Help please with blood results. Confusing!???

[davidmog99]

Hi i have reposted this in the correct section with more information.

I have almost every symptom of being hyperthyroid. I feel horrendous and recently went 60 hours with no sleep! However, the symptoms come and go.

I am male age 36. I have seen an optometrist and they found i had an enlarged optic nerve, but it doesnt require treatment.

My bloods are

Sodium 141 range 133 to 146

Potassium 4.3 range 3.5 to 5.3

Urea level 3.2 range 2.5 to 7.8

Creatinine 71 range 60 to 120

Total t3 1.3 range 1.1 to 2.6

C reactive protein 2 range 0 to 12

T4 level 10.1 range 9 to 23

Tsh 1.57 range 0.2 to4.5

Erythrocite sedimentation 2.0 range 2 to 10

Haemoglobin 154 range 130 to 180

White cell count 5.310 range 4 to11

Platelet count 273 range 150 to 450

Red blood cell 4.611 range 4.5 to 6.5

Haematocrit 0.465 range 0.4 to 0.52

MCV 101 range 80 to 100

Corpusc haemoglobin 33.4 range 27 to 32

Neutrophil count 3.22 range1.7 to 7.5

Lymphocyte count 0.92 range 1 to 4

Monocyte 0.55 range 0.2 to 0.8

Eosinophil count 0.39 range 0.04 to0.40

Basophil count 0.0410 range 0 to 0.1010

Serum ferretin 309 range 18 to 300

Liver function ALT LEVEL 32 range 12 to 72

Bilirubin level 11 range 0 to 21

Iron level 32 range 11 to 30

Transferrin 2.5 range 2 to 3.6

Saturation index 43% range 15 to 45%

Calcium 2.49 range 2.2 to 2.6

Albumin 42 range 35 to 50

Inorganic phosphate 1.1 range 0.8 to 1.5

Alkaline phosphatase 69 range 30 to 130

Vitamin b12 306 range 160 to 980

Folate 10.2 range 3 to 17

Fasting glucose level 4.8 range 3.5 to 6

Sorry for any spelling errors.

Can anyone give any advice please?

There are four tests out of range.

Any advice appreciated. The doctor isnt at all helpful.

[PinkNinja]

Hi. This is really helpful. I have noticed a couple of things but firstly I need to know if you are taking any supplements, particularly iron. If you are taking iron you may have to stop and then have another test as your ferritin (stored iron) and iron levels are rather high.

The first thing I noticed was a high MCV which means your red blood cells are bigger than they should be. One of the most common causes is low vitamin B12. I then noticed your B12 level is low end of normal which is far too low. This should really be above 500. There are many symptoms associated with deficiency including hypoglycaemia, fatigue, brain fog etc. Your folate levels are pretty good though so you should respond week to a B12 supplement if you are able to absorb adequate amounts. It could also be partly due to the high iron level.

Your high iron and ferritin worry me, especially in the absence of inflammation markers. If you are not supplementing with iron out is important to get this checked out to rule out haemochromatosis. I don't know much about that though. Perhaps the excess iron is causing your digestive symptoms?

Liver function looks OK.

Sorry I couldn't give a definitive answer but hopefully that will point you in the right direction.

Carolyn x

[davidmog99]

Hi many thanks. A lot to think about, im no medical expert.

Im not taking any supplements at all so dont know where all the iron is from.

Thanks

David

[shaws in reply to davidmog99]

Hi david

If you reply to a particular comment you have to press the yellow Reply to this otherwise the person isn't notified if a reply is needed.

[PinkNinja in reply to davidmog99]

If you are not supplementing with iron then your high iron and ferritin needs looking into as this isn't normal and could perhaps explain some of your symptoms. I'll see what I can find out about it.

[davidmog99]

Would what you suggested above explain rapid weight loss and really bad insomnia? I lost nearly three stone in seven weeks, and i was muscular not fat, im six foot three and was 14 and a half stone (i run a construction firm and it very physical work) now im a skinny 11 and a half stone.

Should i buy vitamin b12 and start taking it?

Sorry for lots of questions.

Thanks

David

[PinkNinja in reply to davidmog99]

Don't apologise. I just wish I could be more help.

I'm not sure if it would cause weight loss but if your thyroid is fluctuating that could cause it. Diabetes can also cause it and many other things besides. Your doctor really needs to be taking this very seriously if you have lost that much weight. That is a lot of muscle mass to lose! Please insist that your doctor keep looking into this.

Hashimoto's can cause inflammation which can cause iron to appear too high. Getting thyroid antibodies tested might shed some light here.

I'll see if I can find anything else out.

Carolyn x

[PinkNinja in reply to PinkNinja]

It appears that weight loss can be a symptom of hemochromatosis. Here is a link about it. I think it is with your doctor looking into, along with thyroid antibodies and general inflammation markers.

nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/enc...

Carolyn x

[puncturedbicycle]

Hi David.

Do you have any symptoms of coeliac disease? Apparently insomnia and other sleep disorders are common with coeliac and it can cause rapid weight loss.

celiacdisease.about.com/od/...

Your gp should be very interested in finding out what's caused three stones to drop off you in less than two months.

[davidmog99]

Thanks for all the help. Im going to see a different doctor next week. He just doesnt take this seriously. Its very frustrating. Im going to put some of these suggestions to the doctor if he/she doesnt suggest them.

[PinkNinja in reply to davidmog99]

I hope you have more luck with the new doctor. Even if it isn't anything suggested here (I'm no doctor, after all) hopefully the new doctor will at least investigate seriously. Hope it goes well

Carolyn x

[Hidden]

Agree with Carolyn your MCV and MCH are high (macrocytosis) pointing to possible B12 and/or folate deficiency. I would hold off on supplementing until you have investigated this further as supplements will skew future tests.

One thing I notice is your eosinophils are at the top of the range, this can be elevated in the presence of intestinal parasites such as giardia and fish tapeworm, which leads to B12 deficiency (which can be cured by eliminating the parasite).

We were only just discussing this topic today:

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Could explain the rapid weight loss as well. Do you have any gastric symptoms at all?

Some info:

nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/enc...

nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/enc...

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

ditto below - but I am too slow!

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

And parasites can affect your eyes: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

But you can also have optic neuropathy from B12/folate deficiency itself:

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/155...

[PinkNinja in reply to Hidden]

Parasites would explain the night sweats. The only thing is that Parasites usually cause low iron.

It is another thing for the doctor to test though.

I was also wondering about low grade, chronic viral infection.

I hope the next doctor is more conscientious and gets to the bottom of these symptoms.

[Hidden]

Hi -

I see your previous Thyroid tests were FT4 & FT3 on the low side as someone already said, which indicates hypo but you think hyper per symptoms - yes confusing - but if it's autoimmune stuff going on who knows as bloods/feelings go up & down (we're not docs here just fellow sufferers) and bloods are ONLY an indicator, if your're cold & tired prob hypo, hot & anxious prob hyper. It's not neccessarily black or white - but grey! (I too had both sets of symptoms - it's not uncommon with autoimmuneT) Also high MCV is connected with VitB12 - which can be masked by folate levels.

my daughter rapidly lost weight, & high iron too (but she had mercury poisoning due to fillings out).

So - to confuse you even more, a recent post mentioned parasites upping Eosinophil levels!

In fact - we don't know! Vitamins & minerals do play a big part in Thyroid function - but however many blood tests you have it varies from person to person - so the only thing we can say is read up, get empowered to question and hope you get some answers soon! Jane

PS didn't see Vitamin D on your list - it affects calcium, autoimmune response & inflammatory stuff, that is where I started.

[davidmog99 in reply to Hidden]

Hi. Im never cold and tired just hot and anxious. I wake every night red hot and in a pool of sweat like you wouldnt believe! Its not nice.

Can you please tell me what autoimmuneT is please?

This is all very confusing.

Thanks

David

[Hidden in reply to davidmog99]

Hi - Thyroid trouble is often the autoimmune variety - if hyper it can be Graves disease, if Hypo it can be Hashimotos. As the Thyroid is 'attacked' symptoms can fluctuate between Hyper & Hypo, well that's my understanding anyway. Hot, anxious, eye trouble does indicate Hyper - have you had antibodies tested? J

[Angel_of_the_North]

Did they do an MRI for a pituitary tumour? Unlikely but something has inflamed the optic nerve, plus your T4 is very low but TSH hasn't risen to make you produce more. Some tumours either suppress pituitary function by pressing on the gland (it's right between your eyes) and others produce hormones themselves, giving you the symptoms of other problems. These tumours are usually tiny and not a type of cancer.

[davidmog99]

Im going to ask to see another doctor tomorrow.

Thanks for all the info. Im going to ask AGAIN for antibodies test.

Hashimotos would seem to explain my up and down symptoms?

I have no idea about my enlarged optic nerve. Scary stuff

Thanks again.

[helvella in reply to davidmog99]

You might find some interest in the post I have just made:

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

I too had an optician identify an enlarged optic nerve - they were not concerned. Another optician later gave me a much more comprehensive examination and referred me directly to an eye consultant. Luckily the consultant thinks there is nothing of significance - but it is a concerning time.

Rod