Help - feeling cold and thyroid, vitamins etc all ruled out!

[Wonderbug81]

So for over a decade now I've felt extremely cold. I wear three to four layers in winter, even the house. When I go out in 0 degree weather I wear a heated gilet and socks etc etc.

Endocronologist confirmed it's not my thyroid. GP did all my other bloods, I'm in range for iron, vit D, B vits etc.

I am perimenopausal but that has only been for the last 4 years and I've felt this much longer. On HRT (oestrogel and utrogestan).

Normal weight, diet pretty healthy, I do weights twice a week and walk moderately around 40 minutes a day.

Only thing GP can offer is to do more exercise!

Any advice as I am miserable in winter!

Base line values might not be enough. Eg I have a thyroid problem and take meds. But the vitamin d level and iron and b12 base line levels for someone with thyroxine are massively higher than normal. Average may not be your average.

Yes when you say ‘in range’ what are your actual levels? What GPs say are in range is not necessarily the optimal level of vitamins and minerals.

Thanks @Choux @Teresavonlichenstein

This is what I suspected! Also interesting re the thyroxine levels. Strange that the endocronologist didn't mention this when he reviewed all my blood tests including vitamins.

Key results:
T4: 127 (range 59 to 154)
TSH: 2.19 (0.27 to 4.2)
T3: 1.4 (1.3 to 3.1)

Ferritin 53 (13-150)
Iron 15.4 (6.6 to 26)
Haemoglobin 126 (115 to 155)
Folate 13.4 (>2.9)
Vit B: 228.5 (25.1 to 165.0)
Vit D 63 (51 to 250)

MCH and MCV only just within lower range.

Vitamin B looks too high but I'd taken a lot of Berroca the week of the test! I can see that iron and vit D are potentially a bit low then...

When my haemaglobin was 123 and my ferritin was 75 I felt exhausted. My Vit D was only 50. Three months of high dose iron tablets bought over the counter plus high vit C to aid absorption plus high dose D, vit B and a daily multivitamin got my ferritin up to 125 and my haemaglobin up to 132. I felt loads noticeably better after 2-3 weeks of the daily vitamins. my hair also stopped falling out.

Read this
https://effectdoctors.com/blog/optimum-vs-normal-iron-levels-women/?srsltid=AfmBOooKvUKBtzzKQaYs_4FgOuIqfoT_yWcF82l1ouAEMsF2cLNRsGpC

This is really helpful to know, thank you. Might need to boost all my main supplements!

I took 2 of these daily for 3 months. I still take one a day a year later. This is what I mean by high strength - these are similar to what a dr would prescribe but can be bought over the counter.
https://medcare-healthclinic.com/ferrous-fumarate-210mg-tablets/?srsltid=AfmBOoowvg791VeDfyn7YYB7VG0Vm70NmqWsqvppIlUnx4eYU1VovvAwPbM

When you are feelimg cold, how cold is it around you? Winter in the UK is pretty chilly and Its normal to be very cold in zero degrees. Wearing a heated gillet and socks seems normal?

Are you on any medications? How much do you weigh?

Thank you. I've been taking Solgar iron tablets as they're gentle on the stomach but yours are much stronger! I'll look onto those.

I'm in London but I know I'm cold because no one else around me is ever as cold as I am. At home with central heating on 21 degrees, I currently have thermal base layer, another thermal layer, jumper, slippers, heated pad on sofa and two blankets. I'm just feeling warm enough.

I use the gilet with a thermal, two jumpers and a thick puffa jacket. I'm still not warm enough.

How much body fat do you have? I was much warmer in winter when I was 3st heavier than I currently am. I have now lost my fat blanket!

Average weight. BMI at the higher end of range (although I read BMI isn't a good indicator). But I'm a 10-12 now, used to be an 8 so if anything I should be feeling warmer.

That said I know slim people who never feel the cold.

Im fat. And I've been where you are and it is SO miserable. I would wear long sleeved tops, thick cardigans, fleecy pj bottoms and heat holder socks in bed under a 15 tog duvet and still need a hot water bottle to feel normal.

Sitting still was murder.

Its disappeared for me. I think peri menopause has affected it for me. That and the fact I take vitamin d in a high dose religiously. I also have a daily spatone (veggie) and a sublingual b12. Oh and magnesium too.

I dont actually have any answers but I wanted to tell you that I know the cold you mean. Its so weird. My gp was thoroughly disinterested and nobody really understood just how cold I felt. I knew ot was abnormal. So, solidarity.

(Turtle dove fingerless gloves were a game changer for me BTW)

I used to be the same as you then I hit menopause and my core temperature is now a furnace and I'm actually warmer than DH. Looking back I was fine in childhood but started feeling unusually cold from puberty onwards. My DD is now the same as I used to be since she went through puberty. I remember it well, it wasn't just being cold, it was bone cold and nothing warmed you up (except proper soup actually).

No advice as such as I don't know which hormone caused it, but if you are the same then I predict a very warm future.

Thank you @ThroughTheRedDoor - someone who gets it! It's things like when you're sitting in a warm cafe where you've gor a bit warmer and someone opening the door undoes it all in seconds! I'vw spoken to a couple of GPs and an endocronologist now and just as you say, I don't think they see it as a real problem. Yes to those gloves!

As for perimenopause, it's so interesting that it got better for you and @WinterBlues26 in this phase. I've been peri for 4 years. I'm already on HRT and it's no different. Perhaps worse! The only time I got properly warm was hot flushes before the HRT.😁