I don't understand these results

[suey2]

I got my bloods done as I suffer from a number of food 'intolerances' and was suspected coeliac. Turns out I'm not but there were some results that were flagged that my Dr didn't really explain. Firstly my Serum lipids Cholesterol 5.96 mmol/l

triglycerides 2.75 mmol/l

HDL 2.22

LDL 2.5

She told me to cut down on fatty foods. I don't eat red meat, fried food, no wheat (biscuits,cakes,pastry) no processed meat (sausages, burgers,ham etc) no dairy save maybe 10g butter a day. I eat oats, walnuts, fruit, veggies, turkey (no skin) chicken (no skin)...what do I do/

Also on my full blood count I had

Haematocrit 0.36 L/L

Mean corpusc. Hb conc (MCH) 360 g/l both flagged. My Dr didn't even mention these. What does it mean and should I be worried?

[shaws Administrator]

Suey2

I cannot explain your blood test but someone who can will come along.

What I will say that your doctor doesn't appear to know one of the main clinical symptoms of hypothyroidism is a high cholesterol and when you get onto sufficient thyroid hormones your cholesterol should diminish.

That's the big problem today with either being diagnosed or not, the clinical symptoms are not taken into consideration along with the blood tests thus the suffering continues for thousands. We are not asking for drugs, we are asking for a decent thyroid hormone which our thyroid gland no longer produces. What's so difficult about that- it seems unsurmountable for many.

Re your 'food intolerances'. I wonder if you have low acid which most of us have because of our hypo (slow) system and our food doesn't digest properly due to the lack of acid. The symptoms can be so similar to high acid and some get prescribed medication which can 'lower acid' even more. What I take is Betain with pepsin tablets, one 3 times a day with meals and I haven't had a problem since. I am not diagnosing you I am only giving my own experience.

sott.net/article/265343-The...

p.s. when you get blood test results if you can also get the ranges. The figures are usually in brackets which enables members to comment as the labs differ in the machines they use, thus ranges can be different in areas.

[shaws Administrator]

Hi, I've looked at your profile page but you haven't given any details of or if you've been diagnosed with a thyroid gland problem or any history.

Have you had a blood test for your thyroid gland? If not, ask for one to be done. I am assuming you are on no medication?

[suey2 in reply to shaws]

I don't know if you saw my reply....I had a full blood so thyroid was in there.

Serum TSH 2.46 (0.34 - 5.60)

Serum free T4 7.80 ( 7.50 - 21.10)

[shaws Administrator in reply to suey2]

As your TSH is within the 'normal' range, I assume you haven't been diagnosed, even though your free T4 is at the bottom of the range. This is from Thyroiduk.org

FT4 = FREE T4

Thyroid hormones not bound to proteins. FT4 lowers when the thyroid is struggling.

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

From link below you will see a different interpretation from what your doctor uses.

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

If you are able to copy and paste your above blood test results with a short history into your Profile so that you don't get asked the same questions.

I am assuming you didn't get a free T3 test but I should imagine it is also low.

If you want to discuss your symptoms with your GP you can print the above links. She might take notice.

Tick of the following which apply to you:

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/diagno...

[Angel_of_the_North]

Ignore her. I think she hasn't read the latest research on cholesterol. It is affected more by the amount of sugar in your diet than the amount of fat. Your HDL ratio looks OK

exrx.net/Testing/LDL%26HDL....

Can't remember what triglycerides are suposed to be, but I'm sure someone knows. But, in older people, the lower the cholesterol, the higher the liklihood of death.

See telegraph.co.uk/news/health...

Haemocrit that is low (yours is one under the bottom of the usual range) means you might be (getting) anaemic - same with MCH -high or low. How are your ferritin, B12 and folate

[suey2 in reply to Angel_of_the_North]

Ok. My B12 is very low and I have to have injections. I had a thyroid test and my levels were

TSH 2.46 (0.34 - 5.6 )

T4 7.80 (7.50 - 21.10)

So it looked like T4 is on the very low end of normal

[greygoose in reply to suey2]

Your TSH is too high, that's why your cholesterol is high. And your T4 is way, way too low! Are you taking any form of thyroid hormone replacement? If so, you need an increase.

Your cholesterol level has nothing to do with your nutrition, it is made in the liver. If anything, I would say you're not eating enough fat. Fat is essential for good health, as is cholesterol. Without cholesterol, we can't make hormones...

[suey2 in reply to greygoose]

Hi again. Thanks for that reply. I am having to interprit all this myself. The Dr just rung me and said 'eat less fatty food and come for b12 injections'. Didn't even mention thyroid despite the fact that I eat proper food and have put on a stone in the last month or so. I eat chicken, turkey, veg, fruit, walnuts, almonds etc. Should I ring back with concerns?

[greygoose in reply to suey2]

She probably wouldn't understand if you did because the TSH and FT4 are in range. They Don't understand that it's not just being in range that counts, but where in the range the results fall.

Just ignore what she said about food, it's totally irrelevant. She knows nothing about it.

But, do go for those B12 injections! They are very important. Give the B12 time to kick in before you start asking for an increase in hormone. You might feel a whole lot better once your level rises.

It would probably be better if you took a B complex with the B12 injections, because the Bs all work together and need to be balanced. Look for one with Methyrcobalamin and Methylfolate rather than Cynocobalamin and Folic Acid.

How is your ferritin/iron? And your vit D? If one vitamin is low, probably all the vits and mins are low.

[suey2 in reply to greygoose]

I was suffering from anaemia due to menorrhagia but i had iron tablets so that's pretty much ok now. The reason i went for the blood test originally was food intolerance. A nurse who did my pre-op thought I might be coeliac. I am taking a b complex now and a multivit. i have done a little research due to your replies and seen that food intolerance, especially gluten can all be related to the thyroid...

[greygoose in reply to suey2]

That's good. But remember that a multivit doesn't have very much of anything in it, so won't address any specific deficiency, such as Vit d.

[Hidden]

Hi, it is usually recommended by medical profession that:

Total cholesterol should be under 5 mmol/l;

HDL should be 1 mmol/l or more;

LDL should be 3 mmol/l or less, and

Trig should be 1.7 mmol/l or less.

Your HDL and LDL are both OK; HDL is very good; but triglycerides are high.

However, it is recommended that you go by ratios and that the triglyceride:HDL ratio should be 2 or less.

Your trig:HDL = 2.75:2.22 = 1.25.

Total:HDL should be 5mm/l or less: yours is 2.68.

My GP would be over the moon if my results were as good as this, though I am not sure if higher triglycerides are of concern.

I found these figures somewhere on the internet but don't have that link. However, here is link to NHS nhs.uk/Conditions/Cholester....

[greygoose in reply to Hidden]

All that is irrelevant, anyway. Cholesterol is not the enemy, it is an essential nutrient. It does not cause heart-attacks.

[Angel_of_the_North in reply to greygoose]

Although, aren't high or rising triglycerides a pointer towards fatty liver disease? Which is why I made the comment about sugars.

[greygoose in reply to Angel_of_the_North]

Ah! Good question. I Don't know. lol Just trying to remember what I've learnt about fatty liver disease, sure I read something about it recently, but... brain fog is terrible! I will have to have look for that.

Totally agree about the sugars. Why is such a delicious substance so evil??? lol

[suey2 in reply to Angel_of_the_North]

I had a kidney and liver function test which were both normal

[Angel_of_the_North in reply to suey2]

As normal as your thyroid results? If any results are near top or bottom of ranges, it's worth reading up about it.

[suey2 in reply to Angel_of_the_North]

I take your point. I am finding it hard to get any info apart from tables I don't really understand. Is serum urea kidneys?

[humanbean in reply to suey2]

You'll find loads of information about blood test results here :

labtestsonline.org.uk/

It's a very useful website and should cover the basics. It is always worth looking for info from other sources for things that interest or worry you though. One source might be enough, but often isn't.

[posthinking01 in reply to suey2]

Yes serum urea is a kidney test. Anything about kidneys on testing just ask - I am a renal patient who has in depth tests every 3 months at a London Hospital renal unit and have been for over 25 years I am afraid to say - but I do know how to read a test by now.

[helvella Administrator in reply to posthinking01]

A very helpful reply, thanks.

Just wondering, though, if you had noticed the item you replied to was posted over five years ago?

HealthUnlocked have been showing old, and very old, posts in the Next Posts section. Which is bringing old posts into view. (It is a bug!)

[posthinking01 in reply to helvella]

Oh dear - sorry about that sorry I didn't look - I will next time. Silly me.

[helvella Administrator in reply to posthinking01]

It is not a problem - but you might feel that your reply has been ignored, or get an "it's all sorted now" type of response.

I wouldn't want you to feel that you have wasted you time and nobody told you!