Help with interpreting my results!: Hi Everyone... - Thyroid UK

Thyroid UK

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Help with interpreting my results!

BubblyMommy profile image
•29 Replies

Hi Everyone,

I went to my dr for my blood work follow up and he told me my thyroid levels were normal.

My TSH is 3.1 (0.5-4.7 UIU/ML)

Free T3 is 3.0, (2.3-4.2 PG/ML)

Free T4 is 1.03 (0.73-1.95 NG/DL)

However, cortisol, magnesium, vitamin D are low.

I honestly thought I had some kind of thyroid condition as my pulse has been in the Low 60s, I'm always cold, and horrible joint pain. Just a few weeks ago I began having facial numbers sensation on my left side face, ER dr said it was probably mild bells Palsy. But I still have it on and off.

I had a baby 6 months ago and began having these strange symptoms soon after.

Has anyone been in the same boat?

Thanks in advance

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BubblyMommy
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Marz profile image
Marz

I am sure there will be lots of suggestions - but mine would be - what are your B12 levels ?

b12deficiency.info/signs-an...

BubblyMommy profile image
BubblyMommy• in reply toMarz

Hi! Thanks for your prompt reply! My vitamin B-12 was 337 (250-1100)

MCV 78.6 L (80.0-100 fL)

MCH 26.0 L (27.0-34.0 PG)

Platelet Count 450 (130-400 K/UL)

waveylines profile image
waveylines• in reply toBubblyMommy

Your B12 is on the low side. The Pernicius Anemia Society regard anything under 500 as deficient. I would try taking B12 supplement -methylcolbalim is the best form. You will need to take a B complex with folate with it as the vitamin bs work together.

Low vitamin B12 cause many symptoms. Fatigue, dry skin and neurological pain being typical symptoms. Have a look at the the Vitamin B12 Deficiancy website.

b12d.org/

Marz profile image
Marz• in reply toBubblyMommy

Hi BubblyMommy

Your tests suggest iron anaemia - so that will need treating. I am not good at suggesting the appropriate iron supplements - so if you type it into the Search Thyroid UK in the Box at the top of the page - then press Enter - lots of earlier posts on Iron will appear.

Your B12 is also on the floor and as others have suggested you need to supplement. I would go for the 5000mcg Jarrow Methylcobalamin. B12 should be around 1000 - and any further testing once you are supplementing will be of little value as results will be skewed.

labtestsonline.com will explain the tests and their meaning.

greygoose profile image
greygoose

Yes, your B12 is very low - optimal is 1000. You need 5000 mcg sublingual methylcobalamin daily. Plus a B complex tablet daily to keep the Bs balanced.

Are you supplementing the vit D3 and the magnesium? If not, you really should be. But you can't count on your doctor to know anything about these things.

108Optimist profile image
108Optimist

In my opinion, using Integratuve.Functional medicine lab ranges, there is also a thyroid problem!

The advice you have been given here is great! The thyroid may improve with stress management and nutrient solutions. Also gluten free helps a lot of people.

You dont have any antibody results here?

Heres the functional ranges:

My TSH is 3.1 (0.5-4.7 UIU/ML)

functional = 0.3-2.5 you are over

Free T3 is 3.0, (2.3-4.2 PG/ML)

Functional ranges = 4.5-6.5 you are under

Free T4 is 1.03 (0.73-1.95 NG/DL)

Functional range = 1.45-2.5 you are under

I would boldly say that YES you would be feeling hypo symptoms. There is also the crossover between hypo and the nutrient deficiencies.

VERY CURIOUS how low the top end of your local lab ranges are for ft3 and ft4. Could indicate a generally hypo local population!!??

I am fairly new to this site after being hypo for 6 years but only just diagnosed. I have always be a chronic disease healthy lifestyle coach which is very ironic!! As part of my work I wrote this and there are some lifestyle/food tips at the end that may be helpful. thesistahood.org.uk/2016/05...

Let me make it clear that I am not here promoting a biz. there is no funny biz going on! I just may as well share what I hsve written already if it can help. I find the people on this forum to be very well educated, the best, and they are certainly teaching me!!!

Take care Claire x

PS I have checked my ranges. I work internationally and am used to that. I have used USA reference ranges here, in line with the units bubblymommy has provided

humanbean profile image
humanbean• in reply to108Optimist

108Optimist

I am very surprised you have had Free T4 and Free T3 levels measured in pg/ml and ng/dl since you are based in the UK. The normal units of measurement in the UK for FT4 and FT3 are pmol/L. Pg/ml and ng/dl are usually used in the US. It is the difference in units of measurement that will have made the reference ranges for BubblyMommy so very different.

108Optimist profile image
108Optimist• in reply tohumanbean

No its not I have checked my ranges. I work internationally and am used to that. I have used USA reference ranges here, in line with the units bubblymommy has provided. So id have to disagree on this.

Usually in UK the FT4 is measured differently in pmol/L i agree

humanbean profile image
humanbean• in reply to108Optimist

Okay, I stand corrected. I'm still bemused by the fact that you have had tests done in the UK which were reported in US units though, unless of course you converted the units. :O

108Optimist profile image
108Optimist• in reply tohumanbean

I havent had tests done in UK that were reported in US units. Where is that coming from?

humanbean profile image
humanbean• in reply to108Optimist

Your profile says that your location is the United Kingdom, so I assumed any tests you had had done would have been reported in UK units of measurement with UK ranges.

108Optimist profile image
108Optimist• in reply tohumanbean

Personally my tests have been done in UK and NZ, so you assume right, and NZ uses same units as UK.

However, as part of my professional health training, I use USA measurements too. I have to be familiar with all of them :O

I only mentioned the ranges as i could see that potentially hypo was being overlooked. And we all know how that feels!

But I love that at least i went back and checked my values and units at least 20 times! Its good to have the accountability here :)

waveylines profile image
waveylines• in reply to108Optimist

Our posts crossed... Can you tell me what you mean by functional and why that differs to the blood test range? Am confused.

108Optimist profile image
108Optimist• in reply towaveylines

Functional and integrative medicine use different ranges, as compared to your conventional ranges/lab.

Conventional ranges are much larger, and you only get diagnosed once you are very sick - eg out of range!

With the functional ranges, they are the ranges where you will experience a good quality of life.

Hope that explains?

Angel_of_the_North profile image
Angel_of_the_North• in reply to108Optimist

However, unless you are going to self-medicate, knowing that isn't very useful as the NHS will use the usual lab ranges and not treat.

waveylines profile image
waveylines

Thanks humanbean 😊

I was going to ask Claire where she got the functional ranges and how they relate to this particular set of blood test results? I must admit I don't understand. When looking at test results I look to see how far up the range that they are -as human bean said these ones are in different measurements to the ones we normally see.

humanbean profile image
humanbean• in reply towaveylines

Claire has answered me above, and seems I got it wrong. I still don't understand how the different ranges and units were arrived at though!

108Optimist profile image
108Optimist• in reply tohumanbean

I dont want to add confusion. The units as you said are USA units. I just happen to be familiar with them.

The ranges are those advised in Integrative Medicine (did you ever see Doctor in The House on BBC? They are functional doctors).

As with all ranges, they are only a guide. The advice we are given in STTM and others, to look for upper ends of range in ft3 amount to the same thing. HOWEVER, the ranges that the original post gave have oddly low upper ends. So even if you were at the upper end, you still wouldnt be optimal. Curious.

108Optimist profile image
108Optimist• in reply to108Optimist

Im just adding that I have out this put to a collaborative I am part of that works internationally in integrative/functional health. I have asked them to verify my units and conversions. I am certainly always open to be proven wrong, considering I have a hypo brain! I have checked, rechecked and rechecked everything. Once I have the answer I will make a post with the functional levels of both USA and UK (and the conversion methods). NZ has the same units as UK. I am not sure about other countries.

It is curious because if my calculations are correct then we are working to very low ft3 upper limits. Even in the UK. Either that or I am barking up a wrong tree! I will let you know!

108Optimist profile image
108Optimist• in reply towaveylines

Yup, looking how far up the range is a great way to do it. You are right there.

However, these ranges (the ones given in the original post) for ft3 and ft4 have a very low upper end and are very curious to me.

Yes the units given in original post are US units and look different to UK units.

waveylines profile image
waveylines• in reply to108Optimist

High Claire -thanks but what I'm really confused over I meant is I don't understand how you arrived at your functional ranges which are different to the actual blood test ranges? What are your functional ranges based on and how did you come to decide on the functional ranges you describe in your post?

waveylines profile image
waveylines• in reply towaveylines

Sorry Claire -just seen you e replied to my query further up!! Lol...

123harry profile image
123harry

ask to have your iron stores checked if your iron is low your ferritin state could well be seriously low my ranges were 112 (lab range 115-150) but my ferritin was 6 range 13-150) ferritin should be more around 80 to feel benefits lm surprised your doctor did not test for this the advice on here is excellent

Ratkinson profile image
Ratkinson

Yep get your ferritin and iron checked. I had to ask for mine to be checked as haematocrit was borderline and both came back way below normal range. I've been on iron for a month now and feel greatly improved. I would have thought they would have already tested for that after having a baby so recently!

waveylines profile image
waveylines

Glad your feeling better with the extra iron -amazing what a difference it can make. And I agree with you, you would have thought her doc would've have checked her iron given her recent history.

The trouble is these days with their 10min appointments I frankly don't think they have time to consider much at all if it isn't directly under their noses. Lunacy making appointment 10mins -whenever I go feel I'm on a fast train tying to rattle through it at the rate of Notts to meet the time schedule. Just imagine being the doc racing through all the patients like this.....can't be good!!

Hoxo profile image
Hoxo

Did you have gas and air during the birth of your child? Entonox gas, nitrous oxide can mop up B12 levels and cause an already low level to drop and result in post natal neurological symptoms. I had facial numbness on left hand side of my face on and off before my low B12 was treated. It's due to trigeminal nerve being affected. I also had sore gums, sore eye on that side of my face also. I suspected it may be herpes infection of the facial trigeminal nerve not resulting in external sore on lips but it cleared up with B12 injections. And a numb patch on my leg cleared up.

Also you do sound hypothyroid. Hopefully this is something to do with recent birth and will sort itself out. Keep on at your GP however if it gets worse.

Also read up on B12 deficiency so you are armed with info. Another condition that often gets missed or inadequately treated by the medical profession. Congrats on birth of your baby! Am sure if you follow excellent advice on this forum you will feel better soon.

Jmay88 profile image
Jmay88

Actually, you Free T3 and Free T4 levels are within range but not optimal. Go to stopthethyroimadness.com to understand where the optimal number is within each of their ranges. A minimal dose of Desiccated Thyroid Hormone, not synthetic medication, plus something to help your cortisol levels might be helpful.

BubblyMommy profile image
BubblyMommy

Hello,

I would like to thank every single one of you that provides their insightful input. I have since gone to a new Functional Medicine Dr. He told me what most of you mentioned, hypothyroidism. He's putting me on Nature Throid? Also, on magnesium, vitamin D3, omega 3, and B-12 supplements. Quite a handful!

My hematocrit was 39.6 (34.-45%)

My platelet count was high 450 (130-400 K/UL)

Dr said that it may be due to iron defiency or the uti That I have? I'm surprised the previous dr didn't mention anything about a 2+ blood on my urine!! So I also got an antibiotic. He told me to resume my prenatal vitamins. The previous dr kept telling me that they were the culprit of my constipation, but he told me that most likely it wasn't the case, much more likely due to hypothyroidism.

waveylines profile image
waveylines

Hi bubbly mummy -urge new functional medicine doc sounds on the ball. Hurray!!! 😊😊😊 Hope you soon start to feel better. Nature thyroid is desiccated thyroid. Wishing you well xx

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