Blood results. End of the road?

[Winegum2]

Latest results are;

TSH 4.3 (>5.5)

TPO <20

So my hopes that high antibodies might mean that they test T4 at least has been dashed.

I have also discovered that they don't do one of the tests that Coeliac UK recommends when testing for Coeliac. Its a test for IgA deficiency. If a person has that deficiency, they will have a false negative for the other Coeliac test.

How can they say that I don't have Coeliac or a thyroid problem if they don't do all the tests!!!!

[Clutter]

Winegum, You probably won't get hypothyroid diagnosis until your TSH is over range but I don't think you can say you are at the end of the road. You should certainly request repeat thyroid bloods in 6 months.

Your FT4 is probably low within range with TSH 4.3. If it was below range it is likely that your TSH would be much higher. This is assumption however. You can order private thyroid tests from Blue Horizon and Genova for your own information but your GP probably won't act on them if they are within range. I don't know whether BH and Genova also do IgA but you can contact them to find out. thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

If you are having digestive issues it is possible to have gluten sensitivity even if you aren't positive for coeliac disease. A trial period 3-6 months of gluten-free should be long enough for you to determine whether symptoms improve when you are g-f. Don't go g-f if you intend to pursue the IgA test in case it skews the results.

[Winegum2 in reply to Clutter]

Thanks Clutter! I will pursue private testing as soon as I have the money! I'm also fully intending to go GF, in fact I started for a couple of days this week and then decided that I wanted to make doubly sure that I wasn't Coeliac first. 2 people I know have had neg blood test for C and then had positive endoscopy. If I am C, get follow up appointments and prescriptions for GF food.

My GP has order some other blood tests to look for auto immune disease. He's trying to find other ways of testing when the relevant ones aren't available to him.

[Winegum2]

I agree, but the computer system actually won't let the GP order a T4 test it can only be an Endo and I won't be referred unless I'm over the range. I'm going to have to start saving to get a private test!

[BeansMummy]

One of the many tests I had done by a neurologist recently included the IgA test, which showed that I was deficient. I have yet to have an appointment to discuss all the test results.

I have never been tested for Coeliac disease, although the last endo I saw wasn't happy that my GP hadn't previously tested me but, as I had already been eating gluten-free for a few weeks when I saw her, she said testing wasn't going to be any use. I didn't even realise that the IgA test was even linked to coeliac issues.

I think I shall have to google a bit.

[Winegum2 in reply to BeansMummy]

I don't think its linked to coeliac, its just that if you have the deficiency, the standard blood test for coeliac will give a false neg because you won't be able to make some of the antibodies its testing for. There are different coeliac tests they can do if you have the deficiency.

[BeansMummy in reply to Winegum2]

Thanks, Winegum, they're not testing me for coeliac disease anyway.

[Winegum2]

Its Gloucestershire