Help with Understanding all my results please??

[Kelley_v]

Here goes, I have been feeling really tired, no energy, muddled speech, light headed. And just been feeling under the weather for ages now...

And always pushed at my Gp it was my thyroid for 2yrs now. But got no sympathy or diagnosis..

Back 2 years ago. I had high tsh but normal other levels. But had high thyroid antibodies. Nothing was done .

I tried pushing again recently to be rechecked as I was in cloud 9. Foggy brain. Muddled words a lot. And felt very weak. Tired and had severe stabbing pains in head

Tests 5th sept,

Tsh. 4.84. (0.27-4.20)

Free t4. 11.3. (12-22)

Serum chlorestorol 6.4 (2.3-4.9)

Serum hdl chlorestorol 2 (1.20-1.7)

Platelet count 453. (150-400)

White cells. 10.8. (3-10)

Doctors told me everything fine!

Went bk to Gp. I said I'm feeling weaker something must be wrong and pushed for more tests.

Tests results. 8th oct

Thyroid antibodies 85.78 (0-34)

T4 12 (12-22)

Ferritin 137 (13-150)

B12 392 (191-693)

Folate 7.3 (4.60-18)

Appt ratio 1

Cephalin clotting time 32secs (22-41)

Prothrombin 11.4secs(11.10-13.50)

Monocytes 0.9 (0.20-1.00)

Platelet count 481(150-400)

Mean corpusc. 31(30-35)

I pushed for some levothyroxine this time. I wasn't going to be sent home again feeling like this!

They said I'm sub clinical and reluctantly gave me 25mg!

I have been given no info or diagnosis.... Am I right in thinking I had hashimotos Desease? I'm 28. I've found most info on the Internet..

Think it's time I change Gps!

I've been feeling so under the weather,

[PinkNinja]

You are not sub-clinical, you are hypothyroid. Sub-clinical means you have the disease but you do not yet have symptoms. Your doctor needs to learn what he is talking about! Your September results shows your TSH above range and T4 below range, i.e. hypothyroidism. I suspect if you have another test, and it was first thing in the morning, there would be a good chance that your results would be abnormal again. TSH is highest and T4 lowest first thing in the morning.

It's good that he has prescribed thyroxine but he should increase the dose aiming to get your TSH towards the bottom unless you feel well before it gets that low, in which case you won't need to increase further.

Your folate and B12 aren't great. With those results, I would be taking a good quality B vitamin complex and a separate B12 supplement (methylcobalamin is the best form) of 1000-5000mcg. I currently take both as a maintenance dose - 1000mcg B12. You might find these help you to feel better quicker than the thyroxine alone.

By the way, your slightly high cholesterol could be a symptom of untreated hypothyroidism.

I hope this helps a little.

Carolyn x

[Kelley_v in reply to PinkNinja]

Thankyou so much, I will get some B supplements. I will try anything to feel better! What's really wiered is in the evenings from 3-4pm I feel fit as a fiddle! Untill 9pm I'm tired... Mornings are worse... Weak, no energy. What's more concerning is I've had stabbing head pains for like a month! Really severe ice pick. And feel bulges. Like bloods trying to get through.

Not only did I battle with my drs for yrs with my thyroid!

My diagnosis for my stabbing pains. Is its my shoulder muscles!! The most annoying thing..... Is YOUR NEVER LISTENED TO!

Thankyou for your advice

Kelley

[Hidden in reply to Kelley_v]

Hi Kelley, regarding your head pain and bulges, there is another autoimmune condition called Giant Cell Arteritis:

netdoctor.co.uk/diseases/fa...

Just a suggestion that your doc should rule it out. I agree with Carolyn about the low B12 and folate, do you have a test result for MCV? More info here:

b12deficiency.info/

Hampster

[Kelley_v in reply to Hidden]

Hi, thanks... What a interesting read! Fits like a glove.. And also states about the stabbing head pain.. Although it does scare me! My MCV was 89.7. (80-99) .

Thankyou for posting that info..

[Hidden in reply to Kelley_v]

One other suggestion - your ferritin is high end of the range, which is sometimes caused by the inflammatory process in autoimmune disease rather than by having a good level of iron. So it might be worth asking the doc to test your serum iron level and TIBC (total iron binding capacity), that would give you a better picture of iron status

[Kelley_v in reply to Hidden]

Thankyou. I will ask for that to be done. I also noticed my platelet count is high too.

[Hidden in reply to Kelley_v]

Yes I saw that, I assume that's why he did these other tests which are a bit more unusual:

Cephalin clotting time 32secs (22-41)

Prothrombin 11.4secs(11.10-13.50)

I think this is what he was checking for:

netdoctor.co.uk/diseases/fa...

I don't know anything about it, but I think I'd want a second opinion from a Haemo if it were me...

H x

[Kelley_v in reply to Hidden]

Yes. Thankyou for all your advice.

[Heloise]

Yes, listen to Carolyn. Every one of your tests were "off" and he said fine? I realize they weren't off by much and sometimes people may start off with a TSH level of 30 or 50 even so it doesn't look bad on paper but that's why your symptoms are meaningful.

Your ferritin is high and recommended for women would be 80. stopthethyroidmadness.com/l...

[waveylines]

I felt dreadful on a TSH level of 4.8. So being a bit off range can have a big impact -and clearly it is on you -the thing is your blood tests SHOULD have woken your GP upt to the fact that you are hypothyroid due to Hashimosis -so what planet is he/she on teeling you your tests are 'finne!' I call it incompetance.

[waveylines]

oh crikey -it went before I had finished or spell checked it! Arrgggh.

Anyway -you might want to consider seeing a different GP in the practice......

If it were me I would go with your symptoms and signs all listed down, I would ask the receptionist for a print out of all your blood test before you go. And I would ask directly the question. Do I have Hashi.... as my antibodies are very high. This does mean that your thyroid hormones and antibodies are going to go up and down like no-ones business....it does mean that your GP is going to have to keep a really close eye on you and be prescribed medication fluctuations -not on an annual basis. I don't have Hashi myself -mine is a straightforward defunct dead thyroid! However i have read that many people do better on T3 with Hashi -go to the website, Stop the Thyroid Madness, for more info. You might find Paul Robinson's book called Living with T3 -which is all about his path to recovery with Hashi -really helpful and informative.

[waveylines]

oh -also -my mother has a high platelet count due to her marrow bone over producing so she has to take meds to suppress it. She does not have a thyroid problem. I am only saying this so you know that the two things are not necessarily related. Personally your GP would do well to focus on your thyroid problem -which of course affects many parts of the body when the thyroid is not working correctly....

[Kelley_v in reply to waveylines]

Thankyou for all your comments.. Even though my tsh and t4 are just out of the guidelines!! By god I feel it! And my body tells me! I've only been placed on 25mg but it's a start.. How long is recovery to start to feel better?

[waveylines]

Kelly -the best way is to gen yourself up on your condition -docs are not given a very high level of training in the field so many are not very knowledgeable -however if you can find a nice willing doctor who will listen you can educate him/her and together you can get better.

You will need to take charge of this situation -sorry but it is the truth -unless you are very very lucky! People with Hashis vary due to their antibodies attacking their thyroid -the level of antibodies goes up and down -so sometime you will feel well and sometime you will feel poorly. So that is why you need a good doc to work with.

[Kelley_v in reply to waveylines]

Yes your right.. Thanks for your advice.. Last time I went in the drs. And said I'm still feeling tired ect....... He turned round and said. I think we better start looking at your mental status!! It really is hitting a brick wall with my drs! It really is hard finding a dr who will listen and help.. I'm very appreciative of your comments.. Thanks

[Neeta-K]

I think your GP is following the daft RCP statement, where you are classed as subclinical when your TSH is above the maximum but below 10, and the TPO is postive, and you have symptoms.

My GP is following the daft RCP and I'm not yet subclinical, even though I have the symptoms, my TPO is positive, and my TSH is higher than yours, at just over 5. But because my GPs lab cut off of TSH is 5.5 I'm not subclinical. Unbelievable!

[Kelley_v in reply to Neeta-K]

I feel for you... I'm glad I found this forum it helps that we are not alone! I knew something was up 2yrs ago. When my tsh was 5.4 and tested positive for thyroid antibodies. And was left to cope for 2 yrs without med. I got so bad. I pushed again!! Tsh 4.84. Over on my lab results And t4 under. Confirming underactive! Guess what?? Said it was fine!!

I had to push again. And sent for more test. Tsh went up 5.21. I just stood firm and said I want to be treated These doctors are a joke!!

[Neeta-K]

Yes they are a joke, and I hope they get hypothyroidism and no one treats them too - karma. I don't know why we call it the National Health Service, it should be renamed the National Disease Service!

[Kelley_v]

Lol!! Excellent!

[waveylines]

Absolutely -what i remember after two years of ill health and being regarded as subclinical thyroid -they took another blood test and my TSH had gone up by 0.1 higher on the test than the previous one. Immediately I was proclaimed hypothyroid and formerly diagnosed -i said very very dryly to my Gp -Gosh isn't it amazing the difference 0.1 makes!!! Don't think he thought it was gunny!!! but then again if he had been sat in my shoes he certainly wouldn't have been laughing -mine was pure hysteria. I still had to go private to get decent treatment before shopping around about 5 years alter to 'negotiate with a practice for the real treatment that I needed -now who could do all of that when they feel really ill -not I -had to get better first then challenge them! Yes oh NHS you do not make our life at all easy -and if we let you you will lead us all to an earlier grave......