Help with blood test results

[Kellyjam1]

Hi,

I have addressed my low B12 but have still felt exhausted, dizzy and terrible brain fog. I could literally sleep all day.

I was convinced that I had underactive thyroid and had my bloods tested at Blue Horizon and they came back normal.

Can I please check with you if they seem ok before I look at other options for my fatigue. I eat really healthy and take lots of supplements and probiotics so it can't be my diet.

Many thanks for your help it is really appreciated

Free T4 15.73  12-22 pmol/L

Free T3 4.55  31-68 pmol/L

TSH 3.31  0.27-4.20 IU/L

T4 Total  99.7  64.5-142.0 nmol/L

Anti-Thyroidperoxidase abs 10.6 <36 Klu/L

Anti-Thyroglobulin abs <10.000 <115

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Kellyjam, they may be in range but you're results aren't 'normal' or optimal.

For most people the FT4 and FT3 need to be in the upper quarter of their ranges and the TSH low at around 1.

So your TSH needs to come down and your FT4 needs to increase to around 19 or so. Your FT3 isn't too bad but would probably be a bit higher if your FT4 was higher.

You have symptoms and with those results you seem to be hypothyroid but you do not have autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's) as your antibodies are low enough to be classed as negative.

The NHS won't recognise this because they generally don't treat until the TSH reaches 10.

Maybe ask your GP to do thyroid function tests plus ferritin, folate and Vit D. Iron deficiency can cause tiredness so if ferritin is low you should supplement with an iron supplement. Folate should be about halfway in range and vit D at least 100. What is your current level of B12? Around 900-1000 is considered optimal.

[Kellyjam1 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you, I self inject b12 after support from the pernicious anemia society so I imagine it is quite high. My ferritin and folate were also low and I supplement those also along with vit D. This has all helped with mobility but the fatigue is still awful! My GP is not interested in helping and puts it down to fibromyalgia which I am not convinced. Seems like I will have to fight again for some further tests or look at self medicating? Thanks for your advice 😀

[Hidden in reply to Kellyjam1]

Hi kellyjam, pleased to see you are treated with b12 injections, but shame you had to do it yourself with self medicating. How did the pernicious anemia society help you? All they said to me was to give the medical briefing document on their website to my GP. was that all they did for you?

[Kellyjam1 in reply to Hidden]

They advised me to order b12 from the b12 deficiency group. I get my needles from Amazon. Maybe try calling them again for all the contact details. You can also get methylcobalamin from Germany online.

[shaws]

You will find this useful. The TSH range is useless in a way and should only be used as a guide - it varies throughout the 24 hours:-

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

If you have a TSH of 3+ it shows your thyroid gland is struggling. Such a pity the BTA pronounce that it has to reach 10 before prescribing although some doctors do so around 5 with symptoms. More's the pity for those whose TSH doesn't rise very much but have clinical symptoms. Do you wonder why some members source their own hormones. It shouldn't be necessary.

[Kellyjam1 in reply to shaws]

Thanks I definitely have the clinical symptoms but not the test results to get treatment. I will possibly look at self treating like I had to with my b12! It gets exhausting! Thanks for your advice.

[shaws in reply to Kellyjam1]

This is good information and comes from our main website Thyroiduk.org.uk

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

[Pastille in reply to shaws]

I'm going to print this and give it to my GP. Seriously, I don't think he knows any of it and I actually think he will appreciate it

[shaws in reply to Pastille]

This is from Thyroiduk's website and on the left-hand side you can get info on hypo,hyper, hashi's along with symptoms etc.

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

[Singoutloud]

Kellyjam.   I'm sure I read somewhere on PAS forum that it can take a good couple of years for symptoms to abate.   Any that you still have after that are probably permanent.   

I'm in the same boat hashimotos and PA. Loading  injections since December made little impact and been supplementing   2 x 5000 mg sublingual daily.   Considering self injecting but not brave enough right now.  Symptoms are gradually subsiding but that could  be to do with the addition of self bought T3 as well. 

The one thing that hasn't improved is the fatigue.   It still hits me like a brick wall mid to late morning and I really don't know if it's down to the thyroid or the PA or if there is a third underlying cause. 

[Kellyjam1 in reply to Singoutloud]

Yes the fatigue hits me like a brick wall also. It's scary to think I may have to put up with feeling this way. As you say it can take a long time to heal so maybe I am being impatient! Self treating my b12 has been so easy and not scary at all with the help of pernicious anemia society. It's like trying to put a puzzle together and hope I find the right treatment plan with no support from medical professionals. Hopefully you piece together your puzzle too.