Effectiveness of iron supplements shown in ferritin +TSH levels

[Guest guest]

Now I have got a quantifiable result, I thought I'd start a separate

threat specifically for this subject.

mid 1998 when I still felt ill months after son's birth - TSH=4.33

I was only told " normal " . Wonder what my ferritin was??

<Many years of continuing inexplicable illness and periodic

bloodtests labelled " normal " >

02/11/05 (no ferritin result) - TSH=5.28

08/06/06 Ferritin level=18 - TSH=5.62

following many years of chronic carbon monoxide poisoning. I was

taking standard multi-vit and mineral supplements which claimed to

supply a minimum of 100% of the RDA of iron. My ferritin levels were

too depleted for standard stuff to make any great difference.

I then started to add 2 sachets of spatone daily to that.

06/09/06 (no ferritin result) - TSH=7.18

08/11/06 (no ferritin result) - TSH=6.10

16/11/06 (no ferritin result) - TSH=5.31

16/05/07 Ferritin level=30 - TSH=3.64

26/07/07 Ferritin level=24 - TSH=2.82

12/10/07 Ferritin level=30 - TSH=4.01

after taking 600mg of ferrous sulphate pills since around May 2007.

Conclusion - 3 months of ferrous sulphate pills were not absorbed at

all!! (Gave me constipation, heart-burn, evil-smelling farts and

bleeding piles instead)

Interesting drop down to 24 then rise back up to 30. I wonder if

that rise happened AFTER I stopped taking the pills at the end of

August when I went camping and couldn't face 10 days of digestive

problems out in the wild? I replaced them with 4 sachets of spatone

a day for 1 and a half months.

11/01/2008 Ferritin level=52 - TSH=6.18

after 2 months of Galfer Syrup. RESULT!! Will continue to take this

until GP advises otherwise.

My sister also has very low iron and her GP informed her that he

expects ferritin levels to raise by about 2 points per week in

someone properly absorbing iron from high-dose iron supplementation.

My new results show I am well in line of that prediction.

I have included my TSH results as I was hoping that some sort of

trend would show. My endo has blamed my symptoms purely on low iron

and CO poisoning. My CO exposure ended in May 2006. Well, I honestly

feel like crap at the moment. In spite of my ferritin results

improving, my TSH has worsened. To me that indicates my thyroid IS

struggling and even improving iron levels hasn't helped it.

I have been a vegetarian since 1987 and have a family history of

women with thyroid problems and men with heart problems. I am not

receiving any medication for hypothyroidism as I am still

undiagnosed.

--------------------------

Please add your own ferritin levels and TSH data to this thread and

it may be interesting what sort of pattern emerges.

Tracey

[Guest guest]

Hi,

Your TSH is far too high. Should be around1.0, 1.5 which is where over

90% of healthy people are. why do these idiots think anyone can survive on

such a high TSH?

06/09/06 (no ferritin result) - TSH=7.18

08/11/06 (no ferritin result) - TSH=6.10

16/11/06 (no ferritin result) - TSH=5.31

16/05/07 Ferritin level=30 - TSH=3.64

26/07/07 Ferritin level=24 - TSH=2.82

12/10/07 Ferritin level=30 - TSH=4.01

[Guest guest]

Thanks . I agree. How much more evidence do they need!! The

last blood test was done at 8.20am and the 2.82 one was done at 3pm.

Even so, if 2.82 is a best case scenario (ie the lowest my TSH goes)

it still indicates a problem to me.

The endocrinogist's blood tests are always taken in the afternoon as

that is when his clinic is - hence his discharging me on the basis

of his tests. Fortunately my GP's blood clinics are always before

10am. My current GP is much more likely to take note of my results

as he takes an interest in getting his patients well. Now the endo

is out of the picture, I'm his problem!

I have a free T4 reading of 9.2 to go with that TSH of 6.18. What

does that indicate? The computer generated caption on my printout

says " normal FT4 and raised TSH as in compensated hypothyroidism.

Suggest repeats at intervals to detect overt thyroid failure " . So

does that mean they want my thyroid to completely pack up before I

get treatment? I hope not as I really can't carry on living only

half a life.

Tracey

> Hi, Your TSH is far too high. Should be around1.0, 1.5 which is

where over

> 90% of healthy people are. why do these idiots think anyone can

survive on

> such a high TSH?

>

>

>

> 06/09/06 (no ferritin result) - TSH=7.18

>

> 08/11/06 (no ferritin result) - TSH=6.10

>

> 16/11/06 (no ferritin result) - TSH=5.31

>

> 16/05/07 Ferritin level=30 - TSH=3.64

>

> 26/07/07 Ferritin level=24 - TSH=2.82

>

> 12/10/07 Ferritin level=30 - TSH=4.01

>