CRP? Fibromyalgia Hypothyroidism. Help?!

[Han17]

I had a LOT of bloods done in January. I went to the doctors about feeling my health is out of control, I'd given up gluten 6 weeks before and it made a different but I didn't feel well enough considering I don't drink and I'm careful what I eat but gaining weight rapidly.

They said I had the autoimmune hypothyroidism, hashtimo thyroiditis and I was prediabetic. The doctor started me on 50 of levothyroxine which after a week she upped to 100 after a week. I went back after 6 weeks and she said I'm just in normal range (despite feeling worse than before I took any levothyroxine). I asked for a print of blood results.

In January I had a chronic fatigue review but the things that were out are Serum C reactive protein level at 9mg/L.

My plasma fasting glucose was 6.3 now its 5.8mmol/L.

TSH was 9.84mu/L T4 was 7.6 pmol/L with anti thyroid peroxidase 224.7 and now it is TSH 3.87 T4 13. But considering she's saying perhaps antidepressants would lift my mood didn't mention until I asked that my serum total 25-hydroxy vitamin D level was 42 which is low.

I also had a ultrasound Saturday and they said I have a swollen fatty liver (I can feel it! It's painful and aches and makes me feel full up) which she didn't seem fussed about.

I've been signed off work under the title of fibromyalgia from Jan to April and it seems to be flying past and I still don't know what's going on.

As she didn't mention the serum C reactive protein and Vit D is it not worth mentioning or something I can be working on? She's upped me to 125 of levothyroxine and has asked me to consider antidepressants. I'm already on pregabalin and I don't think I want to go down that path now.

I've googled CRP and it mentions heart health, lupus, cancer etc. I've been having heart palpitations and my pulse is elevated but regular when tested so they have just put it down to hypothyroidism. I feel like they're missing something. Help please?!

[Paul_Howard Partner LUPUS UK]

Hi Han17 ,

I'm sorry to hear that you have been feeling so unwell. Have your doctors done any blood tests for lupus? If you are concerned that you may have lupus, then you may want to ask for an antinuclear antibody (ANA) test and an anti-dsDNA antibody test.

If you need more information about lupus and how it is diagnosed, you can request or download one of our free packs at lupusuk.org.uk/request-info...

[PMRpro]

A raised CRP is just a sign there is some inflammation going on somewhere in your body and it is a common finding with a lot of autoimmune disorders. Yours is probably at the top of the normal range although you would have to ask what your lab's normal range is as it varies from lab to lab.

Your vit D was low-ish but not devastatingly so - it would have been taken as good a few years ago. My husband's was in single figures and he didn't feel at all unwell!

However, while the early stages of fatty liver are not serious, I'm surprised your doctor wasn't more proactive about measures to improve that - it is reversible with lifestyle changes. This is a good article about it.

healthline.com/desktop-arti...

Does the pregabalin do anything for the symptoms they have labelled as fibromyalgia? If the CRP was higher it might be an indication that those symptoms aren't fibro but something else. However, your hypothyroidism may well be the cause of those symptoms and you need to be patient and see what the thyroxine does.

However - as Paul says, this forum is one about lupus - and I'm not sure anything you've described would trigger thoughts of lupus. The thyroid forum may be more helpful to you.