# Ferritin, b12 and TSH



## Inkslingerboi (Mar 4, 2017)

I need some help. I've been suffering for years and it keeps getting worse, so maybe someone is familiar with what's going on and can shed some light on this. I really hate sounding like a crazy hypochondriac but I am hoping someone here can relate because these are real things happening to me, and in the past I have been brushed off by doctors which makes me second guess myself despite the suffering!

I have had B12 pernicious anemia since 2002, and was first found to be iron deficient back in 2005. Doctors dismissed my anemia because I was vegetarian at the time, yet I went back to eating chicken, pork eggs and fish in 2005 and it did not improve. I still don't eat red meat because I can't digest it properly.

I have moderate cycles, some months are heavier but not the extent that would be considered dangerous (50-80ml's lost is my average, and menorrhagia is only suspect over 80ml's)

At one point I was getting iron injections, which colored my skin and were super painful, and they did improve my anemia but only mildly.

I have all of the symptoms of hypo, (possible hashimoto's) and have been worsening over the last 2 years. I've always been overweight but usually able to drop pounds with effort over time.

Recently, in the last 6 months my symptoms have become so bad that I cannot even get out of bed. I have shocking new weight gain that I cannot lose, I am gaining weight weekly (I've put on 40lbs in 6 months) I usually am a healthy eater because my digestive system can't tolerate a lot of fat or junk food (and at times I have no appetite at all or I just want chocolate) and am just exhausted, weak, short of breath, brain fog, always in pain, itchy dry skin, recent random hives, sometimes so cold I shiver even when it's warm, night sweats every night on my neck so bad I wake up and my shirt is wet, migraines, unexplained stomach issues and pain (they did a flex sigmoidoscopy and said it was 'probably IBS').

I've had my TSH tested 3 times in 2 years and it's always different. It has ranged between 1.55 and 3.8, most recently in the last 2 weeks it's been at its lowest at 1.55 and at the same time, my iron is at it's lowest right now at a level of 9 which is considered severe anemia. The recent ferritin test was done 10 days prior to my period starting. My most recent ferritin has also come back with strange blood symptoms such as abnormal hemocrit, hemoglobin, elevated RDW, low MCH. I've read there is a link between anemia and thyroid function and I'm still trying to learn more about that by my own research.

I have not had recent T4 and T3 and antibody thyroid screens done, I was only able to get them done back in 2015 but I am hoping to encourage my current doctor to do them as he seems more open to possibilities and is more inclined to test where my last doctor brushed it off as 'heavy flow and IBS." He's been very curious about my fatigue and tested for Addison's disease which came back negative, and then he tested my TSH. I'm hoping to get him to check the rest.

I know a lot of my symptoms can be attributed to the anemia, but then WHY am I anemic? Who came first, the chicken or the egg?

Anyway. A couple years ago when my energy level changed and I started seeing symptoms, at the encouragement of a friend who has hashimoto's, I was able to get a doctor to screen my T3's and T4's such and this is what they found: (copy-pasted from my results) does anything look like it was out of place back then that might explain why I feel this bad now?

2015 Thyroid Function

*TSH*
*3.2*
0.27-4.2
mU/L

*T4 Free*
*13.1*
10.5-20.0
pmol/L

*T3 Free*
*4.6*
3.5-6.5
pmol/L

*Thyroperoxidase Ab*

*<5*
<35
IU/mL

*Thyroglobulin Ab*
*12*
<40
IU/mL

*Thyroglobulin*
*21.4*
<60.0
ug/L

*Ferritin at the time of screening: **13 *
*(anemia is confirmed at anything below 15)*


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## joplin1975 (Jul 21, 2011)

You are hypo. Your TSH is too high and both frees are too low.

More importantly, you need a thyroid ultrasound.


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

During my diagnosis phase I was labeled a hypochondriac as well. That's hard to accept - especially when you are feeling so poorly and no doctor can find the issue.

I agree that you are hypo and also that the thyroglobulin antibodies being present warrant an ultrasound of your thyroid.

I had low ferritin and was told the lower the ferritin the heavier one bleeds. In my case, I took OTC iron supplements which raised my levels to acceptable then had a monthly cycle and was right back at the bottom of my original test. Iron supplements made me ill so I opted for endometrial ablation.

Try speaking with an GYN doctor - that's who eventually diagnosed my thyroid issues.


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## Inkslingerboi (Mar 4, 2017)

I *truly* appreciate your responses. What a relief to have someone understand! I've felt a bit crazy trying to figure this all out.

I live in a city where regular doctors are hard to get, and most people have to go to walk in clinics which makes it almost impossible to get a proper diagnosis, since you can end up seeing a different doctor every time you visit. But I have managed to find a clinic that posts their doc's schedules and I make a point of going to the clinic and seeing the same doctor every time. He's the first to ever actually listen to me. It can mean up to a 4 hour wait, though.

I realized after posting that my screening was never actually reviewed by the doc that ordered them. He was downright mean to me when I asked for the tests (my friend with hashi's had told me to try that clinic) and berated me for handing him a list of my symptoms I had written down, he asked me "what am I supposed to do with this?"

I had to beg him to test me and then I left crying! So, needless to say I never ended up going back to see him. I am able to access my results by logging in to the lab online which is why I know what they were. However, my current doc can also access them from his office, I wonder why he's never taken any notice of them? I am guessing it's because he's a walk in clinic doc and his time is limited for each patient.

Keeping in mind that my full thyroid screen was done in 2015, and my most recent TSH was 1.55 would that still indicate hypo? I thought your TSH had to be higher than the "normal" range? What should both "frees" be at?

Also, what would the thyroglobulin antibodies being present mean?

Forgive me if I'm confused... I'm still trying to understand how this works. I'm seeing "my" doctor at the walk-in on Monday and I plan to bring all of this to his attention, I just need to format how I am going to say it.


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## Sabrina (Aug 30, 2016)

I can relate a bit. I have been having issues since my thyroidectomy last summer. I am on my third general practitioner and my second endocrinologist. I spent a lot of time and money with the second GP who finally revealed she only goes by TSH, claiming all of my weird new symptoms are something completely unrelated to my lack of thyroid or weird labs, and my RX was to meditate to fix my adrenal responses - she would not look at altering my meds. What really put me over the edge was that she didn't really want input from me, but let me arrange to have a ferritin test to humor me, it was 13 on a scale of 10-291, then at my next appt after that she didn't even address it, I had to bring it up!!

A day or two later I was online googling local doctors (GPs) who specialize in thyroid issues. I found one and see him for the first time next week but have already confirmed he goes by all of the labs and has already been more responsive and accomdating than my last one was over just over the phone and emails.

Keep looking for doctors. Maybe travel outside your area if you have to. I have to go a ways out of my way for this new one but we are doing some stuff by phone and I know it will only be to get me to the other side of these issues - I couldn't have him as my regular GP, too far away. There are websites that list good thyroid doctors by state and country if you are good at googling.

Wishing you luck! You are not alone.


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

> I just need to format how I am going to say it.


To address your anemia, you may want to try Floradix - it comes in a liquid which is easier to absorb and easier on the stomach. Based on your age - you may be pre menopausal, Being hypo can also cause heavy bleeding - you were hypo in 2015.

The most important item you need to point out is



> *Thyroglobulin*
> *21.4 *<60.0 ug/L


Although below the "range" you have it and it is a tumor marker for cancer. Ultrasound will help rule out suspicious nodules that may be on your thyroid.

Since it's been awhile since you have had thyroid levels checked, start with TSH, FreeT-4 and Free T-3 to verify thyroid function, then antibodies : TPO and Thyroglobulin. If your doc resists at all simply insist they re-run the thyroglobulin.

Most doctors will start with TSH and if abnormal ( meaning out of range) will order more tests. Many will not run the tests I or Joplin listed unless TSH is abnormal.

There are a number of lab sited online that you can order yourself depending on which state you live in, Healthonelabs.com, healthcheckusa.com, are two that I have personally used.


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## Inkslingerboi (Mar 4, 2017)

Hmm, ok I think that is starting to make sense.

I've gained yet another pound, it seems like I am gaining every day right now. It is making me seriously upset because it feels like my body is against me. I will look into liquid iron, and likely will end up getting infusions or shots again. As for perimenopause, my mother didn't start menopause till she was in her 50's, they say your parent is a good indicator as to when it will begin, and I also do not have much of the symptoms, and have had a lot of these symptoms for a very long time. I'll bring it up to the doc, though.

I will probably ask the doc to refer me to an endo. That is, if he's not willing to play ball with me on the hypo stuff. I live in Canada, so the resources available have to be referred, I can't seek out a specialist on my own unless I want to pay privately, and due to our lack of doctors in my city no GP's will take me as I do not have children, and there is a waiting list for GP's for single women that is about 4 years long. In my city anyway.

I might have to travel, that is sounding like something of an option if I can't get this to work here. I really have my fingers crossed about this doc. I see him tomorrow.

I first saw him in January 2016 when my relationship ended, and work became very demanding. My anxiety was through the roof and I was having chest pains (well, neck pains) that he said were panic attacks, he put me on sedatives and took me out of work immediately and has been advocating for me since then.

I've been researching thyroid cancer, hashi's and antibodies, not a fun subject to spend so much time on, but I am starting to understand how this all works. I hate the idea of doing all this learning and having to give a doctor instructions. They should just know!


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