symptoms are identical to yours plus more. It's awful. Has the GP confirmed POTS?

That's a huge difference in ferritin levels - didnit make you feel instantly better? And was your haemoglobin OK?

Ah, my sympathies to you! It is terrible, and its gone on for so long I think I've normalised it, but its like I've had a revelation these last few weeks and have realised it it is so far from normal and I'm ready now to push to get to the bottom of it.

So far I've only had an emergency appointment for palpitations following a bad episode, so they just did initial bloods for that (also have an ecg next week) following a bad episode, but already had an appointment for the other things so doc advised to discuss other symptoms with other gp then.

Do you get ill a lot as well? I'm always picking up something from my 5 year old and even the mildest sniffle seems to floor me.

My guess is perhaps we're not absorbing iron well and our bodies keep having to raid our ferritin stores - but I'm really unsure how it all works. Perhaps you have some kind of absorption issue?

It is very hard to explain to people how bad it can feel isnt it? And because we're pushing through (because that's what you have to do with a small kid) I do feel like other people don't really accept its as bad as I say it is!

Getting it from 8 to 252 - i felt ace for a week but then had positive poop test - then my grandad died - then urgent colonoscopy & removal of bowel polyps

My medical notes state my body is not good @ absorbing iron hence iron iv

Popping back to add this which I found interesting, especially the ‘poorly recognised’ bit, ie your dr will tell you your levels are ‘normal’.
I wish I could afford an iron infusion privately, I imagine I would feel almost human if I could get my levels to increase a bit.
https://www.rcpjournals.org/content/clinmedicine/21/2/107

What number is your feretin ?

Did u also get b12 & vit d checked?

Corned beef - kale - raisins - apricots - wheatabix - strawberries etc

@TheDarkDarkNight
Did you try floradix gentle iron liquid ?
Made no difference to me but worked 4 some

Or
Oral iron 5mg
Better you spray
With orange juics to aid absorption

@worldwidetravel2017 I have b12 injections every 3 months, I’ve been on a double dose of prescription vitamin D for around 3 years, I take methyl folate and I’m currently on 42mg iron Bisglycinate, because it was recommended on here, and ferrous fumerate for 6 months only got my levels up to 22.

You need to get some iron on board, even if you just get some OTC liquid supplements. Take them with orange juice or vitamin C, no tea or coffee within a couple of hours of either the iron or food, it stops you absorbing the iron.
Everyone should be taking a decent vitamin D3 supplement from October to March. Vitamin D deficiency causes all sorts of awful symptoms and can make you feel very unwell.
You really should have your B12 levels checked too.