Hiya can I have some help with test results please?

[Nikkib1]

Hi

I have found some results on system online from my blood tests yesterday so not had a chance to discuss with Dr but would like to go forearmed, I would really appreciate some help with these. FYI I am on 175mg levothyroxine

This is whats back so far from my bloods yesterday:

Liver function tests

Serum total protein level 67 g/L [60.0 - 80.0]

Serum globulin level 26 g/L [20.0 - 35.0]

Bone profile

Serum albumin level 41 g/L [35.0 - 50.0]

Serum alkaline phosphatase level 81 u/L [30.0 - 130.0]

Serum calcium level 2.25 mmol/L [2.2 - 2.6]

Serum adjusted calcium concentration 2.26 mmol/L [2.2 - 2.6]

Thyroid function test

Serum TSH level 0.24 mu/L [0.27 - 4.2]

Outside reference range

Serum free T4 level 23.5 pmol/L [10.0 - 21.0]

Outside reference range

Serum free triiodothyronine level 6.0 pmol/L [3.5 - 6.5]

Serum ferritin level 16.8 ug/L

FERRITIN - Guide to interpretation.

[ < 15 ] [ 16 to 40 ] [ 41 to 400] [ Greater than 400 ]

[.Low..] [Borderline] [..Normal..] [.......High.......]

Ferritin is an acute phase protein. Interpretation must take into

account FBC results, age, sex and clinical episode. In persistently

high ferritins consider Iron overload or Haemochromatosis.

I feel really really awful and if it helps my current symptoms are:

I feel totally exhausted all the time and have a physical weakness I have never Experienced before. Lifting things I have lifted all my adult life are really hard and I've always been really strong. It seems accumulative and unless I have proper breaks like a lay down in the afternoon I can barely move. Just feel like I am dragging myself around. Although rest isn't restorative it does stop me getting to the point all I can do is go to bed

If I overdo manual work my arms and legs can get quite shaky as if I’ve over done it at the gym but its only things I have been doing for years.

I have seen things and people that aren’t there and a couple of times ’ had’ conversations which seemed very real but wasn't.

forgetful and foggy headed

Craving carbs and sweet stuff (which I'm not usually bothered by sweet things)

Eating doesn't increase energy levels

Frequent nausea

Urgent urination (no discomfort or pain urunating)

Bloated stomach

Frequent upset stomach - pretty much every day

Sleeping badly but doze off in the day if I get the chance, getting up in the morning is a real struggle

Face like a ballon all my chins have filled in to one mega chin

overweight - have really piled it on

Stiffness

constant headaches that never go away

constant backache

Anxiety - I get anxious over things I wouldn’t normally or sometimes for no real reason

can’t seem to get the words straight in my head sometimes, I have to concentrate to say what I want to

i’m also noticing that my hearing seems to not be as sharp as it was

thinning eyebrows again

I also crave tea and coffee and have never previously really drunk very much of it, maybe one or two cups a day at the most!

total intolerance to noise, I want to kill anyone if they have the TV on or music

occasional rashes and very itchy skin

feel the cold a lot

I have recently had numbness in my legs and arms but not currently

breathing problems and pick up any infection very easily

Thank you to anyone who can help!

[SlowDragon Administrator]

They do masses of tests....but not the most important ones 😟

Can you ask GP to check levels of vitamin d, b12, folate. These all need to at good (not just average) levels for thyroid hormones (our own or replacement ones) to work in our cells

Your ferritin is too low, at 16 so is GP treating this?

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 the most common cause in UK of being hypo.

(NHS rarely checks TPO and almost never checks TG. NHS believes it is impossible to have negative TPO and raised TG. It's rare, but not impossible, there are a few members on here that have this.)

When you get results suggest you make a new post on here and members can offer advice 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 ALL thyroid tests, (home one or on NHS) is to do early in morning, ideally before 9am. No food or drink beforehand (other than water) If you are taking Levo, then don't take it in 24 hours before (take straight after). This way your tests are always consistent, and it will show highest TSH, and as this is mainly all the medics decide dose on, best idea is to keep result as high as possible

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

You do not need to have ANY obvious gut issues, to still have poor absorption or gluten intolerance

Best advice is to read as much as you can. Vitamin and minerals levels are very important, but standard NHS thinking, doesn't at the moment seem to recognise this. You will see, time and time again on here lots of information and advice about importance of good levels of B12, folate, ferritin and vitamin D, leaky gut and gluten connection to autoimmune Hashimoto's (& Grave's) too.


Personally I think you are slightly over medicated ( I felt absolutely dire when my FT4 went above range, also lost eyebrows. I reduced by 25mcg- wasn't easy and took about 4 months before felt that I was improving)

But if your vit D, B12.and folate are low then improving them might improve your uptake and utilisation of T4 so that the current dose might be ok

Perhaps get these checked first

hypothyroidmom.com/92-of-ha...

vitamindcouncil.org/tag/aut...

drgominak.com/vitamin-d-hor...

chriskresser.com/the-gluten...

[Daisy77]

You do look a bit over medicated on levo...but you really do need to get B12 and folate checked. I had most of your symptoms prior to PA diagnosis. Be sure not to take any B supplements prior to testing as it will mess up the results. Also a CBC (compete blood count) would not go amiss either.

[Nikkib1 in reply to Daisy77]

Thank you both for your replys, the links were really helpful and I have been tested for Vit D but the results don't seem to be online yet, I will wait until these are posted before I go and see my DR to discuss them and put them up here.

I did ask for a B12 test but was refused on the basis that any deficency would show up in a blood profile via some other results. (I've recently had a full profile plus corstisol, immune and arthiritis) all of which they say are fine. I explained I am a vegatarian and have been for 40 years, I take omaprazole which I understand affects absorption so I thought i was a pretty good candidate for testing with my symptoms I will get this tested privately though.

No idea about any tests for antibodies, I think I will just do the Blue horizen test for everything and see where we are.

Thanks so much for the help x

[Nikkib1 in reply to Nikkib1]

Would I be correct in my belief that:

My TSH is low because my T4 is high and therefore the TSH isn't being required to increase it's levels.That T3 is converting well because along with T4 it's also in the upper range?

So i'm not looking at a problem with T3 conversion from these results. Making over medication and potential B12 Vit D def more likely?

Sorry to be dim trying to make sure I understand what I THINK I understand!

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Omaprazole is a PPI and yes would probably lower B12 and probably magnesium too

gov.uk/drug-safety-update/p...

As you are hypo it's more likely that you actually have low stomach acid. Masses of posts on here about this

nourishholisticnutrition.co...

nhs.uk/Conditions/Anaemia-v...

[Nikkib1 in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks! I'll have a look at the links. I did raise low stomach acid with the doctor but was practically laughed out the surgery. I did try to come of omaprazole and use the veggie equivalent to HCL from a naturopath I was seeing but ended up in hospital because I was vomiting blood and had a lesion in my oesophagus They put me in intravenous omaprazole and told me not to come off it. When I spoke to the dr I said I understood look stomach acid mimicked symptoms of too much stomach acid but I was really bad without the tablets. It's unbearable so her conclusion was I must need them. Wasn't really sure where to go from that! Will look at the links thank you!

[SlowDragon Administrator]

If you have low vitamins the thyroid medication can not be used in your cells, it just sits there making you appear correctly treated because thyroid tests are "ok", but you actually remain hypo.

Low nutrients can be due to low stomach acid / gluten / vitamin D issues and all are very common if hypo, especially if Hashimoto's