Blood results

[Traceydg]

I've been for my routine blood test to check my thyroid. All results came back within normal range except these

RBC 3.85 (3.9-5.4)

MCH 32.2 (27-32)

Eosinophil 0 (0.1-.7)

I have been feeling unwell for a while but can't seem to pin point what's causing it.

Thanks

[Traceydg]

My tsh is 0.16

Free T4 is 9 (9-23)

Still waiting for T3 result

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Traceydg]

Well your T4 is too low, it should be at least in top 1/3 - i.e. Around or over 20.

Have you had vitamin D, folate, B12 & ferritin checked? If not request that they are done, very common to be too especially if under medicated. Make sure you get the full results, including ranges.

Also do you have autoimmune thyroid, (Hashimoto's) have you ever had antibodies tested? If the result is high then you have Hashimoto's.

[Clutter in reply to Traceydg]

Traceydg,

TSH is low and FT4 is bottom of range so it is very likely your FT3 is low too. Do you take Levothyroxine?

Low RBC can indicate iron anaemia deficiency, vitamin B12 or folate deficiency. Ask your GP to check ferritin, vitamin B12 and folate.

labtestsonline.org/understa...

[Traceydg in reply to Clutter]

Yes I do, I'm currently on 150 daily. I'm hoping to get T3 from my doc, have been messed about since July 2016.

[Clutter in reply to Traceydg]

Traceydg,

It might be worth your GP referring you to endocrinology to see why your FT4 is bottom of range while you are taking quite a high dose of Levothyroxine.

If you had high TSH at diagnosis you have primary hypothyroidism. If TSH was low-normal and FT4 was low at diagnosis you have central hypothyroidism but 150mcg should have booted your T4 level up the range.

[Traceydg]

No one else in the family has auto immune illnesses. I did have a heavy bang to the head a few years ago, but didn't need any treatment for it. What's the reason why you ask? I've never heard of central hypothyroid.

[Traceydg]

Just read a little bit about CH and it mentions traumatic birth. I haemorrhaged heavily after 1st birth and experienced heavy bleeding with my 2nd.

[Traceydg]

Is CH treated with different medication than levo

[Traceydg]

Thank you

[Saggyuk in reply to Traceydg]

Yes, def get your vits checked as they look a bit suspicious even with just the two lol - especially ferritin, B12 and folate. Vit D is always worth doing too

[greygoose]

What was your TSH when you were diagnosed?

How do you take your levo? On an empty stomach, leaving at least one hour between eating or drinking anything but water? And two hours before taking other supplements or medication? And four hours before iron, calcium, vit D and oestrogen?

[Traceydg in reply to greygoose]

Hi my TSH was 4.9 in 2013 when i was first diagnosed. I have struggled with my weight since stopping smoking 10 years ago, I gained weight even though I wasn't eating more. I take my levo on a morning usually after coffee, I don't eat breakfast and I don't take any other medication. My T4 is 9 and I haven't got my T3 results back yet.

[greygoose in reply to Traceydg]

OK, so I don't think you have central hypo - a TSH of 4.9 is too high for Central hypo. I think you just have a coffee problem. Coffee will affect your absorption of levo, unless you take the levo at least two hours after the coffee. Could you try taking one or the other at a different time?

Forgot to say, a lot of people find they have a thyroid problem after they stop smoking. And that's more likely to be the reason for weight-gain, rather than just the fact of stopping smoking and 'not realising you're eating more' as doctors often say - that's what I was told, as if I was some kind of moron who ate without knowing she was doing it! So, you've probably been hypo since then.

[Traceydg in reply to greygoose]

My TSH was 4.9 in 2013 when I was first diagnosed. My TSH on 5.6.17 was 0.16

[greygoose in reply to Traceydg]

Yes, so you said. So, that sounds like primary hypo, not central.

Your problem is that you're not absorbing the levo because you're taking it too close to your coffee.

[bluebug]

Lots of people have no esoinophils randomly when tested so it isn't a big thing.

The thing that is of interest are your MCH - to get more information you need to have your heamoglobin (also called haemoglobin estimate) and ferritin measured as a low MCH normally indicates iron deficiency.

So if you have a recent full blood count and ferritin level please edit your post and post your test results with ranges as you could be near iron deficiency anaemia or have a low ferritin level.

Also people with thyroid disorders with low iron and low vitamin D frequently have low vitamin B12 and/or folate so you should get these tested asap. If the NHS won't do them for you then you should do them privately.

[Traceydg in reply to bluebug]

My FBC are as follows

Haemoglobin estimation 124 (115-165)

Platelet count 284 (150-450)

RBC 3.85 (3.9-5.4)

Haemotocrit 0.37 (0.36-.47)

MCV 96 (79-101)

MCH 32.2 (27-32)

Total white cell count 4.9 (4-11)

Neutrophil count 2.7 (2-8)

Lymphocyte count 1.7 (0.5-4.5)

Monocyte count 0.4 (0.2-1.2)

Eosinophil count 0 (0.1-7)

Basophil count 0 (0-.2)

Serum Ferritin 50 (20-291)

Serum Creatinine 45 (49-90)

[bluebug in reply to Traceydg]

Ferritin is optimal halfway in range. Your haemoglobin estimate is over 120g/L so you don't have iron deficiency anaemia. Though your MCH is indicating you do have iron deficiency.

I would get your vitamin B12 and folate level plus vitamin D checked before self-supplementing within iron. You are likely to have to do that privately unless you can convince your GP that you have the signs and symptoms of those deficiencies e.g. joint pain, muscle pain, numbness, tingling.