Blood results help please

[lorilou107]

Hi,

I finally have my results from the partial thyroidectomy done on 6th August and have listed below all my bloods from June up til now. I went to my gp in .June with a list of symptoms I was sure related to my thyroid

Feeling cold/ or sweating hot

Pins and needles in my hands and fingers

Constipation

Weight gain

Brittle nails

Excessive tiredness

Emotional and unstable/depressed

Cry at the drop of a hat

Father has under active thyroid

My gp said he would do some blood tests and whilst I was waiting for the results a large goitre came up out of nowhere. I was referred for an u/s and fna and was found to a multi nodule goitre which had abnormal cells so they wanted to remove it. The Endo I saw about the goitre said my symptoms were not related to underactive thyroid and he thought I needed to see someone else possibly a psychiatrist!! As my results were ‘normal ‘ he would not do anything to help me.

Since the surgery I had blood tested 2 weeks later and my results indicated that I have an under active thyroid now. He said that my bloods didn’t show antibodies but the histology report from the goitre came back positive for “ auto lymphocytic thyroiditis” and he has started me on 25 mcg Levo with a blood test in 4-5 weeks time. As I go on holiday shortly I am hoping that it will start making me feel better but I realise it’s a really low dose and might not make any difference yet. I was given no instructions on how to take it or how to faster for the next blood tests. I fasted for the ones taken 22.8 (after reading on this forum to do so and pushed for an early test) but I had eaten breakfast and had blood taken at 9.45 on 13.7 ones so I’m not sure if it gave a true result.

I have emailed the ent surgeon requesting a copy of the histology report so I can read it for myself and am hoping that it will give some numbers relating to the antibodies.

My question now is do you think my hair falling out is because of the thyroid problems or do you think it’s a vitamin deficiency. My gp said all my test results were fine but my hair is falling out in small clumps every time I comb it.

Thanks for reading

Lori

Blood tests 29.6.17

TSH LEVELS 4.9 (0.3-5)

T4 9.1 (7.9-16)

Serum ferritin 45 (15-300)

B12 226 (150-900)

Blood test 13.7.2017 (after large goitre came up )

TSH 3.6 ( 0.3-5)

T4 9.6 (7.9-16)

Blood test 22.8.2017 after partial thyroidectomy

TSH 12.1 (0.27-4.2)

T4 13.1 (12-22)

T3 4.9 (3.1-6.8)

THYROID PEROXIDASE ANTIBODIES

Negative <60

Equivocal 60-100

Positive >100

[Nanaedake]

Your results are NOT fine. With results of TSH 12.1 you're bound to feel unwell. What are they trying to do?

I had a partial thyroidectomy and was started on 150 mcg of levothyroxine. Unless you are very old, very young or otherwise infirm I would have expected your dose to be increased with these results. However, I'm not a doc, just a fellow sufferer.

Hair falling out could be vitamins deficiencies, have you had them tested?

[shaws Administrator]

Your doctor is another with little knowledge of the function of the thyroid gland. With a TSH of 12.1 as Nanaedake suggests your results are awful.

Many countries diagnose a patient when TSH is 3+. Unfortunately in the UK it is 10 but once we are diagnosed and given levothyroxine (not 25mcg which is an incremental dose) 50mcg should be a starting dose and the aim is a TSH below 1. This is an extract from a Pulse Online article by Dr Toft who was President of the BTA:-

6 What is the correct dose of thyroxine and is there any rationale for adding in tri-iodothyronine?

The appropriate dose of levothyroxine is that which restores euthyroidism and serum TSH to the lower part of the reference range – 0.2-0.5mU/l.

In this case, free thyroxine is likely to be in the upper part of its reference range or even slightly elevated – 18-22pmol/l. Most patients will feel well in that circumstance.

But some need a higher dose of levothyroxine to suppress serum TSH and then the serum-free T4 concentration will be elevated at around 24-28pmol/l.

This ‘exogenous subclinical hyperthyroidism’ is not dangerous as long as serum T3 is unequivocally normal – that is, serum total around T3 1.7nmol/l (reference range 1.0-2.2nmol/l).

Even while taking the slightly higher dose of levothyroxine a handful of patients continue to complain that a sense of wellbeing has not been restored. A trial of levothyroxine and tri-iodothyronine is not unreasonable. The dose of levothyroxine should be reduced by 50µg daily and tri iodothyronine in a dose of 10µg (half a tablet) daily added.

[shaws Administrator]

Your B12 is very low, should be around 1,000 is the recommended number.

You can supplement with B12 methylcobalamin sublingual tablets. Amazon has a selection and if you use the Amazon Affiliate link for anything you buy, TUK get a small commission.

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Your doctor has to check Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate. We are usually deficient and all vits/minerals have to be optimal as too low can also give us symptoms.

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...