Thoughts on blood tests please

[Val-55]

I have been posting recently with regards to my sisters blood tests and decided to get a more thorough check again with Blue Horizon as all my Dr ever looks at is TSH .I have had a lot of neck and shoulder pain recently and have been having Physio .Think it is Arthritus .Also sweating at night .

TSH 1.01. Range 0.27 to 4.2

Total T4 118. range 59 to 154

Free Thyroxine 23.1. range 12 to 22

Free T3. 4. range 3.1 to 6.8

thyroglobin Antibodies ...500.9. Neg 0 to 115

thyroid Peroxidase 151.1. neg 0 to 34

Active B12. 216 pmol/L25.1 to 165

folate serum13.3 Range 4.6 to 18.7

ferritin 176. Ug/L 13 to 150

Blue Horizon Told my free Throxine to high and to reduce if on T 4 treatment . I take 75mcu daily would reducing to 50 alternate days help, don't want to drop too much or my TSH goes up . B 12 High I take Wellwoman vitabiotics 50 plus which has B12 and also 10 mg of iron would this put ferritin levels up or is it likely to be my joint inflammation ... Also could the sweating be the high Free thyroxine level? going to talk to Dr and show her results , no doubt will be chastised for having had private tests grrr .Thanks for you help Val ps I have been on the Gluten free path for last 6 months , but antibodies same as 3 years ago .

[Clutter]

Val, your FT4 is very slightly above range, but not enough to worry about IMO, especially as lowering dose will probably cause your lowish FT3 to drop.

Dr Toft states in Pulse Magazine, "The appropriate dose of levothyroxine is that which restores euthyroidism and serum TSH to the lower part of the reference range - 0.2-0.5mU/l.

In this case, free thyroxine is likely to be in the upper part of its reference range or even slightly elevated – 18-22pmol/l. Most patients will feel well in that circumstance.

But some need a higher dose of levothyroxine to suppress serum TSH and then the serum-free T4 concentration will be elevated at around 24-28pmol/l.

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_... Email [e-mail] if you want a copy of the full article to show your GP.

Ferritin may be high due to the iron you are taking &/or inflammation in the body. You could stop taking iron and see whether pain improves. Too much iron isn't good for you. B12 over range isn't dangerous and will be due to supplementing. You will be excreting expensive supplement though. Night sweats are often due to low B12 but this isn't the case for you. Have you considered it may be due to onset of menopause? GP can test for that. I doubt it is due to slightly elevated FT4. Folate level is good.

G-F doesn't reduce antibodies for everyone. Unless you feel better in other ways from a g-f diet you may as well reintroduce it.

[Val-55 in reply to Clutter]

Thankyou very much for your thoughts. No I won't worry about Thyroid result. The high ferritin , can that be caused by too much iron ? I don't take a big supplement it is combined in a multi vit , shall get one without iron! And have another blood test in about a month ! I have always had a lot of joint pain all over the place an saw a rheumatologist some 8 years ago and she said keep an eye on thyroid levels but I had positive rheumatoid factor markers going on then , but not thought to be RA . Would Osteo arthritis increase ferritin , looking on google it seems to point to rheumatoid arthritus and a few other nasties ! Would raised Thyroid antibodies cause it also ? Will ask Dr to do a blood count I think . thanks for your kind advice, speaking to Dr at this stage feels hopeless until ive gathered a bit more info .Thanks again Val

[Clutter in reply to Val-55]

Val, high ferritin can be due to the iron in the supplement or inflammation which can also be caused by thyroid and RF antibodies, I think. Your ferritin isn't very high though.

This link may help explain irondisorders.org/anemia-of...

[silverfox7]

Your bloods, other than the antibodies looks similar to mine over a year ago. I decided I wasn't converting very well and took supplements, selenium, zinc, B12, folic acid, magnesium and a B complex. Things improved but not quite enough but got an Endo follow up next month.

[Val-55 in reply to silverfox7]

Thankyou , I've been taking a supplement with most of those in, will try a B complex too .

[BeccaBurton]

Could you have Fibro as well? I have found drastically reducing sugar intake helps a lot.

[Val-55 in reply to BeccaBurton]

Yes thanks I've been considering that , I've tried Gluten free but it hasn't reduced my antibodies ,Sugar was my next call argh difficult as it's in everything , How do you cope and has it helped your pain ?

[BeccaBurton in reply to Val-55]

I have found cutting out refined sugar has helped enormously. Therefore booze too. I can now manage an ocassional glass of wine but really don't drink much now. If I need to sweeten something I usehoney or pure maple syrup or coconut sugar. Mixers are terrible.

I find yeast is a problem so bread is worst. Having cut most gluten out I get away with a sneaky biscuit or pastry but not bread.

I find chronic fatigue is worst thing more than pain at the moment.

I take cocodamol at bed time though and other times if required.

Oh I am also being low carb. I don't really eat grains and the deadly nightshade family is apparently one to avoid for fibro.

Google anti inflammatory foods and Pinterest Paleo eating. There is Soo much help and advice out there.

Anything else just ask xx

[Val-55 in reply to BeccaBurton]

Thankyou so much , yes I understand how inflammatory sugar is , I did ask the rheumatologist a few years ago if it might be fibro , she tested various trigger points and thought no , but I've always thought there is a possibility I seem to get a full body ache including ribs sometimes and then it gets better , it comes and goes .My neck and shoulders have been really painfull since before Xmas , Physio makes it worse I feel , it's going off now and a year ago my hips wer really bad , is that how fibro goes ? was told to keep eye on Thyroid levels .Thanks Again Val .Will def look at my sugar intake x

[BeccaBurton in reply to Val-55]

Yes it can come and go and you can have flare ups based on stress or eating something unhelpful. I use weightlossresources.co.uk to lose weight and although it takes commitment to log everything it shows you in grams and percentages how much of different things you are eating eg carbs sugar etc. You can choose which food categories you want. It's cheaper than other weightloss sites and very supportive.

Shoulders neck hips ankles tend to be fibro flare points. Incidentally my ibs is miles better after cutting out various foods.

I found the comparison of sugar to cocaine interms of its poisonous effect to the body so helpful to my psychy whilst trying to cut down. There is so much natural sweetness around in foods and once your taste changes a bit you enjoy very sweet less!! Bonus!

I use a wheat heat pack on my neck loads if sore. Though I know some people find ice packs more helpful.

Xxx

[Val-55 in reply to BeccaBurton]

Thanks for that , it's a big change to make but worth a go ...funny you should say stress because when my hips were bad we had just moved house ,very stressfull I had a job getting up stairs , but touch wood not toobad now so it can't be osteo , as it would be worse 8 years on !, I think there is a stigma with fibro , Drs don't want to label incase you want to claim incapacity is that possible do you think ?

[BeccaBurton in reply to Val-55]

I don't know. I suppose it's possible. I wasn't really aware there was a stigma tho I suppose there might be an element of it being what you're told when the docs don't know what else IT could be. X

[BeccaBurton]

Oh I only use unprocessed sugars so honey pure maple syrup and coconut sugars. I use almond flour and coconut and tapioca flours for baking xx

[Jackie]

Hi Make sure your vit D and calcium are Ok.

Jackie

[Val-55 in reply to Jackie]

Thanks I'm awaiting a vit d test now ,Val

[Jackie]

Hi Good, if low have calcium corrected for corrected calcium, in case you need both or the calcium is too high.

Jackie