Advice for hubby please

[Mishka4]

Morning all, I wondered if anyone had any thoughts on my hubby's results please?

He had a private TFT done, he has several potential hypo symptoms and there is a family history of hypo. he hasn't been diagnosed with a thyroid issue and doesn't take any thyroid meds.

He is currently on anti-depressants and vitamin D. His iron was fine.

He has lost the outer third of his eyebrows, has dry skin, random aches and pains, lack of energy and struggles to keep awake. He has hayfever and rheumatoid arthritis but otherwise is in good health. He has put on half a stone since going on the anti depressants but hasn't got any puffiness anywhere.

Results:

TSH 1.1 (0.27-4.2)

T4 14.6 (12.0-22.0)

He hasn't seen his GP about his current symptoms yet, any thoughts would be very gratefully received!

[greygoose]

If it was a private test, why didn't they do the FT3? That's the most important number.

His FT4 is a bit low, but with that TSH, he will never get a doctor to diagnose him, because they only tend to look at the TSH. However, if you had an FT3 done, and that was low, too, you should be looking at secondary hypo - a problem with the pituitary, rather than the thyroid gland itself.

Who said his iron was fine? Do you have the actual number? And it would be a good idea to get his vit B12 tested, too.

Take care.

[Mishka4 in reply to greygoose]

Hi and thanks for the reply.

I had 30 years of GPs not diagnosing me as my TSH was 'fine' so he was aware of the whole 'thing' around it!

He chose not to do the T3 due to cost but I'll ask Santa to pay for it along with a B12 test

His GPs iron results were

Iron 34 (10.6-28.3)

TIBC 65 (41-77)

Transferrin saturation 53 (20-55)

Ferritin 111 (30-400)

The GP did comment there was a slight elevation in iron but no further action was taken. He doesn't take any iron supps.

Thanks again

[greygoose in reply to Mishka4]

Ok, so his ferritin is good.

But the FT3 is THE most important number. It's low FT3 that causes symptoms, not the other two.

[gabkad in reply to Mishka4]

From Medscape:

An elevated transferrin saturation in the presence of a normal serum ferritin rarely indicates significant iron overload but may be a marker that iron overload may develop over time in that patient.

So even though is ferritin is in normal range, he is probably on course for hemochromatosis. Blood donation is a good idea under the circumstances.

[gabkad in reply to Mishka4]

Symptoms in males for excess iron:

In men, complications such as diabetes or cirrhosis (scarring of the liver) often are the first signs of the disease. Signs and symptoms also vary based on the severity of the disease. Common signs and symptoms of hemochromatosis include joint pain, fatigue, general weakness, weight loss, and stomach pain.

Maybe this and not his thyroid is the problem.

[Mishka4 in reply to gabkad]

Ah, interesting, thank you very much!

[gabkad in reply to Mishka4]

You are welcome.

Your husband's physician is not quite on the ball.

[Marz]

Ferritin can often be raised in the presence of inflammation. RA is of course an auto-immune inflammatory condition. Could there be a link ? Diet ? Gut ? - does he have any gut problems ? Inflammatory conditions invariably start with the gut.....

Am not a medic just a Hashimotos girl with Crohns

[shaws Administrator]

This is from Thyroiduk which may be helpful. Also on the left-hand column there is more information, i.e. symptoms list etc.

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

[jacrjacr]

a friend of ours in his late 40s had similar issues and turns out he was extremely low in testosterone ---tired, fatigue, just not himself etc

and his dr addressed that and he says it is night and day...just a thought.....