Newbie's Full Blood Test Results

[janey1234]

Following on from my Newbie post the other day, here are all of my test results (blood & urine). Apologies in advance if this is too much information.

These test were done in February of 2016 following first visit to docs with a list of unexplained symptoms...

FULL BLOOD COUNT

total white blood count 8.2 (3.9-10.2)

Red blood cell count 4.7 (3.9-5.2)

Haemoglobin concentration 144 g/l (120.0 -156.0)

Haematocrit 0.422 l/L (0.355-0.455)

mean cell volume 90.5 fL (80.0-99.0)

Mean cell haemoglobin level 30.8pg (27.0-33.5)

Red blood cell distribution width 13.4% (11.0-16.0)

Platelet count -observation 255 (150.0-370.0)

Plateletcrit 0.230

mean platelet volume 9.0fL

neutrophil count 5.81 (1.5-7.7)

Lymphocyte count 1.69 (1.1-4.5)

Monocyte count - observation 0.34 (0.1-0.9)

Eosinophil count observation 0.21 (0.02-0.5)

Basophil count 0.03 (0.0-0.2)

FERRITIN

serum C reactive protein level <4mg/L (0.0-6.0)

Serum ferritin level 77.1 ug/L (10.0-291.0)

LIVER FUNCTION TEST

serum albumin level 41g/L (35.0-50.0)

Serum total bilirubin level 23umol/L (0.0-20.0) Highlighted as Above Range

serum alkaline phosphatase level 73 U/L (30.0-130.0)

Serum alanine aminotranferase level 31U/L (7.0-40.0)

THYROID FUNCTION TEST

serum TSH level 16.87 mU/L (0.35-5.5) Highlighted as Above Range

Serum free T4 level 11.1 pmol/L (10.0-19.8)

UREA & ELECTROLYTES

serum sodium level 143mmol/L (133.0-146.0)

serum potassium level 4.0mmol/L (3.5-5.3)

Serum creatinine level 66umol/L (44.0-97.0)

ESR

erythrocyte sedimentation rate 21mm (3.0-9.0) Highlighted as Above Range

FASTING GLUCOSE PLASMA

plasma fasting glucose level 4.8mmol/L (3.5-6.0)

At this stage I am only told that I might have an infection, I'm borderline under-active thyroid and not diabetic. No mention of other Above Range items. Told to repeat blood tests in 1 months time.

March 2016

SERUM LIPID LEVELS

serum cholesterol level 5.6mmol/L

serum triglyceride levels 1.20 mmol/L (0.3-1.8)

Serum HDL cholesterol level 1.31 mmol/L

serum LDL cholesterol level 3.74 mmol/L

serum cholesterol/HDL ratio 4.3

serum non high density lipoprotein cholesterol level 4.29 mmol/L

THYROID FUNCTION TEST

serum TSH level 17.79 mU/L (0.35-5.5) Highlighted as Above Range

serum free T4 level 8.6pmol/L (10.0-19.8) Highlighted as Below Range

ESR

erythocyte sedimentation rate 13mm (3.0-9.0) Highlighted as Above Range

FULL BLOOD COUNT

total white blood count 6.4 (3.9-10.2)

Red blood cell count 4.7 (3.9-5.2)

haemoglobin concentration 143 (120.0-156.0)

haematocrit 0.434 (0.355-0.455)

mean cell volume 91.7 (80.0-99.0)

mean cell haemoglobin level 30.2 (27.0-33.5)

red blood cell distribution width 13.3 (11.0-16.0)

platelet count -observation 284 (150.0-370.0)

plateletcrit 0.280

mean platelet volume 9.7

neutrophil count 4.54 (1.5-7.7)

Lymphocyte count 1.3 (1.1-4.5)

monocyte count - observation 0.26 (0.1-0.9)

eosinophil count - observation 0.20 (0.02-0.5)

basophil count 0.03 (0.0-0.2)

At this stage I am prescribed 25mg of Levo, told cholesterol is too high and it's not linked to hypothyroid and told to repeat bloods again in 3 months. No mention of ESR level.

June 2016

SERUM LIPID LEVELS

Serum cholesterol level 5.9

serum trigyceride levels 0.80 (0.3-1.8)

serum HDL cholestrerol level 1.5

serum LDL cholesterol level 4.03

serum cholestrerol /HDL ratio 3.9

serum non high density lipoprotein cholesterol level 4.40

THYROID FUNCTION TEST

serum TSH level 14.72 (0.35-5.5) Highlighted as Above Range

serum free T4 level 9.5 (10.0-19.8) Highlighted as Below Range.

Told cholesterol raised, given leaflet on reducing. Told TSH down a bit and Levo increased to 75mg per day and to be tested again in 2-3 months.

Information & discussion on symptoms from docs about thyroid has been zero (which by all accounts is the norm'). I have no idea if I how I feel is normal & to be expected or down to my age (49), my gardening work (aches, pains, etc).

I want to help myself as much as possible & educate myself. I assume that at my next blood test my file will just say to test for Thyroid & Cholesterol, the nurse just does what my file dictates.

I am going to read the articles & book that were suggested in the replies from my last post and hopefully with your help, arm myself with exactly what I need to be tested for next time and why.

As before, thank you so much for this amazing forum and wealth of knowledge.☺

[bluebug]

From your doctors ignorance about your thyroid I suspect he is going to try and put your on statins. I strongly suggest you read up on them BEFORE he suggests it e.g. before you have a repeat blood test. Then make your own mind up whether to take them.

If you decide not to take them I suggest you be assertive and ask the doctor his knowledge on them and the research undertaken on women and the effectiveness of them in men. ( I personally was today looking at some research between liver enzymes, glucose levels and cardiovascular disease - if you can afford to have a HbA1c test than have one.)

I also suggest you tell your doctor what you have found about between the link between hypothyroidism and cardiovascular disease and where you have found the information e.g. sites like this one - patient.info/health/underac...

(Patient.info is one of the sites that many NHS GPs recommend their patients to look at. ) There is even a doctors page for him - patient.info/health/underac... so you may want to print both pages out and give them to him

In regards to your test results if you do some research you will find that like the albumin level an increase in WBC count, specifically the neutrophils, is linked to infection and inflammation. While your C reactive protein level (CRP) is not flagged as being high it would be actually nearer 0 if you have no inflammation. While your WBC specifically your neutrophils have gone down since starting levo your ESR hasn't. There is unfortunately no recent repeat of your CRP and albumin tests.

A high ESR rate is linked to another autoimmune condition. Do you have a family history of any other autoimmune disease? If so and there is a test for it get tested. If not then unfortunately you are going to have to convince the doctor to test you for common autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid factor as well as to rule out Hasimotos and Graves.

[janey1234 in reply to bluebug]

I can't thank you enough for taking the time to read through all this. I shall try and see if there is an family history of any autoimmune disease. I will stand firm re statins, don't worry. Fingers crossed the doc will just agree to all the tests I request!! Thank you for the links too ☺

[janey1234 in reply to bluebug]

Hello again, just going back over all of the help and advice everyone has given me. You mentioned getting a HBA1C test, which I've now googled...isn't that a test for diabeties? and if so, that's one test I did appear to have (think it was down as a Plasma Fasting Glucose test), which did come back as def' not diabetic or near diabetic. Just trying to get all of my facts right and a list of required tests to take to the docs.

Thank you again ☺

[bluebug in reply to janey1234]

HbA1c test looks at your glucose level over months while an "ordinary" fasting glucose test looks at your glucose level at that particular time it is taken. If you had a HbA1c test your blood test results would clearly state it.

Also regardless of your diabetes status it is a good idea to keep an eye on your own blood glucose level especially as you have a GP who doesn't know about the link between thyroid hormones and cardiovascular disease as he would also be unaware of research linking one autoimmune disease to another e.g. thyroid disease to diabetes and research linking cardiovascular disease to high blood glucose levels.

The NHS doesn't HbA1c tests unless they suspect you already have diabetes and even then they prefer doing fasting glucose tests as it is cheaper. So if you ever have to have private tests the HbA1c test is the one to go for.

[janey1234 in reply to bluebug]

Aha! I understand now...thank you

[Clutter]

Janey1234,

Ferritin is optimal around halfway through range. You might want to supplement iron with 1,000mg vitamin C which aids absorption and minimises constipation. Retest ferritin 4-6 months after supplementing and take iron 4 hours away from Levothyroxine.

Bilirubin was above range but it's unlikely to be significant as other liver function tests were normal.

ESR is an inflammation marker. You may have had an infection as your ESR level reduced but still remained above range. It's a pity your GP didn't retest.

Your other results are normal apart from TSH and FT4 which should respond to the increased Levothyroxine dose, and cholesterol which shoud drop when thyroid levels respond.

________________________________________________________________________

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.

[janey1234 in reply to Clutter]

Thank you, just to clarify...are you suggesting I take iron & vit c tablets now and is that just as a kind of over-the-counter multi-vitamin-type pill?

[Clutter in reply to janey1234]

Janey1234,

I'm suggesting you supplement iron tablets and take each tablet with 1,000mg vitamin C. Ferrous Fumarate is a good iron supplement.

I think multi-vitamins are a waste of money. They won't have enough of anything to address low levels or deficiencies.

[janey1234 in reply to Clutter]

Ok...thank you for clarifying that. It's Friday, end of week...doesn't take much to confuse me.

[Clutter in reply to janey1234]

Janey1234,

Things will improve when your thyroid levels are better. Your GP was too conservative starting you on 25mcg when you were overtly hypothyroid (not borderline) but 75mcgs is a sensible dose.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Suggest you ask GP to check levels of vitamin d, b12, and folate too. These all need to at good (not just average) levels for thyroid hormones to work in our cells.

Also have you had thyroid antibodies checked? There are two sorts TPO Ab and TG Ab. (Thyroid peroxidase and thyroglobulin) Both need checking, if either, or both are high this means autoimmune thyroid - called Hashimoto's - most common cause of being hypo. NHS rarely checks TPO and almost never checks TG.

Make sure you get the actual figures from tests (including ranges - figures in brackets). You are entitled to copies of your own results. Some surgeries make nominal charge for printing out. Alternatively you can now ask for online access to your own medical records. Though not all surgeries can do this yet, or may not have blood test results available yet online, but all should be doing this with couple of years.

When you get results suggest you make a new post on here and members can offer advise on any vitamin supplements needed

If you can not get GP to do these tests, then like many of us, you can get them done privately

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

Blue Horizon - Thyroid plus eleven tests all these.

This is an easy to do fingerprick test you do at home, post back and they email results to you couple of days later. Usual advice on this test, is to do early in morning, no food or drink beforehand (other than water) don't take Levo in 24 hours before (take straight after).

If you have Hashimoto's then you may find adopting 100% gluten free diet can help reduce symptoms, and lower antibodies too.

Assume you know that Levo generally should be taken on empty stomach and no food or drink for at least hour after. Many take on waking, some prefer bedtime, either as more convenient or perhaps more effective. No other medications at same time, especially iron or magnesium, these must be at least 4 hours away

vitamindcouncil.org/tag/aut...

Raised cholesterol is definitely associated with being hypo and should reduce as you improve. Before thyroid blood tests, we were diagnosed as having low thyroid by raised cholesterol !

High bilirubin may also improve, there seems to be some anecdotal evidence on web that gluten free diet may lower bilirubin

[janey1234 in reply to SlowDragon]

The only tests I've had are the ones listed so I shall ask for the others. I was told to leave 1/2hr between tablet and food so that's something I need to adjust. If I take it before bedtime, how long after last food/ drink should I leave it? Honestly, the more advice I get on this site the more I realise how poor my docs have been. I wasn't told to not take my Levo before blood tests either....Grrrrr.

If I get nowhere with docs I will def' refer back to your link.

Thank you ☺

[janey1234 in reply to SlowDragon]

Hello again, I've been going back over all of the advice and links that everyone has given me and I hope you don't mind a follow-up question to your advice above? I've been looking up Vit B12 & folate and as far as I can see, a deficiency would show up as low level haemoglobin so I'm wondering if, from my 2 FBCs above, I am actually showing as a deficient?

I'm trying to prepare myself to be questioned by my GP as to why I am asking for tests.

As before...thank you. I really appreciate your help.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to janey1234]

No, as I understand it (but not medic, just a Hashimoto's sufferer) the tests would say B12 and folate

Good level of vitamin D very important too (advice on here is to aim for level of about 100)

[janey1234 in reply to SlowDragon]

So specifically ask for a B12 & Folate test then and Vit D, as well as Tpo ab & Tg ab. Will be shocked if I'm lacking in Vit D as I'm a gardener who spends almost my entire life outside ☺

Fingers crossed that my doc will just say yes to all of the tests.

thank you

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to janey1234]

I am keen gardener and have an allotment. Didn't stop my Vit d being low ....but I also had missed diagnosis of gluten intolerance for over 17 years !! (Causes hidden Vit D deficiency)

See my profile

[janey1234 in reply to SlowDragon]

Blimey!

[SlowDragon Administrator]

If you do try taking before bedtime then you need to leave at least 2 hours, preferably more, especially if a large meal. No snacks or tea, coffee etc either for at least an hour before (good reason to avoid late night snack temptation)

If I have to eat too late, I just take Levo in middle of night about 3am, when getting up for the loo

[janey1234 in reply to SlowDragon]

Hmmmm....I might try that, thank you ☺