My Doc did a whole screed of Blood Tests, and now I've read a bit more about Hypothyroidism, some more of the blood test results are starting to jump out at me and demand my attention. Any help is much appreciated, and thanks in advance!
Initial Results
Free T4 12.6 pmol/L Range 9.0 - 24
TSH 2.15 mU/L Range 0.3 - 6.0
Free T3 4.1 pmol/L Range 3.5 - 6.6 and some more ...
I'd read to ask for additional blood tests to be done? One was:
ESR which was actually marked "HIGH" 44 mm/hour Range: 1.0 - 15 May I ask someone to explain that to me? It isn't marked 'no further action' but I've had no contact from my Doc.
Another blood test was CRP. Am I right that this means C-Reactive Protein? If so ~
CRP (High) 44 mg/L Range 2.0 - 10
Isn't marked 'no further action' but I've had no contact from my Doc.
Another marked high (not sure of the relevance)
Triglyceride (High) 2.58 mmol/L Range 0.84 - 1.94
The test for Lyme Serology was Negative, but with the nore: "No detectable antibodies ... Serology may take 3 to 8 weeks to become positive. Please send a second sample ... if clinically indicated. File note? No action required. I live my life surrounded by sheep on every boundary and had 3 cats at the time the test was taken! The Doc and I know how difficult it is to get a positive on Lyme but is taking "no action" when for more accurate results can take 3 - 8 WEEKS.
I'm going to ask her for another test. That's not good enough, is it?
The ABOVE post is the right Post in the right place! So tired. MY APOLOGIES: Brain like mince, as we say in Scotland! Originally put this in wrong Forum ~ and then copy/pasted the OLD original bloods result without the new info, then couldn't find how to delete that ~ so my apologies to anyone who gets caught up in my mess.
Both ESR and CRP blood tests show how much inflammation you have in your body. Auto immune, cancers, infection, injury.
Have you had your thyroid antibodies tested for Hashimotos Thyroditis? Auto immune and very common. Will be giving you brain fog, exhaustion etc...
Also get B12, vitamin D, Folate and Ferritin done as all can make you feel horrendous if low.
Triglycerides are bad fats your body needs some but high triglycerides can lead to heart disease so a little warning to watch your diet. If you have too little T3 this in my opinion will raise bad fats as mine were high but once on T3 they came down rapidly.
Hi Katepots ... and many thanks for your reply, every bit of new information I can gather together helps!
I've been diagnosed as having M.E./fIBRO since1988! There's always inflammation in my body. I've been wheat free (apart from an occasional 'treat') since 1988. Then I found that any grain or flour was a bad idea, so went over to gluten free products, but also had a suspicion that something was causing a reaction in Gluten Free Organic Oatcakes, so now anything Gluten Free is now off the list. My diet IS healthy, which is so frustrating when I feel like cr*p!
I was SO hacked off at easter that I ate a Doughnut. My system crashed as it was so clean of flours, cream, jam ~ and I nearly ended up in A&E, but thankfully as I've got better/cleaner meds than most Hospitals have, I managed to self medicate with the meds my Doc told me to take ~ and the problem hit ~ my gallbladder! I've never had a problem with my gallbladder in my life, but during an ultrasound of my intestines my gallbladder had been scanned too. No stones, good news ~ BUT blockage or inflammation from a Doughnut ~ I was laid out for nearly a week with a load of Pethidine, Anti-biotics, you name it, and the pains are just calming right down now. (You don't have to tell me "never again", I got that message loud and clear, LOL)
I've chronic bowel problems, IBS, Diverticulitis, Leaky Gut, etc., all basically from too many Ops for the quaintly termed 'woman problems' (Ops started 1966 when I was 16 to 1988 when I'd a full 'emergency' Hysterectomy) ~ my intestines are totally super-glued together with Adhesions! I've no desire to live the rest of my life with a stoma bag and that's what'd happen if I have one more Op!
My Doc did a whole screed of Bloods, but what I can't find is anything even vaguely termed Thyroid Antibodies.
Would this be under ANY other 'terminology', do you know?
Re the FT3, FT4 and TSH ~ I thought the bloods were taken to trace Hypothyroidism ~ obviously from being on this awesome forum, I've learned a bit more about Hashimoto's ~ but the ONLY reason so many bloods were done was the leap in my weight of over 1 stone, and the way I eat, that's totally impossible!
I started out almost feeling fortunate that I'd even got these blood tests, as so many people haven't had that as a starting point, but I've got 6 pages of tests ~ only the Thyroid and Lyme (I' surrounded by sheep!) and the fact that there's now no protein showing in my blood (last time I'd a blood test I'd also an infection which was put down to the protein showing up).
I can't get my scanner to work ~ my brain's so tired. IF I get a sudden brain-wave and press the right buttons ~ do I just copy/paste the results on here?
I have had sky high Cholesterol since it was first tested. This was put down to being "familial Cholesterol" which could be all too accurate as my mother was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism at the age of 17! According to the latest blood tests my Cholesterol is now within the 'normal' range (whatever 'normal' is!).
I've got a whole list of requests for new bloods to be done to cover what wasn't covered or considered relevant to Hypo diagnosis. My Doc's going to love me ... not a lot..!
I think I've got Hashimoto's ~ but so many of the 'symptoms' are the same as for M.E./Fibro, but I think my 'chance' for rather better healthy life would be IF I do have Hashimoto's. How sad is that..?!
That's crazy re the Dounut! Your diet is obviously very good but just a thought, do you have a lot of milk?
The casein in cows milk looks like gluten and the thyroid to the body (molecular mimmickry) so when ingrsted and it leaks into the bloodstream (leaky gut) the T cells see an invader so are sent to attack but then also attack the thyroid. Just a thought.
Also the nightshades are bad for me. Potato makes me feel like I'm recovering from flu and really makes my bones ache and triggers my bursitis.
Thyroid antibodies won't be under any other terminology, Drs are so ignorant re Hashimotos yet it's sooo common. In the States it's 1 in 3 women! Ask your Dr to test. If they wont bluehorizonmedicals or medicheck have private testing. Thyroid plus eleven, twelve or fifteen are all comprehensive tests.
I've had loads of tics over the years they love me. Drs won't test for Lyme as apparently even if I have it there's nothing they can do, great!
Same re Epstein Barr virus as a big link with Hashimotos.
Do you take a good probiotic? Phi naturals 10/30 (amazon) has really helped my gut.
Other things that have helped are, vitamin D, B12, tumeric with black pepper daily in a smoothie along with cinnamon as good anti inflammatories. I also add collagen powder to the smoothie, definitely has helped the leaky gut.
80% of the immune system is in the gut so I reckon that's where a lot of problems lie.
Do you have a smart phone. If so take a pic of results then just add the photo on here, easy. š
Oh Katepots, sounds so much like the Gyn things which I went through. I'd 3 ops within 2 weeks at one point. They wouldn't listen to me about adhesions, and then when they found the super-glue complained like hell, as though I'd done it to myself just to make life awkward for them! Strange people. I also got a Hospital Acquired Infection at one point, but it was nothing like these things are today ~ just threw some more antibiotics at it, and I seemed fine. I think I was so 'high' with the repeated Anaesthesia that takes about a year to get out of your system, that I didn't care about anything very much at that time, lol.
I don't take a lot of milk ~ enough for 3 cups of tea a day, and a lot of tea gets thrown out, as I get distracted and don't like drinking it cold ... so I make a lot of tea, but don't 'drink' a lot of tea. I should know more about Casein, as I worked for a National company who made industrial Adhesives and Resins, (many made from Caseins!) LOL ... I tried some of the alternative milks. Seemed worse than ordinary 1% fat milk.
I've got so many 'sensitivities' it drives me nuts, the Doc's patient about it ~ lets me make my own 'choices' at times depending on how my 'sensitivities' are doing, and the Pharmacist does her best to try to get me meds that will work as cleanly as possible ~ and that's not a 'generic' or parallel import. And still I get bad reactions.
A lot of things in common with foods ~ and I was looking for a good suggestion about a Probiotic, so many thanks for that.
As the Doc didn't ask for Thyroid Antibodies to be tested, that's a definite 'request' for the 26th (amongst many other blood test "requests"). I've no objection to paying for the ones the "Practice" won't pay for ~ as long as they accept the results.
What horrified me when I got the tick 'bulls-eye' was I hadn't even known the thing was on me. Gross. I got terribly bad pain, but the main difference for this little chronic insomniac was that I couldn't stay awake! I tended to the cats, had lost my appetite but make myself eat, then staggered back to bed to sleep. I know the only thing they'd have thrown at me would have been more painkillers and antibiotics, but I'd seriously have considered taking them, and then things turned round again!
The Doc did test for Lyme this time, although I have no bulls-eye marks. But, what I didn't know was it takes between 3 to 8 weeks to show any 'positive' and another blood test is called for ~ no wonder it's difficult to get a 'positive' when the head of the Practice stamped on it 'no further action'. So often, it's just follow the money, isn't it?
Could you give me the 'recipe' for your smoothie please? I'll try anything at least once!
Look forward to hearing how to post photos. No smart phone but I'm passionate about my digital cameras! Anything to get these results online before I see the Doc on 26th!
Greens, kale or spinach ( although can be bad for thyroid goitre)
Powdered B12 from Now foods
1tsp turmeric
1tsp cinnamon
1tblsp Great Lakes Collagen powder
Sometimes I add spirulina or chia seeds. Rhodiola drops if I'm stressed.
Love it, can't start the day without one now and definitely helps my gut.
Along with the probiotic it's made a lot of difference.
Re posting results.
If you download your digital pic onto a computer then click the add a photo icon at the bottom of your post you should then be able to find the pic on the computer and add it to your post.
Thanks so much Katepots, for getting back to me so quickly ~ smoothie sounds very yummy indeed! (Love Spinach!),
Almond milk ... how sad is that?! I'll give it another try ~ desperate now!
I'm either going blind, or insane, or both (all things are possible, I haven't been able to get to sleep yet!) but I can't see any "add a photo icon"..? There's just 'submit reply' and 'cancel'..? Will see if there's anything in 'settings' that I haven't noticed. Oh ... where are settings? LOL. I'll go rummage around ...
Hi Katepots just reading your above post, reply to LadyBarb There are antibiotics for Lyme, aren't there? A friends son has just had them and it seems to have sorted him, on the 2nd course. He was having symptoms of adrenal fatigue or worse. Dr didn't know if it was Lyme but on suspicion, gave him antibios to try. I don't generally agree with taking antiobios if not sure but might be worth considering if only to rule it out?
ESR should be half your age to be normal. CRP is high mine was 37 when I had acute diverticulitis so I would say must be infection going on there somewhere? Ft4 and Ft3 too low. I found mine did that during an infection. That is a normal reaction as your pritruitry stops shouting at your thyroid to conserve energy and let your body put all the effort into fighting the infection. If its ongoing you must be exhasted. You must need an antibiotic or something? Eat plenty garlic its natures antibiotic. I let my diverticulitis run on 2 months before I went to a &e. I saw quite a few docs and none of them diagnosed properly. They said urine infection, even ovarian cyst but hospital found it. They said it was because of my resistance to infection I didnt present with the normal symptoms. So you need to push the doc into finding the cause of yours. Does it hurt anywhere in particular?
Hi Magsyh ... ESR means I should be 88..! I feel every bit of that age. I've got 1 more day until I'm 67 ~ and because I was stupid and totally P'd off at Easter, I really feel more like I'm 90 years old, with no chance of making 91!
I am beyond exhausted ~ 29 years of a diagnosis of M.E./Fibro, constant infections, mega problems with my bowels (excuse me doing a copy/paste and add in a bit here?).
"I've chronic bowel problems, IBS, Diverticulitis, Leaky Gut, etc., all basically from too many Ops for the quaintly termed 'woman problems' (Ops started 1966 when I was 16 (the first guy was a real "butcher") ~ to 1988 when I'd a full 'emergency' Hysterectomy (which took 6 hours because of my super-glued intestines with womb/ bladder/ bowel all super-glued into the mix!) ~ my intestines are, of course, yet again totally super-glued together with Adhesions! I've no desire to live the rest of my life with a stoma bag and that's what'd happen if I have one more Op! " From 1988 to 2017, is a long time for Adhesions to have been doing their work.
Hurts most lower left hand side ~ and the adhesions cause me severe lower back pain, together with a 'fused' coccyx.
FT3 and FT4 are, of course, considered to be within the 'normal' range. I feel very far from 'normal'. I'm amazed at the number of blood results where I'm either at the lowest end of the scale ~ or the highest... of all things considered "normal"..!
The bloods were taken on the same day as I had an ultrasound on my intestines, and the mega (for me!) weight gain made me look pregnant anyway (I was never able to have children because of 'fertility problems ... and being 'neutered' bit by bit!) ~ I found the ultrasound to be unexpectedly painful, but no wonder with 'super-weight-gut' ~ but at least it didn't take long. The Doc who did it just said it was 'intestines' (like, tell me something I didn't know) ~ but no explanation other than that, but I see my Doc on the 23rd so will be looking for more answers then!
I used to love garlic ~ had it with everything I possibly could, then my system went into 'revolt' and now I can't eat it at all. Can't even tolerate it in a entero-coated (? losing words here) supplement.
Thanks Mary ~ I appreciate all you do! I've to try for a 'walk in' appointment with the Opticians, after I've been to the Doc's, if I'm not wiped out. B xx
Your TSH is above the functional medicine desired value of 1-2. FT4 ok, but could be a bit higher. Your FT3 is only 19% up in range, it needs to be about 75% up in range. That CRP is too high: mine was last <0.3 on a range of 0-4.9 mg/L. I suspect you have major autoimmunity and/or inflammation. You need to consider what docs in the restorative/functional/environmental medicine business would do. Get rid of problematic foods: gluten, dairy, yeast, GMO soy are some of the worst. High sugar and artificial sweeteners are also bad. Look for chronic infections. Look for organic and inorganic environmental pollutants, e.g. perchlorates, heavy metals. Look for nutritional deficiencies esp. those that affect thyroid function. I would not be surprised if you eventually determined that those triglycerides are due to insufficient T3.
I realize that must all sound like a tall order. One of the things you need to remember, though, is that the average allopathic doc is not too knowledgeable, and some are quite lazy. None of them will be able to fix you by giving you the typical BigPharma drugs, though many will try that approach.
BTW FYI: my main Kryptonite is gluten, but I'm now more careful about a lot of other things.
Hi Eddie ... you know the NHS and their 'normal' ranges ~ and because I'm getting 'fogged up' what is the meaning of "functional medicine" please?
I have no doubt that I have major autoimmunity and/or inflammation. Completely agree.
Until I blew things, at easter, with one doughnut ~ I was free of: gluten, and almost 'gluten free' products which I'd only used for a couple of months (I had 2 small gluten-free, organic oatcakes left in the cupboard which I just wasn't sure were doing me any good! The only dairy I do is 1% fat milk for about 3 cups tea/day (I drink a lot of still water, no ice, no lemon), gave up yeast decades ago, gave up GMO's (as far as I understand the term) in the 70's; apart from milk. Never been able to tolerate soy. I don't use any sugars at all ~ apart from when I'm entirely too stupid, like one doughnut at Easter and thought I was headed for hospital when my gallbladder went nuts. I've never had a gallbladder problem before in my life ~ and a scan I didn't realise was being done, while my intestines were being ultra-sounded, showed no gall-stones. Will get more info on the 23rd April.
I had walls and floors lifted in my home when I bought it in 2000, because there had been little/no maintenance done in the house, and had them all renewed. Floors, doors, etc all natural wood. Don't know a lot about the subject, but I know what my natural instinct tells me about some things.
I can't help but repeat: I put on over a stone in weight "out of nowhere", No diet change, no more sedentary than usual. no more 'infections' than usual. Only change was I stopped taking an antidepressant which didn't do a bad job of relaxing my muscles, but the one Brand I could take, the company was bought over by a very large company who did their version, which I couldn't tolerate.
It's usual to put 'on' weight on an antidepressant, but I didn't ... but I come off the flaming thing and put on over a stone in weight..? That's unheard of, when no other changes have been made. Appetite/ diet portions/ movement, all the same..!?!
I've been 'drawn' to eating things which I've now found out are Thyroid friendly ~ and my diet is varied and I appear to 'go' to the right things, apart from screwing up my almost clean slate, since 1988, with ... a doughnut! Grrrrrr.....
I'm almost sure that the relationship between my apparently now 'normal' (God, I'm beginning to loathe that word "normal"!) ... Cholesterol reading, from a sky high one, is related to being Hypo/ having Hashimoto's.
I'm sadly aware that Docs are 'jack of all trades, masters of none'. Unless they actually suffer from whatever your problem is, and have looked further than NHS guidelines, then it's either: "that's viral, no antibiotics" (finally!), or "I have a pill for that!" most of which I'm allergic to.
"BTW FYI: my main Kryptonite is gluten" ~ thanks for that Eddie, made me laugh! Apparently, so is mine! I'd never have thought I'd be so stupid. I've never before given my gall bladder the slightest reason to complain about anything!
The more I learn, the more I find I have to learn ~ and I'd never, ever have thought that Thyroid was such an "orphan disease" after all the years it's been known about ~ for God's sake, my mother was easily diagnosed in 1939 (no goitre) ~ then having had 'clear' / "normal" tests for years, nearly died before she was finally treated!
It's hard to believe we're living in the 21st century!
Thanks for all your input ~ any other info you think may help guide me along the right path, please let me know? B x
The functional medicine movement does have a website: functionalmedicine.org. Click on their "What is functional medicine" tab for the explanation of what they do. Unfortunately, most docs who claim to practice in the FM style, are private-pay. And that is probably the case too for restorative and environmental medicine practitioners. Only the hacks take insurance.
I doubt that one gluten doughnut is going to harm you, unless you are full celiac! Have you taken any tests like TTG or Gliadin Antibody to verify that gluten is really the issue for you? Anyway, I found that, once I was in the "hole" of illness, it took many years (9) of experimentation (after going GF) to get out of it. Allopathic docs have an aversion to the fact that medicine is an experimental science; they want to see a double-blind study before they do anything. One of those types was quoted in our newspaper this morning, lambasting Izabella Wentz.
I have heard, over and over on boards like HU and Stopthethyroidmadness, about weight gain. It appears that the majority of these complaints are associated with low T3. Have also come across reports of people who gain weight on T4-only. It is highly likely that (ultimately) T3 (or NDT) could help you solve that problem, although if you have other problems like nutritional deficiencies, adrenal dysfunction, Hashi's, etc., you might not be able to tolerate the T3 dose you need to be fully euthyroid.
It seems quite "normal" these days for GP practice to ignore abnormal/raised results. I really don't think most of them know how to interpret the results. Have just had to sort out my Dad who has Fe anaemia and pernicious anaemia, both obvious in bloods results but no contact from his surgery! It is getting to be more and more of DIY Health (won't call it a service!)
I endorse comments you have received so far, until your Vits etc are at good levels and your TSH is lower and T4 and T3 higher you won't feel good. I went Gluten free after TPO antibodies were raised 5 years after hypo diagnosis and it made a positive difference.
Hi Crimple ... I'm unfortunately with you all the way re GP practice 'practises' ~ it's unreal. I've followed the (lack of) progress re M.E./Fibro for 29 years. What's suggested is killing some people, making them more ill than they ever needed to be, making them totally suicidal. Many have died through disbelief and quite frankly being made to doubt their own sanity, and have toppled over the edge into suicide.
Yes, some people do recover ~ that's not in question, but I'd take an informed guess that many never had full blown M.E./Fibro to start off with, and the umbrella term of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome was the biggest insult to those of us who had something "else" which the medical profession have never been able to explain and don't have the Funding to explain. (Okay, not riding that hobby-horse pf frustration any more at the moment!) The Specialist Consultant who diagnosed me worked himself ragged with trying to find an answer for those suffering from it ~ worked with the top Specialists world wide ~ and then got so ill himself that he was off of work for 4 years!
My Doc and I, whether she likes it or not (probably not!) are going to go through the blood tests and she has it in writing that I'd wish more investigation, and that was before I'd received the requested copy of the blood results! And, of course, I've now got some more tests I need done since reading this informed and experienced forum's contributions to my questions, moans and groans and my utter frustration of how badly Thyroid is actually diagnosed / ignored.
Oh how I wish I could get my scanner to work. It's a new one because the old one gave up the ghost. Same make, just a model or two up, meant for people who aren't technophobes and who don't have spare brain space for these foreign things with vague instructions, lol).
The NORMAL levels for one person aren't the same for another. How can they be. I'm so sorry that you've had such a fight to help your Dad. Thank goodness he has you!
Thanks for the information you've passed on to me, all information is so very worth while. B x
Your email made me smile as I feel exactly the same way. We just have to do our own thing, masses of research, brain cells permitting and as Dad would say keep "buggering on in" don't let the ba........ds grind you down!
Do hope things begin to improve for you. Re GF, most GP's think we are mad going gluten free. My reply is it can't do any harm (it did do some good) and if I want to experiment with my body it is up to me. They are quite happy to experiment on us with all the Pharma drugs! One GP was even stupid enough to order a coeliac test even though I had long been on GF diet. Guess what it came back negative! The test isn't reliable anyway, you have to go with how you feel. Oh , sorry they don't seem to teach that in meds school any more. Why should how you feel come into it when the computer says your results are normal! Sorry rant over. Will be interested to hear how you get on.
I am just about to start adding a small amount of privately obtained T3 to my prescription T4. Thank heavens for this site as I shall be asking for advice.
Hi Crimple ~ great minds like alike ... or something! LOL. Enjoyed your rant, it;s just so true!
The Wheat and everything else granular/flour free and GF virtually free (flaming oatcakes! lol) must have been doing some good and 'cleaning me up a bit' for the damned Doughnut to have shown me what putting something like that in my gut had probably been doing for a very long time, I'd guess.
I finally, in desperation, managed to find out how to 'scan' the results into my laptop. So easy when you know how. (cough, splutter, lol).
I'll put them in here and start another thread. Hope they show up okay!
Not showing up ... onto Plan Z93..!
All the best with the T3 ~ do let me know how you get on! B x
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B x 
Please help with my results š 
Undiagnosed, help with results please
Blood tests results-advice on results
Blood test results
