Blood Results - Family History- Sick for Years

[roseenglish]

Hello,

7 years ago I started getting poorly with periods of what can only be described as a virus without the typical head cold symptoms. It would start with a day of extreme tiredness falling asleep at the PC and then the next day I was sick.  I would have restless aching legs, aching pain in my lower back or between my shoulder blades, feel very weak with malaise and some joint pain and a vague headache. Appetite was fine. 

I would be bed ridden until it passed which could be 2 to 8 weeks. I always assumed it was a virus but it was always the same symptoms. 

The first time this happened I was in bed for 8 weeks and living alone. I eventually ended up being depressed and anxious and my parents came to get me and the doctor put me on meds for my heart rate ( I stopped them and anti depressants) 

I had my bloods tested and the only thing "wrong" was Vit D so I supplemented. 

I also started to experience PMS for the first time in my life and heavy periods.

 It took me 2 years to work out my insomnia and anxiety were linked to my cycle and so the antidepressants did not work, obviously. 

I had just turned 40 so again put the weight gain (first time in my life) and PMS to getting older but was till confused as to why I kept falling sick with this strange viral type illness. 

The sickness would happen frequently,  so much so I could not plan my life after once spending the whole 2 weeks in bed like this on my holiday in Scotland! 

I don't have much faith in doctors so I never went to see any about my sickness and just learned to accept it. 

Also whenever I tried to start exercising, I would fall sick with this viral type sickness and end up in bed again. 

I had 2 glorious years were I was not bedridden once and was able to use my treadmill and felt great!  

I still catch every single cold and virus going and then in Jan this year I caught a series of colds and viruses and after 6 weeks all of the old symptoms came back. My joints are sore and aching too and I can sleep 10 hours and STILL fall asleep after dinner. Plus I am either freezing or burning up! 

I basically feel like my immune system is worse than a babies and I am sick of being sick. 

My partner has Rheumatoid Arthritis and so he catches a lot of colds due to the medication he has to take to lower his immune system,  but even he is never reduced to being bed sick! I catch his cold and it lasts weeks, he sneezes and its all gone in 2 days. 

I had my bloods taken for the first time in 7 years:  (My father has Hypo and his father had Hyper)

My cholesterol is very high (I never had that before) and I believe there is a link between the thyroid and high cholesterol (?) 

Here are the results:

---Thyroid---

TSH - 0.62          Normal Range:  0.3 - 6.00

Free T4 - 12       Normal Range:  10.40 - 24.50 

Free T3 - 4.5      Normal Range:   3.00 - 7.10 

-- Cholesterol--- 

 Serum Cholesterol = 4.3 

Serum triglycerides = 3.61 

Serum HDL = 0.78 

The thyroid seems all to be on the low end. 

Does anyone know if these mean anything?

They were taken at around 5pm I had not fasted or anything. 

I am female, 47 yrs old, 5'7" and 11 stone. 

I used to be always naturally skinny (9 stone) until I hit 40!

I just assumed it was peri-menopause but not the weak immune system surely. (?) 

Many Thanks!  

[Clutter]

Welcome to the forum, Roseenglish.

TSH is low normal, FT4 low normal and FT3 mid range which doesn't indicate primary hypothyroidism due to thyroid failure.  I would expect to see higher TSH with FT4 low in range which may indicate secondary hypothyroidism.  I suggest you retest in 3-6 months to check whether FT4 is dropping without TSH rising substantially.

Arrange future tests early in the morning and fast (water only) as TSH is highest early in the morning and drops after eating and drinking.

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/diagno...

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

Cholesterol rises when thyroid hormone is low and will usually drop when thyroid levels improve.  Your cholesterol doesn't appear to be high.

Ask your GP to test ferritin to check that iron is adequate and if you have been supplementing D3 for some time vitD should be rechecked.

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I am not a medical professional and this information is not intended to be a substitute for medical guidance from your own doctor. Please check with your personal physician before applying any of these suggestions.

[roseenglish in reply to Clutter]

Thank you, can you confirm about the cholesterol please? 

According to my blood print off, my cholesterol was ear marked as "high" 

------------------------------

Serum Cholesterol: 4.3 

Serum triglycerides: 3.61 mmol/L -        NORMAL - 0.00 - 1.90mmol/L 

HDL levels 0.78 mmol/L  -                       NORMAL - 1.20 - 3.50mmol/L

LDL: 1.9 -mmol/L -                                    NORMAL - 0.00 - 3.00mmol/L

Se non HDL 3.5mmol/L

Serum Cholesterol/HDL Ratio: 5.5 

--------------------------

Advice on blood result was:  "In High intensity statin treatment aim to reduce non HDL Cholesterol by at least 40%" 

I have come to understand that my bad cholesterol is too high and good cholesterol is too low. 

Thank you 

[Clutter in reply to roseenglish]

Roseenglish,

 It's the triglycerides which are high. This link explains labtestsonline.org/understa...

Read Dr. Malcolm Kendrick's blogs on cholesterol and statins drmalcolmkendrick.org/2015/...