Stick thin everywhere with tons of stomach fat

124»

Replies

  • mylittlerainbow
    mylittlerainbow Posts: 822 Member
    I have the same situation. I am 5'0" and weigh just short of 98 pounds. And with a huge protruding belly that drives me crazy! I've been trying recomp since October - lifting weights, resistance training, along with low-impact aerobics for overall fitness. I've tried some "snake-oil meds", too. I was taking pictures every week but gave up after about 4 months out of depression - no noticeable improvement. My whole family is very heavy and some are obese, so it's hard to judge what might be a genetic inheritance and what might be something I can improve. (And I do agree that a lot of it for me is sloppy posture; I have bad lifelong habits and have to work consciously on holding in my stomach and straightening my spine. But that doesn't account for it all!)
  • Speakeasy76
    Speakeasy76 Posts: 961 Member
    yirara wrote: »
    kelliihere wrote: »
    No I do not stay in the bed all day because of depression. I am NOT depressed. I am exhausted! Exhausted beyond words.

    My doctor just ran some blood work and here are the results. My appointment with her isn’t until the end of next week. If you guys have any suggestions for how to get some energy or if any of these things are causing the belly fat, please let me know.

    CBC and CMP including liver numbers are fine

    B12 - 347
    Ferritin - 15.8
    Serum iron - 79
    % saturation - 24%
    TIBC - 327
    Vitamin D - 31.0
    TSH - 9.1
    Free T3 - 3.3

    My doctor reran the thyroid tests. Those results are:
    TSH - 9.7
    Free T3 - 3.0
    Free T4 - 0.8
    Still waiting on Reverse T3

    All of these labs are recent.

    I’m so exhausted that I don’t even want to sit up. I prefer laying down. If I do sit up, I put a pillow there to prop myself up because I feel like I’m going to fall asleep.

    Any suggestions would be wonderful!

    Oh my god! You should find a different doctor, really!
    Your ferritin is very low. I would feel exhausted at that level. In many places the lower healthy range for women is around 30. This is low.
    Your TSH is very high! You should be on levothyroxine, and if you are already then the dose needs to be increased. Try to get thyroid antibodies as well to see whether you have hashimotos, but anyway, most people have.
    Your Vitamin D looks low, but difficult to say without ranges.
    Your B12 might also be low. are you taking any supplements, like a multivitamin or something like that? If so then you're also low in this one. You'd also need a folic acid test, btw. If folic acid levels are too low then B12 cannot be utilized in the body, and then it doesn't really matter what your B12 levels are.

    Can't comment on the rest without ranges. But there are probably 4 reasons here to feel tired and miserable.

    I'm sorry to hijack your post, OP, but wanted to comment on the ferritin levels. Mine was tested back in February by a rheumatologist, and it was at 12! The normal range was 8-252 for my test, but still even with that mine is borderline. My actual iron was low, too, but my doctors apparently don't care because they didn't follow up with me. My B12 and magnesium was also outside of the range (high), but yet again, my doctors didn't follow up with me.

  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,388 Member
    Speakeasy76 wrote: »
    yirara wrote: »
    kelliihere wrote: »
    No I do not stay in the bed all day because of depression. I am NOT depressed. I am exhausted! Exhausted beyond words.

    My doctor just ran some blood work and here are the results. My appointment with her isn’t until the end of next week. If you guys have any suggestions for how to get some energy or if any of these things are causing the belly fat, please let me know.

    CBC and CMP including liver numbers are fine

    B12 - 347
    Ferritin - 15.8
    Serum iron - 79
    % saturation - 24%
    TIBC - 327
    Vitamin D - 31.0
    TSH - 9.1
    Free T3 - 3.3

    My doctor reran the thyroid tests. Those results are:
    TSH - 9.7
    Free T3 - 3.0
    Free T4 - 0.8
    Still waiting on Reverse T3

    All of these labs are recent.

    I’m so exhausted that I don’t even want to sit up. I prefer laying down. If I do sit up, I put a pillow there to prop myself up because I feel like I’m going to fall asleep.

    Any suggestions would be wonderful!

    Oh my god! You should find a different doctor, really!
    Your ferritin is very low. I would feel exhausted at that level. In many places the lower healthy range for women is around 30. This is low.
    Your TSH is very high! You should be on levothyroxine, and if you are already then the dose needs to be increased. Try to get thyroid antibodies as well to see whether you have hashimotos, but anyway, most people have.
    Your Vitamin D looks low, but difficult to say without ranges.
    Your B12 might also be low. are you taking any supplements, like a multivitamin or something like that? If so then you're also low in this one. You'd also need a folic acid test, btw. If folic acid levels are too low then B12 cannot be utilized in the body, and then it doesn't really matter what your B12 levels are.

    Can't comment on the rest without ranges. But there are probably 4 reasons here to feel tired and miserable.

    I'm sorry to hijack your post, OP, but wanted to comment on the ferritin levels. Mine was tested back in February by a rheumatologist, and it was at 12! The normal range was 8-252 for my test, but still even with that mine is borderline. My actual iron was low, too, but my doctors apparently don't care because they didn't follow up with me. My B12 and magnesium was also outside of the range (high), but yet again, my doctors didn't follow up with me.

    I know. Doctors are not really clued up with that. Can't comment on B12 and magnesium. If you're taking supplements then that's not surprising. This includes multivitamins or energy drinks/cereals with vitamins. If not then some parasites could potentially cause a high B12, while some people might still be deficient, btw. Otherwise, a high B12 should not be a problem. People with a B12 deficiency, and on injections tend to feel best with levels above 1400. The serum level just doesn't reflect what's going on on a cellular level - which is what counts and what can't be tested.
  • kelliihere
    kelliihere Posts: 28 Member
    yirara wrote: »
    kelliihere wrote: »
    No I do not stay in the bed all day because of depression. I am NOT depressed. I am exhausted! Exhausted beyond words.

    My doctor just ran some blood work and here are the results. My appointment with her isn’t until the end of next week. If you guys have any suggestions for how to get some energy or if any of these things are causing the belly fat, please let me know.

    CBC and CMP including liver numbers are fine

    B12 - 347
    Ferritin - 15.8
    Serum iron - 79
    % saturation - 24%
    TIBC - 327
    Vitamin D - 31.0
    TSH - 9.1
    Free T3 - 3.3

    My doctor reran the thyroid tests. Those results are:
    TSH - 9.7
    Free T3 - 3.0
    Free T4 - 0.8
    Still waiting on Reverse T3

    All of these labs are recent.

    I’m so exhausted that I don’t even want to sit up. I prefer laying down. If I do sit up, I put a pillow there to prop myself up because I feel like I’m going to fall asleep.

    Any suggestions would be wonderful!

    Oh my god! You should find a different doctor, really!
    Your ferritin is very low. I would feel exhausted at that level. In many places the lower healthy range for women is around 30. This is low.
    Your TSH is very high! You should be on levothyroxine, and if you are already then the dose needs to be increased. Try to get thyroid antibodies as well to see whether you have hashimotos, but anyway, most people have.
    Your Vitamin D looks low, but difficult to say without ranges.
    Your B12 might also be low. are you taking any supplements, like a multivitamin or something like that? If so then you're also low in this one. You'd also need a folic acid test, btw. If folic acid levels are too low then B12 cannot be utilized in the body, and then it doesn't really matter what your B12 levels are.

    Can't comment on the rest without ranges. But there are probably 4 reasons here to feel tired and miserable.

    Would you feel exhausted with the ferritin low with normal hemoglobin, hematocrit, % saturation, serum iron, and TIBC? Here are my other numbers. I have an iron supplement I take, but I’m not consistent with it because I’m scared I’m going to overdose. If you get too much iron, it can cause liver damage and brain damage.

    Hemoglobin - 14.2 (12.0-15.0)
    Hematocrit - 41.1% (35.0%-49.0%)
    Serum iron - 79 (50-212)
    % saturation - 24% (15-55%) I read that over 45% is toxic so I’m not sure why this reference range goes up to 55%. Guess someone with iron toxicity was included in the sample.
    TIBC - 327 (250-400)
    Ferritin - 15.8 (10.0-106.0)
    Vitamin D - 31.0 (30.0-100.0)
    TSH - 9.7 (0.400-4.200)
    B12 - 347 (200-1000)

    I tried taking a B12 supplement. Didn’t help and made me feel extremely anxious and gave me frequent urination after the third dose. The supplement had 1,000 mcg (21,000% RDA). This is WAY more than they give you in B12 shots. I took it 3 times and with that high of a dose, I would think I would have felt something. I felt no difference other than negative side effects.

    Now I’m just taking a multi with B12 and folate instead. No negative side effects. But it’s not helping with energy. I feel extremely exhausted. I’ve taken it 3 days now and don’t feel any better.

    I do have Hashi’s. I’ve had it for years. The last TSH from 2 years ago was 2.2 and now it’s suddenly 9.7! I’m not on any thyroid medication at the moment. Would Levoxyl help? I’m worried about hair loss since that is a common side effect. I’m not currently losing hair right now, but I have in the past. I don’t want to lose anymore. I’m also worried based on what I’ve heard people say that I’m not going to feel any better on medication and I might get side effects/new symptoms.

    Could the high TSH and low ferritin really be causing THIS level of fatigue? I’ve had Hashi’s and low ferritin for years. I’ve been fatigued. But all of a sudden, the fatigue started getting REALLY bad. It’s never been this bad.

    I’m so exhausted that I can barely brush my teeth. I had to quit my job because I didn’t have the energy. I don’t have the energy to cook. I don’t have the energy to do dishes or laundry. Anything. I eat and then I go back to bed.
  • rheddmobile
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
    In my experience TSH of 10 or thereabouts will indeed make you feel like warmed over poo. Yes you may have some hair loss while adjusting to meds but it’s well worth it to have your life back. The meds are just replacing what your body should be doing. There could be more going on with you, but the thyroid by itself is enough to explain it, and whoever said meds wouldn’t make you feel better is doing you a disservice. The difference between undermedicated (or unmedicated in your case) and properly medicated is night and day.
  • romifeder
    romifeder Posts: 7 Member
    I only saw one picture. But it very well could be hormonal. When hormones change, the body's placement of fat can change dramatically, even in one year. I'd go get a second opinion at a gynecologist or endocrinologist. (fat levels can affect hormones, thyroid and parathyroid, vitamin D-- all of this-- did you get these things checked?) There are several reasons why hormones would change. (Endometriosis?- look it up and see if your symptoms align with that) In any case, if you lift weights, it will help redistribute fat, but you may have to get into serious shape—by lifting heavy weight—to see the dramatic results you want. to see I truly empathize and hope you find a good solution.
  • romifeder
    romifeder Posts: 7 Member
    You have probably heard from your doctor by now. I just saw your test results. The vitamin D is apparently controversial in the medical community- bone people feel that it should be higher- The TSH could be the reason for all of this! I'm hypothyroid too. You don't lose hair from treating hypothyroidism! You lose it from hypothyroidism. I had weight gain happen to me when I was 28, and it had to do with hormones and hypothyroidism also. (I was very thin then- I'm 50 now and overweight) They were not so hip to the hypothyroid levels back then- so I gained weight and suffered with exhaustion and being cold all the time and lost hair for several years. I felt much better when a new endocrinologist put me on the right level of levothyroxine, but it took a little bit to find the right level. This could be the entire problem, but I'd ask to test the parathyroid level too. See what your doctor says about taking more vitamin D. If it is hypothyroidism, that advice about lifting heavy weight is really important. Weight becomes a bit of a struggle. But you can do it. Keep at it.
  • Speakeasy76
    Speakeasy76 Posts: 961 Member
    kelliihere wrote: »
    yirara wrote: »
    kelliihere wrote: »
    No I do not stay in the bed all day because of depression. I am NOT depressed. I am exhausted! Exhausted beyond words.

    My doctor just ran some blood work and here are the results. My appointment with her isn’t until the end of next week. If you guys have any suggestions for how to get some energy or if any of these things are causing the belly fat, please let me know.

    CBC and CMP including liver numbers are fine

    B12 - 347
    Ferritin - 15.8
    Serum iron - 79
    % saturation - 24%
    TIBC - 327
    Vitamin D - 31.0
    TSH - 9.1
    Free T3 - 3.3

    My doctor reran the thyroid tests. Those results are:
    TSH - 9.7
    Free T3 - 3.0
    Free T4 - 0.8
    Still waiting on Reverse T3

    All of these labs are recent.

    I’m so exhausted that I don’t even want to sit up. I prefer laying down. If I do sit up, I put a pillow there to prop myself up because I feel like I’m going to fall asleep.

    Any suggestions would be wonderful!

    Oh my god! You should find a different doctor, really!
    Your ferritin is very low. I would feel exhausted at that level. In many places the lower healthy range for women is around 30. This is low.
    Your TSH is very high! You should be on levothyroxine, and if you are already then the dose needs to be increased. Try to get thyroid antibodies as well to see whether you have hashimotos, but anyway, most people have.
    Your Vitamin D looks low, but difficult to say without ranges.
    Your B12 might also be low. are you taking any supplements, like a multivitamin or something like that? If so then you're also low in this one. You'd also need a folic acid test, btw. If folic acid levels are too low then B12 cannot be utilized in the body, and then it doesn't really matter what your B12 levels are.

    Can't comment on the rest without ranges. But there are probably 4 reasons here to feel tired and miserable.

    Would you feel exhausted with the ferritin low with normal hemoglobin, hematocrit, % saturation, serum iron, and TIBC? Here are my other numbers. I have an iron supplement I take, but I’m not consistent with it because I’m scared I’m going to overdose. If you get too much iron, it can cause liver damage and brain damage.

    Hemoglobin - 14.2 (12.0-15.0)
    Hematocrit - 41.1% (35.0%-49.0%)
    Serum iron - 79 (50-212)
    % saturation - 24% (15-55%) I read that over 45% is toxic so I’m not sure why this reference range goes up to 55%. Guess someone with iron toxicity was included in the sample.
    TIBC - 327 (250-400)
    Ferritin - 15.8 (10.0-106.0)
    Vitamin D - 31.0 (30.0-100.0)
    TSH - 9.7 (0.400-4.200)
    B12 - 347 (200-1000)

    I tried taking a B12 supplement. Didn’t help and made me feel extremely anxious and gave me frequent urination after the third dose. The supplement had 1,000 mcg (21,000% RDA). This is WAY more than they give you in B12 shots. I took it 3 times and with that high of a dose, I would think I would have felt something. I felt no difference other than negative side effects.

    Now I’m just taking a multi with B12 and folate instead. No negative side effects. But it’s not helping with energy. I feel extremely exhausted. I’ve taken it 3 days now and don’t feel any better.

    I do have Hashi’s. I’ve had it for years. The last TSH from 2 years ago was 2.2 and now it’s suddenly 9.7! I’m not on any thyroid medication at the moment. Would Levoxyl help? I’m worried about hair loss since that is a common side effect. I’m not currently losing hair right now, but I have in the past. I don’t want to lose anymore. I’m also worried based on what I’ve heard people say that I’m not going to feel any better on medication and I might get side effects/new symptoms.

    Could the high TSH and low ferritin really be causing THIS level of fatigue? I’ve had Hashi’s and low ferritin for years. I’ve been fatigued. But all of a sudden, the fatigue started getting REALLY bad. It’s never been this bad.

    I’m so exhausted that I can barely brush my teeth. I had to quit my job because I didn’t have the energy. I don’t have the energy to cook. I don’t have the energy to do dishes or laundry. Anything. I eat and then I go back to bed.

    What are you doing to treat the Hashimoto's. If nothing, it makes a lot of sense to me that the sudden increase in TSH and your fatigue are correlated.

    I think in the grand scheme of things the possibilityof hair loss wouldn't outweigh feeling like crap all the time, to the point of having to quit your job. There are lots of us on MFP who have been on levothyroxine for years and feel better on than off. It takes some experimentation in the beginning to come up with the right dose for you, so if you're experiencing new or worsening symptoms you need to tell your doctor, not just stop taking it.

    In any case, you really need to talk to your doctor about this and come up with a plan.
  • kelliihere
    kelliihere Posts: 28 Member
    Speakeasy76 wrote: »
    kelliihere wrote: »
    yirara wrote: »
    kelliihere wrote: »
    No I do not stay in the bed all day because of depression. I am NOT depressed. I am exhausted! Exhausted beyond words.

    My doctor just ran some blood work and here are the results. My appointment with her isn’t until the end of next week. If you guys have any suggestions for how to get some energy or if any of these things are causing the belly fat, please let me know.

    CBC and CMP including liver numbers are fine

    B12 - 347
    Ferritin - 15.8
    Serum iron - 79
    % saturation - 24%
    TIBC - 327
    Vitamin D - 31.0
    TSH - 9.1
    Free T3 - 3.3

    My doctor reran the thyroid tests. Those results are:
    TSH - 9.7
    Free T3 - 3.0
    Free T4 - 0.8
    Still waiting on Reverse T3

    All of these labs are recent.

    I’m so exhausted that I don’t even want to sit up. I prefer laying down. If I do sit up, I put a pillow there to prop myself up because I feel like I’m going to fall asleep.

    Any suggestions would be wonderful!

    Oh my god! You should find a different doctor, really!
    Your ferritin is very low. I would feel exhausted at that level. In many places the lower healthy range for women is around 30. This is low.
    Your TSH is very high! You should be on levothyroxine, and if you are already then the dose needs to be increased. Try to get thyroid antibodies as well to see whether you have hashimotos, but anyway, most people have.
    Your Vitamin D looks low, but difficult to say without ranges.
    Your B12 might also be low. are you taking any supplements, like a multivitamin or something like that? If so then you're also low in this one. You'd also need a folic acid test, btw. If folic acid levels are too low then B12 cannot be utilized in the body, and then it doesn't really matter what your B12 levels are.

    Can't comment on the rest without ranges. But there are probably 4 reasons here to feel tired and miserable.

    Would you feel exhausted with the ferritin low with normal hemoglobin, hematocrit, % saturation, serum iron, and TIBC? Here are my other numbers. I have an iron supplement I take, but I’m not consistent with it because I’m scared I’m going to overdose. If you get too much iron, it can cause liver damage and brain damage.

    Hemoglobin - 14.2 (12.0-15.0)
    Hematocrit - 41.1% (35.0%-49.0%)
    Serum iron - 79 (50-212)
    % saturation - 24% (15-55%) I read that over 45% is toxic so I’m not sure why this reference range goes up to 55%. Guess someone with iron toxicity was included in the sample.
    TIBC - 327 (250-400)
    Ferritin - 15.8 (10.0-106.0)
    Vitamin D - 31.0 (30.0-100.0)
    TSH - 9.7 (0.400-4.200)
    B12 - 347 (200-1000)

    I tried taking a B12 supplement. Didn’t help and made me feel extremely anxious and gave me frequent urination after the third dose. The supplement had 1,000 mcg (21,000% RDA). This is WAY more than they give you in B12 shots. I took it 3 times and with that high of a dose, I would think I would have felt something. I felt no difference other than negative side effects.

    Now I’m just taking a multi with B12 and folate instead. No negative side effects. But it’s not helping with energy. I feel extremely exhausted. I’ve taken it 3 days now and don’t feel any better.

    I do have Hashi’s. I’ve had it for years. The last TSH from 2 years ago was 2.2 and now it’s suddenly 9.7! I’m not on any thyroid medication at the moment. Would Levoxyl help? I’m worried about hair loss since that is a common side effect. I’m not currently losing hair right now, but I have in the past. I don’t want to lose anymore. I’m also worried based on what I’ve heard people say that I’m not going to feel any better on medication and I might get side effects/new symptoms.

    Could the high TSH and low ferritin really be causing THIS level of fatigue? I’ve had Hashi’s and low ferritin for years. I’ve been fatigued. But all of a sudden, the fatigue started getting REALLY bad. It’s never been this bad.

    I’m so exhausted that I can barely brush my teeth. I had to quit my job because I didn’t have the energy. I don’t have the energy to cook. I don’t have the energy to do dishes or laundry. Anything. I eat and then I go back to bed.

    What are you doing to treat the Hashimoto's. If nothing, it makes a lot of sense to me that the sudden increase in TSH and your fatigue are correlated.

    I think in the grand scheme of things the possibilityof hair loss wouldn't outweigh feeling like crap all the time, to the point of having to quit your job. There are lots of us on MFP who have been on levothyroxine for years and feel better on than off. It takes some experimentation in the beginning to come up with the right dose for you, so if you're experiencing new or worsening symptoms you need to tell your doctor, not just stop taking it.

    In any case, you really need to talk to your doctor about this and come up with a plan.


    To treat the Hashimoto’s, I went gluten and dairy free. I’m assuming that’s what you mean by treat, or do you mean medication? By going gluten and dairy free, my antibodies went from 1800 to 254. They went from 1800 to 400 something on gluten free alone.

    Then I went dairy free. After being dairy free for a year, my antibodies went from 400 something to 254, the lowest they’ve ever been. But my TSH went from 2.2 to 9.7. Is this progression of Hashi’s or is it related to a nutritional deficiency like iodine and zinc that I might have gotten on a dairy free diet? It really doesn’t make sense for the antibodies to come down significantly but the TSH to go WAY up. My TSH is the highest it’s ever been.
  • pridesabtch
    pridesabtch Posts: 2,301 Member
    My THS went from 2 ish to 9.6 in the last year. I slept all the time, and I gained a ton of weight. Now that they have increased my levothyroxin dosage I have more energy and have lost 6 pounds in 2 weeks. Just saying the thyroid levels can be a game changer.
  • kelliihere
    kelliihere Posts: 28 Member
    pridesabtch wrote: »
    My THS went from 2 ish to 9.6 in the last year. I slept all the time, and I gained a ton of weight. Now that they have increased my levothyroxin dosage I have more energy and have lost 6 pounds in 2 weeks. Just saying the thyroid levels can be a game changer.

    I guess it can change dramatically in a year. When you say you have more energy, is it a lot more energy?
  • pridesabtch
    pridesabtch Posts: 2,301 Member
    It's a lot more energy. Before I would take 3-4 hour naps after work just to make it through dinner, then go to be early and have a difficult time getting up. I was often late for work. I just didn't have the energy to function...
  • kelliihere
    kelliihere Posts: 28 Member
    pridesabtch wrote: »
    It's a lot more energy. Before I would take 3-4 hour naps after work just to make it through dinner, then go to be early and have a difficult time getting up. I was often late for work. I just didn't have the energy to function...

    That’s wonderful to hear! That gives me some hope that this will get better.

  • owieprone
    owieprone Posts: 217 Member
    Normally I would say your body type is endomorph, which is what I am and when I"m your weight that's roughly how I look; at the moment i look like a beachball with 4 sticks and a football head on top, but as you're saying it appeared overnight (and I assume here you mean literally and not over a few months) - go back to the doctor.

    I don't believe it's bloating as it would be centred on your organs and wouldn't wrap around your sides, you'd feel uncomfortable, it would come and go, and it wouldn't be watery. It could be water retention which could be: food related, an imbalance (i.e. vitamins, minerals, and/or hormone), or something that needs some medical attention.

    If you do mean a few months then it's most likely your diet and covid-enforced sedentary lifestyle (i.e. not lowering your calorie intake for the much less movement we've all be doing). The way to get rid of that and keep it off as an endomorph is to change your diet to lower carb - the amount of carbs you can tolerate is specific to you so you'll need some time to figure out what your body can handle. What you could get the doc to check is for food intolerances, which you can get at any time of life much like allergies.
    Cardio and strength training won't do much if it is diet related, you might see some toning but not much else. Doing core work won't shift it, again you can't spot reduce fat your body will lose it in the order it prefers. This isn't an excuse to not do corework, you may as well work towards whatever fitness goals you want and see what diet is best for you.

    I'd go back to the doc if you don't believe it's cause by diet and lack of normal amounts of exercise, and ask about water retention, possible imbalances, or any other causes.

    Hopefully it's as simple as you're an endomorph and just need to put the pizza down and up the ante on training for a little bit.
    hope that helps.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,886 Member
    snowflake954 wrote: »
    Fatigue this serious needs a doctor, not random internet strangers. Make an appointment ASAP. If you don't get help, then try another doctor. Hoping you find the answer. Hurry.

    This ^
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,886 Member
    kelliihere wrote: »
    yirara wrote: »
    kelliihere wrote: »
    No I do not stay in the bed all day because of depression. I am NOT depressed. I am exhausted! Exhausted beyond words.

    My doctor just ran some blood work and here are the results. My appointment with her isn’t until the end of next week. If you guys have any suggestions for how to get some energy or if any of these things are causing the belly fat, please let me know.

    CBC and CMP including liver numbers are fine

    B12 - 347
    Ferritin - 15.8
    Serum iron - 79
    % saturation - 24%
    TIBC - 327
    Vitamin D - 31.0
    TSH - 9.1
    Free T3 - 3.3

    My doctor reran the thyroid tests. Those results are:
    TSH - 9.7
    Free T3 - 3.0
    Free T4 - 0.8
    Still waiting on Reverse T3

    All of these labs are recent.

    I’m so exhausted that I don’t even want to sit up. I prefer laying down. If I do sit up, I put a pillow there to prop myself up because I feel like I’m going to fall asleep.

    Any suggestions would be wonderful!

    Oh my god! You should find a different doctor, really!
    Your ferritin is very low. I would feel exhausted at that level. In many places the lower healthy range for women is around 30. This is low.
    Your TSH is very high! You should be on levothyroxine, and if you are already then the dose needs to be increased. Try to get thyroid antibodies as well to see whether you have hashimotos, but anyway, most people have.
    Your Vitamin D looks low, but difficult to say without ranges.
    Your B12 might also be low. are you taking any supplements, like a multivitamin or something like that? If so then you're also low in this one. You'd also need a folic acid test, btw. If folic acid levels are too low then B12 cannot be utilized in the body, and then it doesn't really matter what your B12 levels are.

    Can't comment on the rest without ranges. But there are probably 4 reasons here to feel tired and miserable.

    Would you feel exhausted with the ferritin low with normal hemoglobin, hematocrit, % saturation, serum iron, and TIBC? Here are my other numbers. I have an iron supplement I take, but I’m not consistent with it because I’m scared I’m going to overdose. If you get too much iron, it can cause liver damage and brain damage.

    Hemoglobin - 14.2 (12.0-15.0)
    Hematocrit - 41.1% (35.0%-49.0%)
    Serum iron - 79 (50-212)
    % saturation - 24% (15-55%) I read that over 45% is toxic so I’m not sure why this reference range goes up to 55%. Guess someone with iron toxicity was included in the sample.
    TIBC - 327 (250-400)
    Ferritin - 15.8 (10.0-106.0)
    Vitamin D - 31.0 (30.0-100.0)
    TSH - 9.7 (0.400-4.200)
    B12 - 347 (200-1000)

    I tried taking a B12 supplement. Didn’t help and made me feel extremely anxious and gave me frequent urination after the third dose. The supplement had 1,000 mcg (21,000% RDA). This is WAY more than they give you in B12 shots. I took it 3 times and with that high of a dose, I would think I would have felt something. I felt no difference other than negative side effects.

    Now I’m just taking a multi with B12 and folate instead. No negative side effects. But it’s not helping with energy. I feel extremely exhausted. I’ve taken it 3 days now and don’t feel any better.

    I do have Hashi’s. I’ve had it for years. The last TSH from 2 years ago was 2.2 and now it’s suddenly 9.7! I’m not on any thyroid medication at the moment. Would Levoxyl help? I’m worried about hair loss since that is a common side effect. I’m not currently losing hair right now, but I have in the past. I don’t want to lose anymore. I’m also worried based on what I’ve heard people say that I’m not going to feel any better on medication and I might get side effects/new symptoms.

    Could the high TSH and low ferritin really be causing THIS level of fatigue? I’ve had Hashi’s and low ferritin for years. I’ve been fatigued. But all of a sudden, the fatigue started getting REALLY bad. It’s never been this bad.

    I’m so exhausted that I can barely brush my teeth. I had to quit my job because I didn’t have the energy. I don’t have the energy to cook. I don’t have the energy to do dishes or laundry. Anything. I eat and then I go back to bed.

    Your iron levels are all better than mine, and I need regular supplementation and infusions to get that way. When I had severe exhaustion from anemia my ferritin was in the single digits.

    The normal range for ferritin for women is 11 to 307 micrograms per liter.

    https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/ferritin-test/about/pac-20384928#:~:text=The normal range for blood,to 307 micrograms per liter

    I know nothing about thyroid but getting a referral to an endocrinologist seems like a good place to start.

Categories