Undiagnosed and so unwell

[Rubizzalf]

Hi All, I am wondering if anyone can help. I am a type 1 diabetic on insulin which consists of 3 x novorapid injections a day and 1 levemir.

I have recently been in hospital for 5 days with an abscess. These seem to re occur every few years. This one though has knocked me for 6. I am constantly exhausted and just have a general feeling of being unwell. I also have started to suffer from IBS over the last 6 years.

My Erythrocyte sedimentation rate blood test has been returned as - 27mm/hr [0-7] - above high reference limit (the gp hasn't queried this figure.) All other blood tests came back normal apart from my cholesterol which was 7.18. I am not on statins and I have refused to go back on them due to them making my arms and legs feel 'heavy.' My HBa1c has come back as 82. (This could be due to the infection I have had as my sugar levels have been all over the place.) I also suffer from depression and have been on ||Setraline 150mg for 8-9 years. My depression seems to have returned recently which isn't helping the situation.

I have been putting on weight, suffering from migraines and have a constant pain in my right arm near where the abscess was.

My doctor requested thyroid blood tests but this has been messed up by the lab so I have to go and get these tested again tomorrow.

I have been signed off work since the end of September and am due to go back on 1st November. At the moment I don't feel strong enough to go back and am worried about my job.

I am at a loose end as to what could be the problem and am confused by the blood test result of erythrocyte sedimentation result.

I am considering going to see a private GP this week as I am not getting anywhere with my nhs gp.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[shaws Administrator]

If your blood test is later than 9 a.m. cancel and make it for another time at the very earliest possible. This is because our TSH is highest early in the morning and drops throughout the day and could mean the difference between being diagnosed or not.

Also it should be a fasting test but you can drink water.

Ask GP for TSH, T4, T3, Free T4, Free T3 and antibodies. Also Vit B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate. If the lab wont do them or GP wont, you can get a private blood test from a recommended lab. Many members get a pin-prick home test

Get a print-out with the ranges and post for comments.

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

Tick off the following and give to GP if you've quite a few ticks:-

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

[Rubizzalf in reply to shaws]

Thank you so much Shaws. That is a big help! I am going to get to the hospital in the morning as early as I can. All that my gp has ticked on the blood test form is thyroid. As soon as I have the results I will post them on here.

[shaws Administrator in reply to Rubizzalf]

I sincerely hope that they do them all but it is usually only

TSH and T4 which doesn't get to the root of problems without the Frees being done too plus antibodies.

[Rubizzalf in reply to shaws]

The only thing ticked on the form is thyroid function so will need the private blood test done do you think?

[shaws Administrator in reply to Rubizzalf]

Wait till you get the results and post them, with the ranges. Then you can decide what the next step will be. Remember things like Fibromyalgia and CFS are not due to hypothyroidism but maybe due to thyroid hormone resistance. These are usually diagnosed due to their clinical symptoms.

[Justiina]

Some antidepressants can cause blood sugar issues. If I remember it right it should be quite rare but possible. Otherwise I can't help you but that's worth to consider if nothing else helps.

[Rubizzalf in reply to Justiina]

Thank you Justina. I shall look into that

[greygoose]

The HBa1c is to do with your diabetes, isn't it? I don't know much about that. But the high Erythrocyte sedimentation rate would be more likely to be to do with your infection, because it indicates non-specific inflammation. As you've had an infection, and you probably have hypothyroidism, it wouldn't be surprising if you had some inflammation, would it.

[Rubizzalf in reply to greygoose]

Hi Grey goose. Yes the hba1c is your average blood sugar levels over the last couple of months.

I'm currently doing lots of research into the hypothyroidism.

[greygoose in reply to Rubizzalf]