I'm hoping some of you can give me some feedback. Here are my results:
I did these tests twice: TSH is: 6.67 and T4 is: 14.5 (9.0-19.1 pmol/L) I couldn't find the results for my T3. Thyroglobulin is 9.19 (1.40-78.00 ng/ml) and anti-thyroglobulin is 0.9 (0.0-4.1). My tests do mention this: high level of erythrocytes : 5.96 and MCV is 66.7 and MCHC is 21.3 they did not explain the meaning of these results...
I'm going to do some research and I will also try to support others dealing with these symptoms...I'm soooooooo tired!!!!
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LoveandHappiness
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Hello Do you have some medication now? You will hopefully start to feel better after a few weeks. It does take a few months to get your medication right. It might be worth getting a spreadsheet going listing all of your symptoms band scoring them 1-10 with 10 as the worst they can be. So fatigue brain fog weight gain joint pain hair falling out, etc
Then add one for temperature
Take your temperature every morning when you wake up.
Keep a track of your total symptom score and your temperature.
When your symptoms ease off and your temperature is humanly normal then you know the medication is starting to work.
Thanks for your reply! The doctor has not put me on medication - she didn't want me to be on any and I did not see an endocrinologist ( the doctor I saw was an internist and before her I saw a GP).
Your TSH is high and your FT4 is low so you are undermedicated. Are you sure they checked FT3? Many don't but it is the important one. I would suspect it would also be low.
The problem is that the doctor won't agree to place me on medication! I'm still trying to figure this whole thing out... so many of us have these awful symptoms.
Unfortunately as the guidelines from the BTA state a TSH of 10 should be reached!! Mine got to 100 (no blood test ever taken but plenty of 'meds' for the symptoms).
In the USA and probably most other countries they would prescribe if TSH is around 3+. The BTA really have to look at the misery they cause by patients being denied a prescription due alone to their TSH while ignoring the clinical symptoms.
Let's get back to the 'old-fastioned' diagnosis and treatment. Doctors take account of the clinical symptoms of patients and prescribe NDT. (natural dessicated thyrid hormones).
I believe doctors are told that TSH and T4 are sufficient and they diagnose/adjust according to the TSH. They don't realise that we need TSH around 1 or lower.
It would seem from the posts on here that's true. The labs have to state the ranges as machines differ so do the ranges.
It is on the forum that we have realised that FT4 and FT3 are important as stated on the TUK website, so we, the patients, have to 'Learn it Ourselves' when not improving under the doctor or endocrinologists care. Many find both Frees are low, despiite being on levothyroxine on a dose GPs deem optimum despite patient's still compalining.
The fact also is tha many seem to be well on levothyroxine but it those that don't and many are actually worse on levo (myself) or aren't given sufficient are ignored or prescribed anything else but an option.
I think you already had some great advice on your TSH through your previous post. Have you made another appointment with your GP? You need to see them again and get your numbers of free T4 and free T3.
Other than that, your doctor should talk to you about high erythrocytes. I think the the report might be talking about ESR - Erythrocytes sedimentation rate - which is marker of inflammation. If there is any inflammation in the body, it goes up. Doctor should investigate source of your inflammation. Your symptoms may be able to help find it.
Your MCV and MCHC are below range which is likely caused by your thalassemia trait. However, there is still a possibility that you may be iron deficient at the same time. To rule out, iron deficiency anaemia, ask your doctor to do a full iron panel as well as ferritin level.
Without knowing the results of these tests, you should not take iron supplements. What is your Hb?
With low MCV and MCHC, doctors blindly prescribe iron supplements which is not very good for someone with thalassemia trait. More investigation is needed in terms of iron and ferritin as I said before.
Thanks for your reply! Yes actually I tried to speak to the GP but only got through to the answering machine...I'm searching to find the right doctor because I felt uncomfortable with the one I had ( I felt that my symptoms of fatigue weren't taken seriously). Plus, I barely got an explanation of my results!
Thanks for this info - I will try to get as much info done and get as many tests as needed. I really hope I can eventually help others as well some day. I did not think we were so many dealing with this.
Seen the other replies. Hadn't realised you had thalassemia.
Do you have treatment for that? Regular blood transfusions? That can help you not become anaemia. Other than that a bit beyond my knowledge! You really need to be seeing a specialist as you're feeling so unwell. insist on it!! Just say to the dr to refer you and if he won't just ask him if he wants to be held responsible if you get very sick and insist again that you want to see a specialist.
I suggest you go back to GP and say you've had advice from the NHS Choices Thyroiduk.org.uk and you should be given thyroid hormones. Show her the copies and tick off your symptoms.
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HELP with tsh results. Worried
