What's going on with me?

[leeo267]

Hi All,

This is my first time posting on HealthUnlocked (bit nervous) but I've reading for a while and everyone is so helpful on here so, I was wondering if anybody can give me an insight as to what's going on with me.

I'm a 33 y/o female. I'm 5'3", 48.5kg and haven't been feeling well for a while.

Last August, I started to feel off and went to Drs in September. She found slight anaemia on my bloods due to low iron even though I have a good and plenty diet. She also tested my B-12 and Folate which she said were normal (didn't see actual results). She prescribed me iron and the matter was resolved very quickly in my bloods but I still feel bad and, more recently, worse.

So, I went to the Drs the day before yesterday with symptoms of shakiness, fast heartbeat, skipped heartbeats, extreme fatigue but unable to sleep due to heart going mad, sweating when feeling warm but FREEZING when feeling cold, breathlessness, weak muscles, increased hunger with no weight gain, lump feeling in throat (she noticed a slight swelling but didn't feel it), sore, gritty, achy eyes but optician says all okay except for slight astigmatism in left eye, fingernails are dry, ridged and seem to be pulling away from nail beds or nail beds are shrinking on ALL fingers, and tingles in legs and hands.

She noticed my shaking hands and immediately took my pulse, bloods, and prescribed me 40mg propranolol to take twice a day. She ordered an ECG for next week and then told me not to be surprised if I get a call the next day (yesterday) saying that I'm hyperthyroid. Results came back and I'm not hyperthyroid.

They have been checking my thyroid consistently for years but it was only recently that I started to ask for my results to be printed out for me.

March 2014: TSH 0.67 (0.35-4.5)

September 2014: TSH 0.63 (0.35-4.5)

And yesterday my results are: April 2015: TSH 0.68 (0.35-4.5)

I thought perhaps hyperthyroid was a possibility because I've been a skinny bean all my life when the rest of my family have trouble keeping weight down. I've always been on the go too, always have to be doing something lol.

She also ran a FBC and results are all well within normal ranges, except my MCHC and MCH are both marked elevated, and my Haematocrit is right on the bottom of the range. LFT's are very good (I don't drink alcohol at all) and so are U&E's.

Could this be another deficiency of some sort causing all these symptoms or something else? And, is it worth paying to have a full thyroid panel done?

Many thanks and sorry it's so long!

Leeo x

[humanbean]

Your thyroid may well be in trouble. But there is insufficient information on which to make a judgement.

I am hypothyroid, not hyperthyroid. But many of those symptoms you describe affected me when I was anaemic. If you could get copies of results going back to before your doctor prescribed iron it would be helpful. If it turns out that your doctor's testing was inadequate (which is often the case) I would strongly suggest getting blood tests done privately if you can afford it - a full blood count, a full iron panel, and ferritin. I would also suggest getting thyroid function tests done.

There is a blood test available on the following site which would do almost everything I've suggested (plus some things I haven't), and it would cost £139.15 :

privatebloodtests.co.uk/

On that page, find the Comprehensive Plus V Test & HbA1c. The company is offering some free blood tests this month if you spend over £60, so you could add FT3 and TPO testing for no extra cost. The site I've linked to is for testing done by Spire Hospitals. There are other options available if you have no Spire Hospital near you.

If you are still anaemic then it is possible to get prescription strength iron pills from some pharmacies in the UK without a prescription.

Some tips for future reference :

For iron-related testing :

1) Give up all iron supplements for 5 - 7 days before testing. Some people say it should be for two weeks for the most accurate results. I usually stick with a week.

2) Always do the blood draw for iron testing as early in the morning as possible.

3) Always do the blood draw for iron testing having fasted for 12 hours beforehand (except for water which can be drunk freely).

4) Iron is dangerous if it is taken to excess, so regular testing is absolutely essential if you decide to supplement.

For thyroid function testing :

1) Don't take thyroid medications for 24 hours before the blood draw.

2) Always do the blood draw for thyroid function testing as early in the morning as possible.

3) Always do the blood draw for thyroid function testing having fasted for 12 hours beforehand (except for water which can be drunk freely).

[humanbean in reply to humanbean]

That private test I mentioned above also includes B12, folate and vitamin D. These would be well worth knowing!

[leeo267 in reply to humanbean]

Thank you, humanbean!

Your reply is very helpful.

My Hb results before I was prescribed iron was Hb: 118 (120-150) so I was only slightly anaemic and yesterday's Hb result was 133 (120-150). My iron was checked in Jan and they told me that it was 60 (don't know the range) and to stop taking the iron.

I don't live anywhere near a Spire hospital so I'm going to have to have the home tests done. I'll ask Dr to check my Folate, Iron, and Vit D but if she refuses, I'll pay for the tests to be done privately.

I'm going to go ahead with ordering the active B12 test and thyroid panel anyway because of the swelling in my neck. I'm beginning to panic that it's going to grow huge. It's not painful or anything but it's uncomfortable when I'm laying down or when I hold my head up for driving, etc. It feels tight and sometimes as though it's pulsing/moving.

Thanks again

[ROMM53 in reply to leeo267]

Don't forget ferritin test !