Daughters latest blood test

[Catlover3]

Here is the results for my daughter for bloods taken this week. She is not on any thyroid medication, and has stopped all supplements for the past 4 months to get a clearer picture. Any thoughts anyone?

-CRP 0.66 <5.0 mg/L

Ferritin 52.0 13 - 150 ug/L

Thyroid Function

TSH 2.94 0.27 - 4.20 mIU/L

T4 Total 96.0 66 - 181 nmol/L

Free T4 14.60 12.0 - 22.0 pmol/L

Free T3 5.86 3.1 - 6.8 pmol/L

Immunology

Anti-Thyroidperoxidase abs 21.1 <34 kIU/L

Anti-Thyroglobulin Abs 20 <115 kU/L

Vitamins

Vitamin B12 H 623

Deficient <145 pmol/L

Insufficient 145 - 250

Consider reducing dose >569

Serum Folate L 5.43 8.83 - 60.8 nmol/L

Although her B12 has come back high it is still dropping despite eating a lot of red meat. She had a B12 injection 4 months ago but none since. I have arranged for her to have an active B12 test as am not convinced that the B12 is being used as it should be. Her folate is low again which is due to her not supplementing yet she eats a good diet with plenty of greens.

She is still very unwell, but although the doctor has referred her to a rheumatologist, they refused to see her as they can't see past her diagnosis of depression.

Regards

Catlover3

[Mary-intussuception]

Wasn't Vitamin D tested?

When did she last have a FBC & Kidney, Liver & Calcium tested?

If Rheumatologist has refused to see your Daughter, ask GP for urgent appointment to Medical Consultant? ? Any gastro type symptoms ? If so maybe referal to Gastroenterologist? They would probably do all immunology tests ??

Just some pointers.

Sorry to hear how unwell your daughter is. It's disgraceful - what we have to do to get our loved ones appropriate medical care. But we have to keep fighting. xx

[Catlover3 in reply to Mary-intussuception]

Thanks for your reply. I had posted earlier but somehow lost it! She has had FBC, etc all tested as she was referred to rheumatologist and they require loads of tests to be done. Her liver needs to be repeated in October as it was borderline. Her vitD was 137 in June so that was ok. She has enlarged lymph nodes in her neck, ones been like that for a year and others are popping up in her neck, chest, groin so not sure what's going on there. Neck scan is being repeated in Oct too.

[Mary-intussuception in reply to Catlover3]

Did she have an Ultrasound scan of her Thyroid and Parathyroids?

Is that what's being repeated next month?

Did blood tests include Prolactin?

Is she under any Consultant now?

[Catlover3 in reply to Mary-intussuception]

Hi. The ultrasound was just for the lymph nodes. She asked the radiologist to look at her thyroid but he was very dismissive. Prolactin hasn't been done, but she is on the pill. She isn't under any consultant. they just want to send her to a psychiatrist!

[Mary-intussuception in reply to Catlover3]

She can ask her GP to send her for the Ultrasound scan of her Thyroid. I did (but that was some time ago). He could refuse but worth asking?

Psychiatrist, with all those significant swellings !?!

Keep insisting on medical referal ??

Has her GP examined all the swellings in groin & chest and well as neck?

Do they know about her low temperature and BP? I recall being really unwell with these symptoms (and low pulse) several years before diagnosis.

[HughH]

T3 is the active thyroid hormone which controls almost every cell in the body and Free T3 is the best measure of T3 level. Your daughter's value of Free T3 at 5.86 (3.1 - 6.8) pmol/L is near the top of the normal range so she is not hypothyroid.

Her symptoms including depression are however indicative of a thyroid problem. You also mention your sisters' health issues and these factors point to a genetic condition - Impaired Sensitivity to Thyroid Hormone, also known as Thyroid Hormone Resistance.

With the condition you require very high levels of thyroid hormones to overcome the resistance and T3 generally works best.

[Catlover3 in reply to HughH]

Thanks for your reply. I have Hashi's, and my gran had numerous auto-immune conditions so the likely-hood is genetics causing the problems. I self treat with nature-throid and have done for the past 15 years as given up with gp. She will not get any help from any doctor with her levels as they are, and an endo wouldn't even see her so we are stuck! I will wait and see what her Active B12 comes back with, as dr hasn't tested for that, only serum B12 which doesn't show what is happening at cellular level either. There is something going on which is causing this extreme fatigue and swollen lymph glands and I know that this is not solely down to her being depressed. Her elder sister has ME/Fibro, POTS, Endometriosis, Seizures but is able to do much more than her which is ridiculous! I will re-read Dr Peatfield's book regarding Thyroid Resistance as it is not something I had thought about.

[HughH in reply to Catlover3]

It looks like your other daughter also has thyroid hormone resistance and would benefit from treatment with T3. Do they both have low temperature, low heart rate and low blood pressure. All the organs and tissues in the body need an adequate supply of blood and if heart rate and blood pressure are low then they do not receive enough blood and this leads to various conditions.

[Catlover3 in reply to HughH]

Both of them have low temps, low heart rate, palpitations, low blood pressure.

[Marz in reply to Catlover3]

The Active B12 test only shows the amount available to be transferred into the cells - not what is in the cells. It may not be getting into the cells for some reason. Testing Homocysteine and MMA may be helpful and if raised can indicate low B12 in the cells.

[Catlover3 in reply to Marz]

Thanks Marz. Have arranged for an MMA urine test. Trouble is, every test is so expensive and my daughter has problems with finger prick tests due to Reynaulds syndrome so can't do it any cheaper. If the doctor bothered to do more tests and wasn't just focused on the depression it would be so much easier!

[Marz in reply to Catlover3]

It is such a battle - and really shouldn't be. There was an interesting post today on the PAS forum - will find it and link it to you.

EDIT ...

healthunlocked.com/pasoc/po......

[Catlover3 in reply to Marz]

Thanks. She does normally take methylfolate once a day but since stopping over the past four months or so, she is now deficient. She normally eats healthily but has had deficient ferritin, folate and B12 (78) was her lowest reading for B12 but all gp does is advise her to eat better, and doesn't do anything else.

[Marz in reply to Catlover3]

Oh dear - so hope you can find some answers soon. Absorption seems to be an issue - as it is for many of us - even when we eat well.

[Catlover3]

Hi. We are in the north east so wouldn't be easy to get to Cardiff but its not something I would completely dismiss. I need to read up and find out more about this.

[Mary-intussuception]

Hi

Could you pm me the Professor's name please. Thanks.

[Catlover3]

Hi. Can you pm me this professor's name. I think if we were going to look at self treating I would like to be sure that it is hormone resistance. I don't mind self treating myself as I have done for the past 16 or so years but am more scared when it comes to my daughters. Many thanks