Blood Results

[Beefeathers]

Hi can anyone help me with these blood results please?

Diagnosed with underactive thyroid in 2009 and prescribed Levoythroxine. I have never felt well and symptoms include intense fatigue, feeling cold, weight gain, aching muscles, headaches, diarrhea, insomnia, nightmares, sensitivity to noise, and more recently an increase in anxiety, panic attacks, palpitations, ear pain with tinnitus, decreased appetite and nausea, tearful.

Hip pain for 5yrs (ignored by GP's) but finally x-ray/MRI revealed possible hip impingement/lower back inflammation, waiting for follow up appointment with rheumatologist.

Blood Tests in May 2017

serum B12 433ng/l (180-640)

serum folate >24ugl (3-20)

serum ferritin 57ug/l (20-200)

(Thyroid levels not tested 'insufficient specimen for all tests' )

Blood Test in March 2017

Serum TSH <0.05mu/L (0.35-5.50)

Serum free T4 21.3pmol/L (11.0-23.0) SR

Blood Test December 2017

Serum TSH level 5.53mu/L (0.35-5.50) SR

(no results for T4)

GP's not interested and state my symptoms are all in my head. After researching on the forum I am looking into self help with supplements so it would be a great help to understand the above figures and plan a way forward.

Thank you for any help or advice

[shaws]

I think your December test should be 2016?

Your March '17 results look fine but 'fine' doesn't always mean the person feels fine but no Free T3 was taken so we don't know if you convert T4 to sufficient T3. Your B12 should be higher, towards 1,000 is the latet recommendation to try to prevent dementia/alzeimers. Supplement with B12 methylcobalamin sublingual tablets.

However, many people (myself included) cannot feel well for some reason on levothyroxine. Many improve by adding some T3 to T4 and some may recover if they change to natural dessicated thyriod hormones (NDT). This contains all of the hormones a healthy gland would produce. Others will respond re your other results.

Also research has proven that many improve with the addition of T3 to T4.

All of your clinical symptoms sound very debilating, which they are, so I believe that we should be given options. Doctors pay no attention to symptoms and yours isn't 'all in the head' as your doctor is paying more attention to the blood results than your clinical symptoms. If you were on an optimum dose of suitable thyriod hormones you'd feel well with no symptoms.

If you decide to supplement with thyroid hormones, you'd need to put up another post requesting information of where to source and a Private Message to be sent to you. The post will then be closed so that Messages alone can be sent.

[Beefeathers in reply to shaws]

Thank you so much for getting back so quickly, yes sorry that should read 2016!

Getting no where with GP's, always feel talked down to or talked over. On a recent visit I asked several times if my T3 levels could be tested? and would he consider a trial of T3 with T4? but he refused point blank to even talk about my thyroid concerns saying 'I cant discuss anything thyroid related with you' and said I would need to see another GP before showing me to the door. (I had waited weeks for this appointment!)

I have never been able to get T3 tested despite seeing several GP's at 2 different surgeries, I cant seem to get anyone to listen. Really glad I came across this forum it really helps to know I am not alone with these symptoms.

[shaws in reply to Beefeathers]

If you can afford it, you can get a Free T3 and Free T4 from one of the recommened labs. I'll give you a link for the reason (you only need it occasionally) these two are important.

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

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Also would be helpful to know if you have had thyroid antibodies tested for autoimmune thyroid disease, also known as Hashimotos

If you have autoimmune thyroid disease (most common reason in UK for being hypo) then apparently about 80% of us feel a lot better on a strictly gluten free diet

Have you had vitamin D levels checked- extremely important with thyroid, especially if also Hashimoto's

You can get full Thyroid at vitamin tests via Blue Horizon or a Medichecks for £99 - diy finger prick test or option to pay extra for private blood draw

Or just vitamin D is via vitamindtest.org.uk -£28

[Beefeathers in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you for your advice, I have been on the private blood testing sites mentioned above , thank you so much for the advice. I normally have problems having blood drawn, complete nightmare to be honest so the option to test blood using the prick option at home would be a lot less stressful for me. This is probably a stupid question but does anyone know how much blood they need and is it easy to do yourself? thank youx

[Beefeathers]

Thank you for your reply, I haven't had thyroid antibodies tested nor vit D. I have just been made aware I could actually get a print out of blood results so this is all new to me! I did asked for vit D testing at a prior appointment but it doesn't appear to have been carried out looking at my results. Thank you very much for the information regarding blood tests, I will check this out as my GPs are not helpful at all.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Beefeathers]

Sadly your situation is not at all uncommon. You can read many, many similar stories right across this forum, or on individuals profiles.

Many, many of us have to get tests done privately to make progress & work out what's going on.

Medics seem know little about nutrition connection to thyroid problems, & seem unaware or disinterested in getting to bottom of on going thyroid issues and treating the cause.

Fortunately there's masses of info & research that is being shared on the internet.

Useful sites

Thyroid UK - home website of this fantastic support group

The Thyroid Pharmacist website for masses of info about Hashimoto's in particular

Chris Kresser & Amy Myers good too

[Beefeathers in reply to SlowDragon]

Yes this is so true, ive been reading posts on and off for a few days now and cannot believe how many similar experiences there are. I am very hopeful that I can try to help myself and as you say make some progress toward a more normal life instead of taking my chances of finding a sympathetic/understanding gp.

Its just the endless piling on of additional conditions that get me down, like so many others I have asked for help over the years just to be told I have depression, anxiety.... then CFS and more recently Fibromyalgia. I get so confused, I don't know what symptoms are due to what condition and what to do to improve my health.

Thank you for taking time to respond and for the links, this site has been so helpful and I will continue to research and feeling a lot more hopeful for the future. x

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Beefeathers]

Chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia are often just under medicated or undiagnosed thyroid and anxiety is also very strongly linked to Thyroid, either due to under medication (leading to excess adrenaline) or gluten/low vitamins affecting absorption of Levo

I was stuck on propranolol for anxiety/ high adrenaline for 20 years - gluten was my issue

They are all linked

[Beefeathers]

Hello I am reading advice about not taking levo 24hrs before thyroid levels blood test and wondering why, I have always taken mine on the day of tests and wonder how this has affected results.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Beefeathers]

I think endocrinologists know that there is an over reliance on TSH & FT4 test results and if either appear too high patients tend to get their dose reduced. Therefore my endo always makes it very clear, and advises me don't take it in 24hours before, take it straight after.

Also, especially no T3 within 12 hours

[Beefeathers]

Hello thank you for all the advice so far! I wonder if anyone me understand my new blood test results please?

I have had 2 recent thyroid tests. The first test was after taking levo on the day ( at that time I was aware it is best not to take it 24hrs prior to testing.)

March 2017

Taking 100 or 125 of levo on day of test

Serum TSH <0.05mu/L (0.35-5.50)

Serum free T4 21.3pmol/L (11.0-23.0) SR

June 2017

Taking no levo 24hrs prior to test

Serum TSH <0.05mu/L (0.35-5.50)

Serum free T4 20.7pmol/L (11.0-23.0)

My confusion is the results are about the same, but I there would be difference. Many thanks in advance for any help.