Help with blood results

[noemielady]

Hi everyone,

I need a bit of help to understand some blood results. In April this year I had to do lots of tests as I was suffering from terrible urticaria. The doctor never really found the cause but the urticaria is now completely gone. Anyway, when the dermatologist saw my blood results, he mentioned the thyroid numbers were not great. At the moment I am exhausted, I keep getting ill, I sleep very badly and I am depressed. This is not new. I have been feeling exhausted for years. At some point the doctor found my iron was low but it’s fine now and I am still tired. I have followed a therapy but I am still tired. So I have been thinking about what the dermatologist said all these months away about my tyroid. My TSH is 3.11 and my T4 is 14.3. Could I be thyroid be under active? Is it worth making an appointment with the gp?

Thanks in advance

[greygoose]

It's worth making an appointment for another blood test. A lot could have changed since April. But, he won't give you any sort of diagnosis on the basis of those labs. Although you haven't given the ranges, I doubt that TSH is over any sort of range in the UK. And GPs tend to like the TSH to be really high before they will diagnose - although, in the real world, you are hypo with a TSH of 3. It's just the NHS that won't admit it.

And, if he is willing to give you another test, do ask him to test TPO antibodies, vit d, vit B12 and folate. When was your ferritin last tested? If is was a while ago, it might be worth retesting that, too.

[noemielady in reply to greygoose]

Hi grey goose,

Thank you so much for taking the time to respond. It is very helpful. According to the tests I am within range but I do think that there is something wrong with thyroids. My worse symptoms are tiredness, bad quality sleep, terrible terrible pms, brain fog, thin hair, bloating and back pain. I am not overweight though. On the contrary I am quite skinny no matter how much I eat. I will follow your recommendation and try to get more tests done. Thank you again!

[greygoose in reply to noemielady]

Just being 'in-range' is meaningless, because the ranges are usually much too wide. Do you have the actual numbers? There is something wrong with your thyroid, you're quite right. Your TSH is saying that you are hypo. You don't have to be over-weight. There are over 300 symptoms of hypothyroidism, but you don't have to have all of them to qualify.

[noemielady in reply to greygoose]

0.27-4.20 for the TSH and 12-22 for T4

[Mary-intussuception in reply to noemielady]

With Hashimoto's Autoimmune Thyroiditis, the regular Thyroid Function blood tests results can fluctuate and fall within 'normal" range. Mine did - had Hypothyroid Blood results in 2008 ( wasn't informed, not started on replacement medication) then had Euthyroid ( (normal) results in 2010. Finally diagnosed late 2011 after asking GP for an Ultrasound scan of my Thyroid which led to referal to an Endocrinologist. Thankfully the Endocrinologist tested TPO and FreeT3 as well as the others. Also arranged a Short Synacthen Test to check my adrenals first before I started my Levothyroxine.

Hashimoto's is the cause of Hypothyroidism in most cases.

Your T4 was very low in range.

I found out that mine was in 2010 after applying for copies of my medical records.

Write a list of all your symptoms to show GP and ask for all the blood tests as Greygoose says.

Ask for referal to Endocrinologist? Ultrasound scan?

[noemielady in reply to Mary-intussuception]

Hi Mary,

Thank you for your reply. It’s really kind of you to give me all the advice. How are you feeling now that you are on the medication?

From what you and greygoose are saying, it could be a long process to convince the doctor to help. I have made an appointment. I couldnt get the nice doctor I like and it’s in 2 weeks time! What could I do in the meantime to boost my energy? Ginseng worked for a while but not anymore. What change should I make to my lifestyle? I hear you can take some supplement to boost you thyroid with selenium and ionide. I am a bit worried that if I started taking them, they could affect my blood results...

[Mary-intussuception in reply to noemielady]

I wouldn't be concerned about taking supplements at the moment - somone with more knowledge and experience than I may come on and comment.

But definitely do not take iodine. Don't take multivitamins nor multiminerals.

I would wait and see if you get the blood tests.

Meanwhile, rest when tired, try and get some early nights. Eat healthy balanced meals, plenty water, 3 pieces of fruit a day. Cut out caffeine if possible or only have it early in day and drink decaf tea, decaf coffee and lots of water.

Only take gentle exercise eg walking or swimming. No strenuous exercise or work outs. Basically, be kind to yourself! You don't have the extra weight so no need to worry about a reducing diet. So carry on eating healthily but don't deny yourself treats.

I put on 5st over the years of illness & loss of mobility, before being diagnosed and treated. Chronic constipaton did a lot of internal damage plus falls.

Now that I'm on the Levothyroxine (since late 2011) I'm surviving, but not been on high enough dose in my opinion. Starting to get somewhere with Endo - my FT3 is low in range if it doesn't come up with recent small increase in Levo he will let me try low dose of T3.

I have lost a stone in weight but that was due to a bug a few years ago. I have Lympthoedema in both legs - so difficult to ever lose that weight! Can't manage the compression garments due to arthritis in neck and thumbs. But I'm OK. I don't let the things I can't do stop me from doing the things I can do. Have to keep positive!

I was only started on Vitamin D supplements last year - asked GP to test after reading about it on here. Had VitD insufficiency. Also low Folate which is sorted now.

You have to keep going back to GP until you get everything sorted. Hopefully, you will he diagnosed and start to feel better after a couple of months on Levothyroxine and then keep on improving. I had the Ultrasound scan of my Thyroid before the Antibodies were tested so the Thyroiditis was revealed then. TPO 300 when Endo tested. The GP did give me a prescription for 50mcg of Levothyroxine but I waited till I'd seen the Endocrinologist before starting it. After all, I had waited years for this and wanted all the tests and any Adrenal issue eliminated first. Which is was.

Try to keep positive. Don't allow any negative reaction (you may have from GPs) to intimidate you. See how the appointment goes. GP may agree to some things. If he refuses a test - check your list and ask for another. Hope you get somewhere.

If you are unwell with exhaustion & other symptoms you should be seen the same day but I know not all GPs are as accessible as ours.

[silverfox7]

You need to have your bloods done asearly as possible, first appointment of the day. TSH is at its highest then so that will help you get a diagnoses. It's not treating as weshould be on medication that helps us all day, not for just part of it. Eating also makes TSH higher so you need to be fasted aswell for maximum effect. If your surgery doesn't do early morning tests ask if you can have a form for the hospital. They usually start blood tests earlier than surgeries open plus aren't so busy then.