New member. Need help understanding symptoms please...and test results

[misha008]

Hi

I wrote on here last week outlining my symptoms (sorry don't know how to add to that post), so I'll just detail where I'm at and would really appreciate your input. I had some fantastic responses to my original post which helped me understand things much better (re: TSH levels and T4). I was advised (here, not by my doctor) that my ferritin levels were low - which I had experienced before so I restarted some of my really superstrong vitamins. Now I'm not sure if my body was reacting to these or it's anxiety, but I have experienced anxiety attacks (really jolting with adrenaline when I'm about to doze off and then waking up very anxious). Insomnia and also, really loose motions when I've been suffering with constipation for weeks/months prior. My head is also racing. As a result I haven't started my lexothyroxine (25mg) that was prescribed as I don't want to aggravate these symptoms until they settle down. Can these also be symptoms of Hypothyrodism? They sound like Hyper to me? Would appreciate your thoughts as I have a tendency to overthink things I feel!

I've been to the doctors recently for a number of issues and went in as I had pins and needles in my hand and leg but I've also experienced massive hair loss. My hair is probably a 1/4 of the thickness it used to be to say around 3 years ago. I also have dry skin, am irritable/forgetful, ridged nails, constipation etc. Lots of symptoms of hypothyroidism but never diagnosed although mum had thyroid cancer and nephew recently prescribed thyroxine. I thought it was actually part ageing (I'm 47).

The following results came through ( I only posted a part of my results before, as I thought they were the relevant ones. But the response from people was so knowledgeable and informative that I've added everything I was tested for. Sorry, I know it's long!). I just don't know what I'm looking at and what I should be looking for. Any help really appreciated.

Lastly I was really reluctant to go on thyroid replacement but reading here seems as if it's the only option which I'm okay with now. Just want to get a clear understanding of what I am doing.

Serum Free t4 level 10.6 (9.01 - 19.05)

Serum TSH level 7.32 (0.3-4.94)

Serum Vitamin B12 652 (187- 883.00)

Serum Folate 9.4 (310-20.50)

Serum ferritin 42 (20 - 204)

Serum transferrin 2.44 (2.00-3.20)

Transferrin saturation index 21%

Anti Thyroid Peroxidase No action required

Anti-Thyroid Microsomal (342.3)

Anti TPO Result POSITIVE

GFR calculated abbreviated MDRD No Action required >90

Urea and electrolytes No action required

Serum sodium 137 (136-145)

Serum postassium 4.4 (3.50-5.10)

Serum urea level 5.1 (2.50-6.70)

Serum creatinine 59 (50-98)

Liver function test No action required

serum total protein 76 (64-83)

serum ALT level 13 (10 - 35)

serum alkaline phosphatase 47 (40-150)

serum bilirubin level 15 (3.4-20.5)

serum globulin 33 (20-39.)

Erythrocyte sedimentation rate 12 (3.00-12.00)

Serum calcium 2.33 (2.10-2.55)

serum albumin 43 (35-50)

corrected serum calcium level 2.27 (2.10-2.55)

plasma glucose level 5 (3.00-7.80)

full blood count

haemoglobin estimation 142 (115-166)

total white cell count6.9 (3.7-11)

platelet count258 (150- 450)

neutrophil count 3.7 (1.70-7.50)

lymphocyte count 2.4 (1.00-4.00)

monocyte count 0.4 (0.20-0.80)

Eosinophil count t0.3 (0.04-0.50)

Basophil count 0.1 (0.00-0.20)

Red blood cell count 4.47 (4.00-5.50)

Haematocite 0.401 (0.36-0.44)

Mean corpuscular volume 89.7 (80.00-100.00)

Mean corpusc. Haemoglobin 31.8 (26.9-32.00)

Mean corpusc.Hb. Concenc. 354 (320-359)

Nucleated red blood cell count0 (0.00-0.01)

Sorry it's so long winded.

[misha008]

By the way , forgot to add - I also have lost weight - over the last 2/3 weeks about 1/2 a stone which I've never been able to previously do, even when I was swimming and dieting strictly.

[greygoose]

Hi Misha, it would help if you could edit your post to put in some spaces in the results/ranges. It's really difficult to read. Just click on the green button under your post, and it will give you the option to edit.

You did the right thing in starting a new thread, because very few people will see the old one, now.

When you say that you've 'restarted some of my really superstrong vitamins', what exactly are you taking? And how much? Sounds as if you're having a bad reaction to something. It's never a good idea to start more than one supplement at a time.

You could, however, given that you have Hashi's, be on a hyper swing, and that's what's causing the weight loss and loose bowels, and nothing to do with the supplements. But, just in case, why not stop everything you're taking, and let it settle down. See how you go.

Oh, and I hope you've stopped the strict diet! Not the right thing for a hypo!

[misha008 in reply to greygoose]

Hi Greygoose,

Thanks for the reply. Sorry, I thought it was formatted correctly. I will sort and repost.

Yes, I've stopped the vitamins today. They're the Hema-Plex Vitamins (85mg of elemental Iron). They've other things in there as well such as Vit b12 etc.

Is Hashimoto a version of Hypo?

[greygoose in reply to misha008]

Hashimoto's is the cause of most cases of hypo. It's where the body's immune system attacks the thyroid gland and slowly destroys it. As the cells of the gland die off, they release their hormone into the blood, and that causes hyper swings - but you're not clinically hyper - i.e. the gland is not producing too much hormone, as it does in Graves, it's just the dying off effect of the gland.

So, in fact, what you're taking is a multivit. They really, really are not recommended for sick people. They are for the Worried Well, who don't really need them. You won't get much out of them, but as everything is bunched up together in one pill, there could be something that disagrees with you, and you won't know what it is.

But, if you look at the ingredients, you will find that as well as the iron, it contains calcium. The calcium and the iron will cancel each other out, as they bind together and become unavailable for absorption by the body. What's the point of that? It also contains cyanocobalamin (form of B12) which you cannot absorb either. 10 mcg selenium! You might just as well take nothing! It isn't enough to do anything. You want more like 200 mcg selenium! Folic acid is not the best absorbed, either. Methylfolate is better. And you do not know that you need the other stuff - copper, for example - and it's not good to take things you don't need.

So, all in all, it's just a mish-mash of stuff slung together, with no real rhyme or reason. Total waste of money! Get yourself some decent Ferrus fumarate and some good vit C, and take them four hours away from levo, and two hours away from everything else.

[misha008]

Hi Greygoose,

The formatting was dire - sorry. I hope that it's clearer now.

[greygoose in reply to misha008]

That's much better! Thank you.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Despite that huge long list......GP has NOT tested vitamin D

Very common to be low so would be very good idea to get it checked. If GP won't oblige, you can get it done via postal blood spot test from City Assay Birmingham NHS service - £28

vitamindtest.org.uk

vitamindcouncil.org/tag/aut...