I'm new here, advice please!

[Pop_pop20]

Hello to all, I am new to this site and this is the first time I am posting, appologies if I make any mistakes. I am a 31 year old female. I was diagnosed with post natal depression in August last year. My overall mood has greatly improved, however I just can't kick the tiredness. I feel I have got to a point where I don't know if it is the tiredness that is affecting my mood or vise versa. I am just absolutely exhausted. At times to the point where I have to go to my bed. Not ideal when you have a 4 year old and 20 month old. If I can, I can sleep up to 14 hours and still feel tired. My mother has a history of hypothyroid and adrenal fatigue. We both feel the tiredness, tingling in fingers, heavy head, dizziness, dry skin, poor concentration, forgetfulness etc is down to something else. I had private blood tests taken on the 11th July. Below are the results, if you can help me understand the results and if thyroid could be contributing to the exhaustion that would be very much appreciated.

TSH 4.62 (0.27-4.20)

Free Thyroxine - 15.08 (12.00-22.00)

FT4 - 89.9 (59.00-154.00)

FT3 - 23 (10.00-24.00)

RT3 - 11.58 (15.01-75.00)

Thyroglobulin antibody - 11.950 (0.00-115.00)

Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies - 13.47 (0.00-34.00)

Vitamin B12 - 809 (140-724.00)

Folate - 8.71 (2.91-50.00)

Vitamin D - 197 (50.00-200.00)

Ferritin - 98.61 (13.00-150.00)

Thank you in advance for your time.

[brighter84]

I'll be interested to see what people say about your results. My mum has the same issue, high TSH but fairly normal everything else thyroid wise. Are you taking any supplements at the moment?

[Pop_pop20 in reply to brighter84]

Thank you for your reply. I hope the information is useful to your Mum too. I'm currently taking -

Methyl B12 5,000 mcg 1 per day

Activated B complex 1 per day

Omega 3 fish oil 1000mg 1 per day

Vitamin D3 10000iu 1 per day

Vitamin K2 MK-7 100mcg 1 per day in the evening

Starting 1000mg of vitamin C 1 per day today

My mum has had huge battles with her thyroid she has been guiding me as to what supplements to take. Any further guidance much appreciated.

[greygoose]

Hi Pop_pop20, welcome to the forum.

Something strange about your results... You've put FT4 and FT3, but judging by the ranges, they aren't F (Free) at all. They're T(Total)T4 and T3, which give you very, very little useful information.

The one you've marked Free Thyroxine - which is actually FT4 - is a Free, one can tell from the range - is quite low. And your FT3 is probably quite low, too, because your TSH is high. It's over-range. And, given that you are hypo when your TSH hits 3, you are most definitely hypo enough to be exhausted, and have all the other symptoms you are suffering from. Your nutrients are quite good.

Has your doctor seen these results? What did s/he say? Do not let him/her fob you off with things like 'of course you're tired, you've got small children', you really are hypo.

[Pop_pop20 in reply to greygoose]

Sorry I've maybe wrote these down wrong.

TSH - 4.62 mIu/L (0.27-4.20)

Free Thyroxine - 15.08 pmol/L (12.00-22.00)

Total thyroxine (T4) - 89.9 nmol/L (59.00-154.00)

Free T3 - 4.09 pmol/L (3.10-6.80)

Reverse T3 - 23 ng/dL (10.00-24.00)

Reverse T3 ratio - 11.58 (15.01-75.00)

Second time lucky!

[greygoose in reply to Pop_pop20]

Ahhhhh that's better! So, yes, your FT3 is too low. And, it's low T3 that causes symptoms.

However, your rT3 is high. Do you have some sort of infection? Are you on a low-calorie diet?

[Pop_pop20 in reply to greygoose]

The medichecks doctor had commented on some of my general bloods saying some of them showed evidence I was perhaps recovering from an infection. I have had no signs of an infection. Can't think what that could have been. No low calorie diet. Probably the complete opposite 🙈

[greygoose in reply to Pop_pop20]

Well, we're not always aware of infections. But, your high rT3 is obviously not caused by high levels of unconverted T4!

Personally, I wouldn't even have done an rT3 test at this point. It's not necessary. It should come down by itself. But, if you're going to show these results to your doctor, you could ask him to check for an infection - he possibly will as a matter of course, although he will have no idea what rT3 is ! lol

If you show these results to your doctor, point out that the TSH is over-range, and that you feel bad. He will probably want to do his own tests in 3 - 6 months time, to make sure that the high TSH is not just due to an infection.

[Pop_pop20 in reply to greygoose]

I had my CRP and WCC checked and both normal. My neutrophils were slightly off.

My globulin and bilirubin were off but not sure what that would indicate.

We just included the rt3 as it was available with the blood tests requested, thought there would be no harm. Just desperately looking for answers.

The medichecks samples were taken on 11th July. I've just had further bloods taken at the GP yesterday, so can see if there is any slight change. My private tests were not back to show the GP at the time. I'm not really sure if she will take any notice of them.

I also did a cortisol saliva test too. The medichecks doctor mentioned they were off also.

[greygoose in reply to Pop_pop20]

When you say 'off', do you mean high or low? Makes a difference.

If your neutrophils were high, that could indicate some sort of infection.

High globulin could indicate an autoimmune disease. But your thyroid antibodies are low, so possibly not Hashi's.

These things all have to be interpreted in relation to each other. But, of course, I'm no expert. I just hope your doctor understands them.

[Pop_pop20 in reply to greygoose]

Oh sorry that is a bit vague. The ones highlighted were - neutrophils 1.68 (2.00-7.50)

Bilirubin - 21.5 (0.00-20.00)

Iron - 31.96 (6.60-26.00)

My CRP was normalat 1.9

WCC 4.8

My cortisoltest on wakening - 3.80 (6.00-21.00)

At 12.00 - 3.74 (1.50-7.60)

At 16.00 - 3.23 (0.00-5.49)

Before bed <1.50 (0.00-1.99)

[greygoose in reply to Pop_pop20]

Well, low neutrophils once again points to infection. But, it could be something as simple as a rash. So, could high bilirubin. But, I don't think either of them are far enough 'off' to cause concern.

What is of concern is your low cortisol in the early morning. But, it does pick up later in the day. So, you need to support your adrenals early morning, which is their busiest time, getting you up and out of bed, and ready to face the day.

To do that, you need a high protein breakfast as soon as you get up. You need to take lots of vit C, and make sure you get enough salt.

Did you have your vit B12 and folate tested? Adrenals need good levels of B vits. So, if you haven't had them tested, best to do so. But, don't be tempted to try supplementing until they have been tested, because it will skew the results.

[Pop_pop20 in reply to greygoose]

Methyl B12 5,000 mcg 1 per day

Activated B complex 1 per day

Omega 3 fish oil 1000mg 1 per day

Vitamin D3 10000iu 1 per day

Vitamin K2 MK-7 100mcg 1 per day in the evening

I've been supplementing with these for sometime.

I stopped them a week before I had my blood tests taken.

My vitamin B12 blood results are below my thyroid in my intitial post. Thank you so much for your help so far. It's been very informative.

It's hard trying to make sense of it all.

[greygoose in reply to Pop_pop20]

You're welcome.

OK, so you need to add in some vit C, there. Some magnesium and zinc, might help, too. But, don't start them all at once. Leave a couple of weeks before starting each one.

[Pop_pop20]

I'm currently taking -

Methyl B12 5,000 mcg 1 per day

Activated B complex 1 per day

Omega 3 fish oil 1000mg 1 per day

Vitamin D3 10000iu 1 per day

Vitamin K2 MK-7 100mcg 1 per day in the evening

Starting 1000mg of vitamin C 1 per day today

So I should consider taking 2 of these a day, 1 in the morning and 1 in the evening?

The doctor who reviewed my bloods on medichecks felt my Vit B12 was too high and I should reduce my dose. My iron levels were also above range, so was considering removing the activated B-complex.

Thank you for your reply any further guidance much appreciated.

[Pop_pop20]

Ok I will do this thank you. I had bloods taken at the GP yesterday so will see what they say. Not feeling very hopeful. I had saliva cortisol test done which was abnormal but I do t think they will even look at these results 😞

[Pop_pop20]

I thought I would update you guys.

Seen my GP, states all my blood tests are 'fine'. Refused to look at my cortisol saliva test. Informed her of Southampton university hospital who deal with saliva cortisol tests on the NHS. Refused to phone and discuss my results or have anything to do with them! Can she do this? Is this not patient neglect?

Still feeling as miserable as I did before with added chest tightness and palpitations.

GP blaming all my symptoms on depression. I'm not depressed! Seen private psychiatrist, who agrees with me! Yippee! GP gets the evaluation from the private psychiatrist and says I have made things complicated going private. That these doctors have hidden agendas as they are getting paid a lot of money to tell you what you want to hear! She stated I can't be depressed one minute and not the next! It's taken me over a year to get to this point! I'm so frustrated.

She reluctantly referred me to Endocrinology, who agrees all my bloods are 'fine' but they will put me for a synacthen test.

I feel like they are making me out to be a hypercondriac!! I am getting nowhere. 😖