On Wednesday evening I posted the following:
After feeling unwell for a few weeks my Dr. ran a number of tests, two of which was are Serum free T4 level and Serum free TSH level.
The results have appeared on-line tonight but before I contact my GP tomorrow I was wondering if someone was able to explain what these results mean:
Pathology Investigations
Serum free T4 level 3.4 pmol/L [11.0 - 26.0]
Outside reference range
Primary hypothyroid TFts results profile.
Serum TSH level > 100 mU/L [0.27 - 4.2]
Outside reference range
Thanks for your help.
..........................................................................................
Ok… so now an update and a bit of background info:
Five months ago I suffered a Heart Attack and was admitted to hospital after my partner phoned 999. I was initially Thrombolised and then the following day had two Stents fitted.
Over the course of the next five months I changed my entire lifestyle. I quit smoking, changed my diet, became more active and felt better than I had done in years.
Being only 41 this had been a shock not only to me but to my family and my GP.
My GP was excellent after the fact, followed up on me and was always there if I had any queries.
I returned to work seven weeks after my attack and though I took work easier than I had previously I became more active in my personal life; taking part in an excellent Cardio Rehabilitation Programme offered by my local hospital.
About 3 weeks ago I started to become very very tired, I was finding that I was forgetting things and I was waking up after a solid night’s sleep feeling more exhausted than I had before I had gone to bed.
I initially thought I was just doing too much at work but I was finding that I didn’t have the energy to exercise outside work as I had been doing and was not able to attend my Cardio Rehab as I was simply just feeling too shattered.
During my second week of feeling like this I took myself to the doctors; I was getting worried that something was wrong with my heart.
My GP ordered a set of bloods and an ECG. I booked in with reception to have these done, usually the bloods would have been taken within 24hrs but because I was booked in with the same nurse who was going to do the ECG I had to wait nearly a week.
From this point on I should say that until yesterday morning everything that happened, was said or done or I did is really pieced together from vague memories and what I have been told.
I remember going to have my bloods taken, I remember phoning in on Monday ill for work (I think). I was feeling drunk (and I don’t drink), I couldn’t walk in a straight line. I was becoming delusionary and sleeping all the time.
I remember getting a notification that I could view my results on-line and I remember my partner suggesting that I post them on here to find out what they meant.
I woke up Friday morning in Intensive Care after being taken off life support and incubation.
•Wednesday night when my results were available on-line my GP Surgery was shut.
•During that evening I became more delusionary, started hallucinating and my partner became even more concerned over my wellbeing.
•My partner phoned 999 and I was taken to A&E.
•The initial admitting nurse in A&E told the paramedics to put me in a cubical to “Sleep it off”.
•My partner kicked up a bit of a fuss (I’m probably understating that) and I was seen shortly after by the doctors – taken in to resuscitation, placed on life support and incubated.
•I was given drugs to treat me for anything and everything and received scans and everything else you would expect.
•It was explained to me that I had gone in to a Myxedema coma and that I was exceedingly lucky to be here – never mind sat up in a bed in Intensive Care.
•The on-set was virtually unprecedented. My blood tests from 4, 8 and 12 weeks prior (which had included Thyroid tests) were all within normal ranges. There had been no other clinical signs until the ones I started with 3 weeks prior.
I have just been transferred to a normal ward this morning, I have been placed on 200 micro grams of Levothyroxine per/day and had a Short Synacthen Test this morning that came back normal.
I am still weak but I am feeling “clear headed” and in control. Hopefully I will be discharged on Sunday or possibly Monday.
…….So why am a writing this…. Well the good people in this forum who responded to the query over my results were spot on, it was just unfortunate that I hadn’t had chance to review the responses until today.
The progression was so quick that no doctor or specialist in my hospital (a large teaching hospital) had experienced it before first hand.
If this information helps anyone – even slightly – then it is worth sharing.
Paul