Can anyone help me interpret my blood test results please?

[lizzyd]

I'm on a mission to get myself feeling right this year after discovering this forum and a couple of helpful books. Was diagnosed with Graves 2001 and had TT in 2003. Have not felt right ever since, with various ongoing hypo symptoms. I saw an endo about these and continuing supressed TSH in about 2007-8, when my GP put down my Levo so much (based on TSH) that he made me really ill. The endo put my Levo back up and checked my pituitary function, but couldn't suggest anything else to help.

Since doing my latest reading and finding out there's plenty more things to try, I've waited 7 months for an appointment with a different (carefully-selected) endo. In the meantime I've had a really bad patch with new symptoms of tingling fingers/hands, salt/sugar cravings and utter exhaustion (but poor sleep) following a day at work.

First consultation with new endo last week went well, with him agreeing that I could try adding some T3 to my T4, but wanting blood tests done first.

Test results back today, so I now need to see my GP to get the T3 and talk about any other treatment needed. I think I need to discuss low vitamin D, ferritin and cortisol, but any advice on the blood test results below gratefully received. Thanks in anticipation...

Free T4 - 16.6 pmol/l (range 11-22.6)

Free T3 - 5.3 pmol/l (range 3.5-6.5)

TSH - 0.02 mU/l (range 0.2-4.0)

Total 25OH Vitamin D - 37.4 nmol/l (range <25=deficiency, 25-75=insufficiency, 75-250=sufficiency, >250=toxicity)

Vitamin B12 - 539 ng/l (range 145-914)

Folate - 9.0 ug/l (range 3.0-14.4)

Ferritin - 17 ug/l (range 10-291)

Cortisol - 206 nmol/l (range 184-623 @ 9am)

Full blood count:

Haemoglobin - 134 g/l (range 115-150)

White blood count - 4.00 10 to the 9/l (range 3.5-11.0)

Platelets - 197 10 to the 9/l (range 140-400)

Haematocrit (PCV) - 0.412 (range 0.36-0.46)

Red blood count - 4.65. 10 to the 12 (range 3.80-5.0)

Mean cell volume - 89.0 fl (range 80.0-99.0)

Mean cell haemoglobin 28.9 pg (range 27.5-32.5)

Mean cell haemoglobin conc. 326 g/l (range 310-350)

Neutrophils - 1.90. 10 to the 9/l (range 1.70-8.00)

Lymphocytes - 1.70 10 to the 9/l (range 1.00-4.00)

Monocytes - 0.19 10 to the 9/l (range 0.20-0.80)

Eosinophils - 0.18. 10 to the 9/l (range 0.04-0.40)

Basophils - 0.04. 10 to the 9/l (range 0.02-0.10)

[PinkNinja]

One thing that jumped out at me when you listed your symptoms was low cortisol and when I scrolled down I saw that it was indeed right near the bottom of the range. This will explain your fatigue and salt cravings. One way to sort this out is to follow the circadian method with your T3. This involves taking it an hour and a half before you get up so your adrenals have some T3 to enable them to make the larger amounts of cortisol they need to make in the morning. You will need to read the book 'Recovering with T3' by Paul Robinson for the details. It doesn't work for everyone but it does work for many. Your low cortisol could also explain why your TSH is so much lower than you would normally expect. Taking T3 may also help even if you don't follow the circadian method.

Your ferritin and vitamin D definitely need to be sorted out and could well be contributing to your symptoms.

Your folate isn't great. Your B12 wouldn't hurt being a little higher either. If you supplement with folic acid you should always supplement with B12 too. Methylcobalamin is the best form of B12 to take.

I hope that has helped.

Carolyn x

[PinkNinja in reply to PinkNinja]

I meant to add that it would be a good idea to read up about 'adrenal fatigue' on the internet. There are a lot of self-help measures that will help recovery along with getting some T3 into your system.

[lizzyd in reply to PinkNinja]

That's fantastic Carolyn, feel a bit more confident about tackling my GP now. Thank you very much x

[PinkNinja in reply to lizzyd]

I hope he listens. If he is one of the good ones, he hopefully will Just a word of warning, conventional NHS doctors don't believe in adrenal fatigue even though the WHO see it as a major issue in the western world.

[lizzyd in reply to PinkNinja]

Thanks for all the advice Carolyn, just thought I'd give you an update. GP (not the levo-lowering one) has prescribed me the T3 as per the endo's instructions, plus iron and vit D tablets (and folic acid when I mentioned it), but all in a foul mood because she thought the endo should have sorted out the blood tests (he was being nice and trying to save me a 2nd long trip to his hospital).

She said she didn't know what to do about the low cortisol, but flat refused to send him the blood test results, saying I'd have to do that as she "didn't have a relationship" with the endo's hospital!

So I'm posting copies of the blood test printouts (that I had to pay for) and as a backup I've ordered the Paul Robinson book to add to my collection (!) - thanks for the recommendation

Hoping to start feeling better soon! x

[PinkNinja in reply to lizzyd]

That is good news! Just one thing: always take a good B12 supplement when you take folic acid. Methylcobalamin is the best form.

Hopefully taking your T3, as per Paul's book, will help you to feel better. Sometimes the T3 does the work even if you don't follow that method .

Let us know how you get on.

Carolyn x