Blood results advice needed

[1Henry]

I have been having hypothyroid symptoms for a year, including weight gain, slow heart rate, tiredness and constipation, to name but a few ! I had blood tests last year due to a missed period which showed Prolactin 850 (range 109-557). TSH 1.85 (range 0.35-5.0).

I invested in private bloods in May as feeling very symptomatic. Blue Horizan results are as follows:

TSH 2.9 range 0.35-5.0

T4 Total 80.4 range 64.5-142

Free T3 3.84 range 3.1-6.8

Free T4 13.3 range 12-22

TPO antibodies 187.8 range <34

Thyroglobulin Abs 347.1 range <115

GP decided to repeat bloods.

TSH 1.24 range 0.35-5.0

Prolactin 216 range 109-557

Ferritin 28 range 20-275

Serum cortisol 463 range 101-536

My GP has been helpful, but my review isn't for 2 weeks, so I would be grateful for some advice. 😃

[greygoose]

Was the blood taken at the same time of day for both of those tests? And were they both fasting? If not, you can't compare them.

If you are taking any thyroid hormone replacement, then you need an increase in dose, according to the BH results. Because your Frees are very low. But if you aren't already on THR, then you won't get any doctor to diagnose you with results like that.

But your ferritin is much, much too low. It needs supplementing. Have you also have your vit B12, vit D and folate tested? If not, it would be advisable to do so.

[1Henry in reply to greygoose]

Thank you for your response. The tests were taken at different times and only the second bloods were fasted. I'm not taking any medication at present.

My GP didn't request any other tests, but I can get other tests done. Is it better to fast, and have blood drawn in the morning ??

Any suggestions on increasing Ferratin.

Thank you

[greygoose in reply to 1Henry]

Well, assuming that you want your TSH as high as possible, in order to get diagnosed, yes.

TSH is highest early in the morning - try and get there as near to 8.0 am as possible - and lowers throughout the day. It also lowers after eating.

One would obviously expect your TSH to be higher than 1.24 with Frees that low.

But tests should always be done at the same time of day every time, otherwise you cannot compare them to see your progress - or lack of it!

If you want the whole range of tests, this is what you should get :

TSH

FT4

FT3

TPOab

TgAB

vit D

vit B12

folate

ferritin

If you get all those done, it will give a good indication of what is going on with your body. Doctors often don't think FT4 and FT3 to be necessary - they are very ignorant - and labs usually refuse to do the FT3. The NHS never tests the TgAB!

There is also an rT3 test - which is never done on the NHS - but I don't think it's relevant at this stage. It's also expensive!

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

1Henry Just to add to what Greygoose has said, both types of antibodies are raised so that confirms autoimmune thyroiditis aka Hashimoto's disease.

If you look to the right of this page and further up, under Topics, you'll see Hashimoto's which, if you click on it, will take you to lots of posts on the forum about it.

Hashi's isn't treated, it's the resulting hypothyroidism that is treated. Your antibodies will fluctuate, causing your symptoms and test results to fluctuate, and eventually your thyroid will be destroyed and you'll have full blown hypothyroidism. What you can do to help is go completely and scrupulously gluten free (not a bit or nearly, that won't work) and that helps reduce the antibody attacks. Also, supplementing with selenium helps reduce the attacks.

Some reading:

stopthethyroidmadness.com/h...

stopthethyroidmadness.com/h...

hypothyroidmom.com/hashimot...

[1Henry]

Thanks for your advice, really appreciated.

I have ordered Blue Horizan Thyroid plus 11 to get a baseline. Will definitely get bloods drawn early morning 😄