Looking for help interpreting my results

[DesperateDiane]

Hello. I'm new to this community and hope I'm doing this right.

I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia over a decade ago, and then with chronic fatigue. My GP tells me that my symptoms all point to an under active thyroid, but that our local health authority won't allow her to run a full screening for thyroid issues, so after she'd sent me for the most basic testing there was nothing she could do. I paid for a private blood test, and now have all my results back, but my GP is now on maternity leave and the other GPs in the practice won't even look at the results. I'd be grateful if anyone could take a look at the results I got, and let me know if all is ok. The blood test people said in their report that everything is within normal limits, but having read up on what the UK's normal limits are, I'm not sure that's a useful comment.

The results are in wobbly columns, like this:

Test / my level / normal levels

THYROID STIMULATING HORMONE 2.29 mIU/L 0.27 - 4.20

FREE THYROXINE 15.8 pmol/L 12.00 - 22.00

FREE T3 4.96 pmol/L 3.10 - 6.80

REVERSE T3 21 ng/dL 10.00 - 24.00

REVERSE T3 RATIO 15.38 15.01 - 75.00

THYROGLOBULIN ANTIBODY <10 IU/mL 0.00 - 115.00

THYROID PEROXIDASE ANTIBODIES 14.6 IU/mL 0.00 - 34.00

Does all that look ok to everyone who knows what these numbers all mean? I'm just overwhelmed by it all and can't work out what any of it tells me. Thank you for your help and advice.

[greygoose]

THYROID STIMULATING HORMONE 2.29 mIU/L 0.27 - 4.20

TSH is a pituitary hormone that is secreted when the pituitary senses there isn't enough thyroid hormone in the blood. 2.29 is in range, but too high. It shows that your thyroid is struggling to make enough hormone to satisfy the pituitary.

FREE THYROXINE 15.8 pmol/L 12.00 - 22.00

T4, the thyroid storage hormone. Yours is a bit on the low side, not even mid-range.

FREE T3 4.96 pmol/L 3.10 - 6.80

T3, the thyroid active hormone. The thyroid makes some T3 itself, but most comes from 'conversion' - the removal of one atom of iodine from a molecule of T4. Your T3 is almost exactly mid-range, so not bad. But, given the level of your FT4, I would say that your highish TSH is driving the conversion to keep you going. How long that can continue is anyone's guess.

REVERSE T3 21 ng/dL 10.00 - 24.00

Pretty useless test that tells you if there is a problem, but not where it is. Yours is still in-range, but high, so there could be something wrong somewhere. It could possibly be due to low nutrients, so you really need your vit D, vit B12, folate and ferritin tested. Nutrients all need to be optimal for your body to be able to use thyroid hormones.

REVERSE T3 RATIO 15.38 15.01 - 75.00

The most useless test of all. Not worth doing, gives you no useful information.

THYROGLOBULIN ANTIBODY <10 IU/mL 0.00 - 115.00

THYROID PEROXIDASE ANTIBODIES 14.6 IU/mL 0.00 - 34.00

These are the tests for Hashimoto's Thyroiditis - aka by UK doctors Autoimmune Thyroiditis. If these are over-range, it means you have Hashi's. Yours are negative, but that is not proof that you don't have it, you still could. But, I won't go into all the details at this point. I think that's enough for one day, don't you?

So, to resume, your thyroid is struggling at the moment, but not quite hypo. Symptoms often proceed abnormal blood test results. So, keep an eye on it. Do regular testing until something shows up that will impinge on the consciousness of a bog-standard GP. Or your good GP comes back from maternity leave. But, get the nutrients tested as soon as you can.

Meant to say, welcome to the forum. And, yes, telling someone their results are 'in-range', is one of the most unhelpful comments, ever! lol

[DesperateDiane in reply to greygoose]

Wow, greygoose, thank you--that's really helpful. I do have some vitamin test results too:

ACTIVE B12 69.700 pmol/L 25.10 - 165.00

FOLATE (SERUM) 10.87 ug/L 2.91 - 50.00

25 OH VITAMIN D 54.7 nmol/L 50.00 - 200.00

Interpretation of results: Deficient <25 Insufficient 25 - 49 Normal Range 50 - 200 Consider reducing dose >200

Inflammation Marker CRP - HIGH SENSITIVITY 2.7 mg/l 0.00 - 5.00

Iron Status

FERRITIN 136 ug/L 13.00 - 150.00

I take B12 and D every day, but have upped the dosage on the vitamin D following these results.

[greygoose in reply to DesperateDiane]

Glad you're supplementing. But are you also taking a B complex (with methylfolate, not folic acid) with the B12, and vit K2-MK7 and magnesium with the vit D?

That low B12 and vit d will more than likely be responsible for some of your symptoms.

[DesperateDiane in reply to greygoose]

I just ordered methylfolate last week--can't get hold of it locally. It should be with me tomorrow. I don't know about the K2-Mk7 or magnesium--should I hunt those out and take them, too?

I am not even sure what the K2-MK7 is!

Thank you so much for your help, by the way--you're very kind.

[greygoose in reply to DesperateDiane]

You'll find them on Amazon.

But, just taking methylfolate is not good enough. You need a B complex, with all the Bs, because the Bs all work together and need to be kept balanced.

[DesperateDiane in reply to greygoose]

OK, I'll add it to my shopping list. I'm going to rattle with all these supplements! Thank you again.

[greygoose in reply to DesperateDiane]

You're welcome.