What a farce! Here are some results anyway!

[kk12]

Following on from my last post where I had seen an NHS Endo, I had more bloods done just before I went away for a short break abroad. I rang to see if the results were back yesterday and yes they were - great!

I went to my surgery to get a print out - which thankfully never seems to be a problem with them.

Started to look through the results - to find absolutely no thyroid bloods or ferritin had been done!!!

When I got home, I rang the surgery to check that they hadn't been printed off in error - nope... they just hadn't been done!

I rang the Endo department and told them. My husband was with me for the Endo appointment and the Endo specifically wrote down TTSH** and ferritin and I had the blood test slip with me when I left and he confirmed all this in a letter to my doctor too! The Endo department said they would check with the Endo and he can send out another blood test slip to me which means more bloods - this is a farce as there will be no point in going to the appointment if these aren't done!

Anyway I did have some blood done and as far as I can interpret these show:

LH - 28

FSH - 51

Yep I'm in the menopause - not a surprise.

Haemoglobin A1C - 5.3% (4.0 - 6.1) - I'm not diabetic.

I had the dexamethasone cortisol test done - which is why I had my bloods done in the morning at my surgery as I had to take the tablets at midnight. This is because my Endo thought I may have Cushings ( I didn't think so) anyway my results were less than 25nmol/l - The range is 138 - 620 - I guess I don't have Cushings but is it normal that my cortisol was that suppressed?

I wasn't having a great time of it stress wise when it was done either!

He also tested me for coeliac - the IgA test - my score was 1 U/ml - anything less than 4 is seen as a negative so I guess I'm not coeliac either.

I'm on the thought that I should be glad all of these items are being ruled out as the issues point more and more to my thyroid being out of whack!

Any thoughts?

[Clutter]

KK12, it's infuriating when the tests are ordered, the blood drawn and the flipping lab fails to test or report the results. It's 3 hour round trip plus 30-60 minutes queue in phlebotomy so it doesn't amuse me to repeat the process when the lab fouls up.

Thyroid and ferritin can usually be analysed and reported overnight but if you aren't confident they'll be ready in time for your appointment ring the endo's office and ask whether the consultation should be rescheduled.

[kk12 in reply to Clutter]

I'm not sure where the cock up has taken place but if he's asked for full thyroid and the lab hasn't done it then it really is a pain! it's easier getting the bloods done at my surgery but it takes a week for them to book me in so will have to explain that they were missed and need to be done as soon as - that's if I get the slip from the Endo!

My appointment's already changed 3 times!

[vitaminkgirl]

I would make sure those cortisol results get investigated. They're very low, you may be in danger of having Addison's disease.

[kk12 in reply to vitaminkgirl]

Thank you. I realise they are low. However, I've read this test isn't the most reliable for cortisol and that the saliva test as it's 24 HR testing is the one to do. I have the tests to do at home, just planning the right day to do them. Definitely needs more investigation.

[Ansteynomad]

I had the suppression test as well and my cortisol result came back at 20 the morning after, and boy could I feel it!

That's the sort of result they are looking for, so don't worry about that.

[kk12 in reply to Ansteynomad]

Thank you for replying - to be honest I didn't feel any different! I've looked into Cushing's and don't have a lot of the symptoms anyway apart from weight gain. I've also looked at Addison's and I'm definitely NOT losing weight!

I've never been a morning person & have got decidedly worse so I've got no doubt that I will have low cortisol levels with my saliva test in the morning - will be interesting to see what happens for the rest of the day!

Not feeling my best as had a migraine yesterday - had to lie down & sleep - of course trying to then sleep at the right time was impossible so was awake till the early hours!

[Angel_of_the_North in reply to kk12]

Where my results were "almost Addisons", they also thought I had Cushings even though I had no high cortisol symptoms (all my symptoms were low cortisol) as I'd just stacked on 2 stone in 6 weeks. So you don't necessarily lose weight. I did later, but not for years.

[kk12 in reply to Angel_of_the_North]

Wow.... I bloat like a crazy person even though I don't eat much gluten. Went onto not eating/drinking dairy but made no difference but I have had periods of time where I have lost weight with no effort but then gained weight like a yo yo. I haven't stacked on 2 stone in 6 weeks - it's been 2 stone in a year but most of that has been gained since the beginning of the year!

[Angel_of_the_North in reply to kk12]

I didn't bloat. I still had a waist - I was just really big all over! Even the charity shop couldn't keep up with the clothes buying. I felt like Demis Roussos (remember him, in the kaftan?)

[kk12 in reply to Angel_of_the_North]

I do remember him yes!

I still have a waist but when I bloat out I look like I am 6 months pregnant!

[kk12]

My bloods were drawn on the 6th August so will definitely need new ones done - I will ring up the Endo department again to chase if I don't hear anything today.I have heard of the Labs just deciding not to do bloods even if requested by an Endo - don't know if that's the case, what gives them the right to do that!