Connective tissue blood test?

[Achilles_Pain]

Can anyone suggest what a connective blood test may be looking for?

I've registered with a new GP Practise as I was fed up with my previous doctor saying my bloods were normal and the pain in my Achilles was due to a pulled muscle/slipped disc. The other Symptoms (dry skin, weight gain, painful digestion, constipation, diarrhoea, lethargy, aching muscles and joints, pooing blood occasionally and the rest) were coincidence. This had been ongoing since he took me off the 25 mcg thyroxine his locum had prescribed almost 7 years earlier after she ordered my first ever blood test, and which had almost completely alleviated all the symptoms.

The new doctor says that although the test result (TSH) is within range "You know your body better than me" and he's there to treat the symptoms, not the numbers. He's ordered a connective tissue blood test and if that shows up nothing says he'll trial me on thyroxine since I say it worked for 7 years.

And quite a novelty, my new doctor waited for me to finish talking before speaking, instead of interrupting and giving his diagnosis before I had finished telling him my symptoms. That hasn't happened for a long time!

[Clutter]

Achilles_Pain, sounds like you made a good switch

Info about the testing: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...