The only tests i had done were just pretty standard blood tests like the RBC. All came back normal on that a part from one or two that were slightly high or low. I suspect i have an autoimmune disease since i have all the signs of one.
My symptoms aren't all there at the same time, they fluctuate.
My symptom list is as follows:
edema (i think)
bloodshot eyes
stingy eyes
puffy eyes
dark circles under eyes
anxiety
heart palpitations
bloating
belly fat (slight) (i'm skinny for my height but i have excess fat in certain places)
breast fat (slight)
Sometimes when my health gets really bad my face starts getting rosacea-like symptoms
puffy face
sinus issues
brain fog
bad short term memory
paleness (especially in hands)
cold hands and feet
loss of collagen in skin
oily skin/hair
bloodshot eyes
flaky skin between eyebrows
fatigue
irritability
lack of sex drive
insomnia
Bulging eyes
i get chest pain too but its usually after i work out but it seems to only happen when my health is down and it can be really painful. It feels like a muscle pain.
i think my vision is worse when my health is down too, i have bad eyesight anyways so it's hard to tell
flatulence
blackheads/whiteheads on nose
stiff joints
sensitivity to cold
sensitivity to heat
sensitivity to the sun
poor blood circulation
low gut immunity
yeast infection in my mouth
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healthiskey
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Your symptoms are very non specific I have to say. Many non autoimmuners could probably relate to these too. If I were in your shoes I’d ask for thyroid panel to be run first off. Bulging eyes and other things make me think your thyroid might be over or underactive. If nothing shows to explain your symptoms and your GP is approachable about such things - Rheumatoid Factor and ANA plus inflammation markers would probably be advisable.
It sounds as if they have already run a standard full blood count and normally, with autoimmune diseases, the RBCs and WBCs are affected in some way or you might have low iron, albumin, Creatinine etc. All looked at in the standard full blood count.
This said I was only diagnosed with Hypothyroidism because of my excess weight in my late 30s. And it was only when I presented with severe bilateral joint pain when perimenopausal, that my GP took my rheumatoid factor and inflammation markers and all were elevated. This was despite having clear signs of symptoms of autoimmunity since I was a kid and various things flagging up during my pregnancies.
It’s worth getting these looked at and also making any lifestyle adaptions and improvements you know may be warranted.
Medichecks Thyroid plus ultra vitamin or Blue Horizon Thyroid plus eleven are the most popular choice. DIY finger prick test or option to pay extra for private blood draw. Both companies often have money off offers.
All thyroid tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and fasting. This gives highest TSH and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, GP will be unaware)
If antibodies are high this is Hashimoto's, (also known by medics here in UK more commonly as autoimmune thyroid disease).
About 90% of all hypothyroidism in Uk is due to Hashimoto's. Low vitamins are especially common with Hashimoto's. Food intolerances are common too, especially gluten. So it's important to get antibodies tested.
Think administrator is right - you need to ask the nurse doctor for further blood tests for thyroid. Most practices will give you a print out of your test results which you don't have to pay for if you get them within 3 weeks. If you have one auto immune disease it is well known you mght develop several other autoimmune disease such as diabetes. Having lived with diabetes type 2, and temporary thyroid problems which were never properly tested, I was surprised that the IBS I have has been linked to multi allergies which I was never tested for on the NHS as there is no multi allergy test. I am 70 now but I think many folk are never diagnosed properly so go back for the other tests, and find out if you have celiac disease another autoimmune disease.
It was a surprise to find that the magic word gluten is not the only factor in the diet - I am not gluten allergic, but have wheat rye barley rice banana egg and cow's milk corn flour maize
I can't eat pasta bread ordinary flour nor cakes made with eggs - I cannot eat sugar either
as I have type 2 diabetes. But I have normal sugar levels now and removing allergens has helped my health. Hope you will feel better soon. You can have multi allergy tests through Alphega pharmacies. They cost about £70 . If you want an independant diabetes test for free you can go to LLoyds chemists who will refer you quickly through the system. These are both linked to NHS. When you check your B12 and folates look to see if they are on the base line of normal. Expect you know all this already but don't get to my age ignored because you don't know who to ask!
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