Help with blood results please

[Zinzan42]

I have posted before and I finally have some blood results that I had done with blue horizons which have highlighted Autoimmune thyroiditis - which is to be honest what I suspected. I have been suffering from fatigue, cold, constipation, dry skin etc for years but last year started to have bouts where I would feel really ill (like flares). The Dr picked up that I have a high RF (reumotoid factor) and referred me to a reumotologist - a couple of months ago I became really ill again having to sleep 12-16 hours a day, can't walk up the stairs without muscles aching and breathlessness. Have to lie down after having a shower - along with muscle pain hair falling out and the usual. Dr wants me to go to see another reumotologist for a second opinion - I have no signs of RA as in swollen joints other than pain in my left hip which started late last year. As I said above my results from blue horizons indicate autoimmune thyroiditis - could this be what is making me feel so ill as my TSH is only borderline?

I can only up load one picture my other results were

Thyroid Peroxidase antibodies 154.0 IU/ml (consistent with autoimmune thyroiditis)

Range <60 negative

Equivocal 60-100

Positive >100

Many thanks

[Clutter]

Zinzan42, TSH 5.41 is over range, not borderline, which means you have subclinical hypothyroidism. In the presence of positive autoimmune thyroid antibodies (Hashimoto's) your GP should prescribe Levothyroxine and not wait until your TSH is >10 and you are overtly hypothyroid. Your FT4 is low, ideally it would be >16. FT3 is good at the moment but will drop unless you have thyroid replacement.

Read Dr. Toft's comments in Guidelines for the Use of thyroid function tests in thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_... Email [e-mail] for a copy of the full Pulse article if it will be helpful to show your GP.

Had you stopped taking ThyroGold before you tested?

Vitamin D is optimal.

[Zinzan42 in reply to Clutter]

Thanks for your reply clutter, yes I had stopped taking the thyro gold for well over 2 weeks before the private test. When I had my bloods done at the Drs a couple of weeks before, my TSH had reduced to 1.3 with taking the thyro gold for approximately 10-14 days but I hadn't been feeling any better. I went back to work this week only part time I worked Monday and Wednesday and had to sleep all day Tuesday and Thursday because I was so exhausted - I am trying to establish what is wrong with me so that I can do all I can to feel better and function as I am terrified I am going to lose my job if I don't get things sorted out and I am a single parent with no family. So I am trying to understand if it is my thyroid that's making me feel that way or if it's something else as I have really dry eyes (I can hardly open them in the morning) nose and mouth and terrible problems with my stomach and just feel so low struggling every day to keep going.

It's just that with the notes that come with the test it states that a positive thyroid anti body test may increase the risk of developing autoimmune thyroid disease and to consider commenting thyroxine if TSH rises above 10mU/L. When do you know that autoimmune thyroid disease has been developed? So can this really be accountable for me feeling the way I am?

Thank you I will email Louise for the pulse article for when I go back to my GP at the end of June.

I had my vit D done because I got a free test and didn't know which one to pick and I wanted to make sure I wasn't over dosing as I've been taking a high dose of Vit D for some considerable time along with iron and selenium and magnesium since I was ill last May.

[Clutter in reply to Zinzan42]

Zinzan, Overt hypothyroidism is TSH>10. You have positive antibodies and your TSH is >5 so you have subclinical hypothyroidism. Show your GP your BH results and the Pulse article. If your GP won't prescribe Levothyroxine see if there is a more empathetic GP at your practice or consider changing GP.

Signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

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