What would you push for re blood results?

[shakeneggs]

I feel utterly dreadful. Exhausted, headaches, anxiety, achy all over and extreme lower back pain (had a scan and all is okay).

My bloods have come back as follows;

Plasma TSH level 0.35 mlU/L [0.38 - 5.3];
Slightly low TSH - suggest repeat in 3-6 months.

Plasma oestradiol level 627 pmol/L;

Plasma LH level 0.7 IU/L;

Plasma FSH level 3.4

Plasma ferritin level 15 ug/L

Serum vitamin B12 level 214 ng/L

Plasma folate level 4.3 ug/L

Serum total 25-hydroxy vitamin D level 40 nmol/L

The hormone ones were to check if I was early menopause as have had odd cycles and dryness. Blood test was taken on cycle day 24/30.

Anyway, doctor has just text me saying to get OTC Vit D and Iron. Is this enough? I feel fobbed off to be honest as I feel awful and it’s making me so depressed as all I want to do is lay down.

Sorry should probably add these too

Full blood count
Total white blood count 5.2 10*9/L [4.0 - 10.0]
Haemoglobin concentration 123 g/L |120.0

• 150.0]

Platelet count - observation 233 10*9/L [150.0 - 410.0] Red blood cell count 4.15 10*12/L [3.8 - 4.8] Haematocrit 0.36 L/L [0.36 - 0.46] Mean cell volume 87 fL [83.0 - 101.0] Mean cell haemoglobin level 29.6 pg [27.0

• 32.01

Mean cell haemoglobin concentration 340 g/L 1315.0 - 345.01 Red blood cell distribution width 12.2 % 111.6 - 14.01 Neutrophil count 3.3 10*9/L [2.0 - 7.0] Lymphocyte count 1.5 10*9/L [1.5 - 4.0] Monocyte count - observation 0.4 10*9/L [0.2 - 1.0] Eosinophil count - observation 0.0 10*9/L [0.0 - 0.5] Basophil count 0.0 10*9/L [0.0 - 0.1] Nucleated red blood cell count 0.00 10*9/L

My ferritin level was 16 in December. I felt awful. I’ve been taking gentle iron every day and I do feel a bit better. It takes months for it to take effect. If you’re looking at the results on the app do they all say within normal range?

Your ferritin is too low to feel normal even so iron should help with at least some of your symptoms

The ones that have flagged up as ‘abnormal’ are; vitamin d, TSH, folate, vit b12 and ferritin.

I think I already have some ferrous sulphate/ or fumerate; so I guess I should get back on those. They are from when I had a blood transfusion after c sec 3.5 years ago though so I’ll have to check the date!

Yes those are the ones that will make you feel awful.

Also worth checking your iron intake from food to help - beans, spinach leaves (also a great source of folate for energy), beef, plus following these meals with vitamin C (an orange etc.) to aid absorption of iron.

Your B12 is low too so add that as a supplement.

The low TSH is noticeable too. Your thyroid is overactive which will tend to anxiety, sleeping issues and muscle issues.

I would take the supplements (iron vit D and B12) for 4-5 months and ask for a retest. If no improvement then I would be pushing for something more effective like an iron infusion for the iron and anti thyroid meds to slow down your thyroid.

I don’t know about the hormonal results sorry

Yes, my folate was just out of range too. Feroglobin gentle iron tablets also contain folic acid so it covers those two areas. Have you been told to have a dr appointment to discuss next steps?

I would start by doing exactly as the Dr suggests, see how you feel from there whether more needs adding in.

Yep, you’ll feel worryingly awful on that lot but they’re all fixable - and the low tsh will make you stressed and panicky about it to boot.

So I’ll be okay just getting OTC and not a prescription dose for the vitamin d, iron and b12?

Also any reasons why I’d have a borderline low TSH? I guess I will just have to wait to re test that one in three months time. I just feel awful and it’s really quite depressing as I have no motivation for anything at the moment and I have children who are young and demanding! X

Didn’t hear back from the doctor today so I’ve just ordered vitamin d and b12… hopefully I’ll hear back from him tomorrow

It’s very common for thyroid function to go wobbly after childbirth and with BF. It can take a long time to catch up. Sometimes it can also be because you’ve had a virus. Six months is a bit longer than we would wait to re-test. We’d be looking at 6-8wks initially.
I’m more concerned about your ferritin being low, initially. Ferritin is a protein which stores iron in the body - your iron backup plan, if you will. You have enough circulating iron, but you are not replenishing your stores. If you still feel bleh (and especially) if your next results show further depletion, push for an iron infusion & vit b shots

By the way you can get home test kits for ferritin and TSH in Boots if you want to keep an eye on those more easily without having to go back via the GP - although they only give a basic normal/abnormal result rather than a number.

Make sure you have some vitamin C with your iron, helps absorption. I use Ferrograd C which was recommended to me by an iron infusion clinic (they refused an infusion as I was borderline).

Nice that home test kits are available, but I would still wait a month or so to see in which direction they’re going. (Otherwise will be virtually identical.)

Oh yes definitely!

Thanks everyone. Doctor is ignoring my request to be referred (I have private health) and has said to just take OTC iron and Vit D. I guess I’ll wait and see what the blood tests say in a few months time… I do feel fobbed off if im honest, mainly because
I feel dreadful.

Put your results into chat gpt and ask for its recommendations it’s fantastic

I did this! It was really insightful and I actually got it to create a message for my doctor haha. Doctor is just not budging.

You can get 'prescription strength' iron over the counter. Just speak to the pharmacist and make sure you are buying something like ferrous fumerate or ferrous sulphate, not something incredibly weak like Spatone.

Also the most common cause of low folate is diet - are you eating green veg, beans, wholegrains, eggs, nuts?

I would buy ferrous fumerate and take it alternate days with vitamin c (cheaper than buying lower doses!)
and 4000IU vitamin d with vitamin k
folic acid looks a little low too

my results were similar and I’ve done the above which has really helped

This is what I take with a fizzy vitamin C every morning